Getting a taste of Gateway: Jackrabbits visit Stambaugh

South Dakota State lost to Western Illinois last weekend.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The South Dakota State Jackrabbits will become full-fledged members of the Gateway Football Conference in 2008.

But before that happens coach John Stiegelmeier and his team are getting a early preview of what’s to come.

The Jackrabbits opened the season last Thursday against Western Illinois in Macomb, Ill., where they dropped a 29-26 decision that went four overtimes.

This Saturday South Dakota State makes the long trek cross country to visit Youngstown State at 6 p.m. in Stambaugh Stadium.

The Jackrabbits will play host to a third future Gateway opponent Sept. 15 when they entertain Northern Iowa in Brookings, S.D.

Stiegelmeier is entering his 11th season with the Jackrabbits with a 61-47 record.

This is the their final season of transition to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

Last year the Jackrabbits finished 7-4 and were ranked 21st in the final SportsNetwork poll. They started this season again ranked in the top 25, but fell to 26th after the loss to Western Illinois.

Disappointing loss

Steigelmeier was disappointed his team let the opener get away.

“I wish we would have put some pressure on ourselves earlier in the game and made the plays we needed to make to put it away,” he said. “We were able to score at the end and then in overtime we had a turnover. We felt that we could have still been playing.

“It was a real tough loss, we played very well in the first half and average in the second. We fell short, not only on the board, but on the things we set up win the game,” he added.

Steigelmeier said team doesn’t have time to worry about that loss.

“We’d better get ready in a hurry,” he said. “We have no choice. Youngstown State is such a good football team that we better strap it up or it could be a long Saturday afternoon.

“Youngstown State is a good program, they competed and went deep into the playoffs,” he said. “They lost a lot of guys, but I watched tape and Ohio State struggled to get into the end zone at times against them”

“Offensively we’re going to see a team very similar to what we thought Western Illinois was going to be. Youngstown State coaches have done this a long time and are very good at it. We expect a very, very, very physical game,” he said.

Key stats

The Jackrabbits came up with 283 total yards against Western Illinois, 144 rushing and 139 passing, while allowing 376 yards, including 248 on the ground.

Senior tailback Cory Koenig (5-foot-10, 205 pounds) led the Jackrabbits with 117 yards on 28 carries, but they didn’t have a rushing touchdown.

Junior quarterback Ryan Berry, who made his first start last week, was 16-of-39 for 139 yards and two touchdowns, but he was intercepted three times.

“Ryan Berry is still our starting quarterback, but he’s got to get better and quickly,” said Stiegelmeier.

The Jackrabbits have an outstanding placekicker in senior Parker Douglass. He kicked four field goals last week, the longest being 36 yards.

“He’s the reason we went to overtime,” added Stiegelmeier.

mollica@vindy.com