Penguins toy with Lock Haven, 35-3

The Division II team dropped to 0-4.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State football team had its final tune-up before Gateway Conference play and the Penguins handled things like expected.

Using about as many players as he had available, head coach Jon Heacock watched his Penguins roll past Division II Lock Haven University 35-3 before an announced crowd of 14,424 Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.

“A week from now, it’s for real,” said Heacock, whose team opens Gateway play next Saturday at home against Missouri State.

“We played hard and we tried to play as many players as we could,” he added. “There were a lot of players out there today that got their first snaps as a college player.”

Comparison

The Penguins (3-1) dominated on both sides of the football against the Bald Eagles (0-4), rolling up 425 yards in total offense, including 279 yards on the ground. The YSU defense was equally dominant, holding Lock Haven to 106 total yards and 50 yards on the ground.

The Bald Eagles are coached by former YSU assistant John Klacik, a Youngstown native and a Chaney High graduate. Both coaches said it was a little emotional prior to the start of the contest.

“I have so many great memories from this place and it was pretty emotional walking out on the field for the first time today,” said Klacik. “But in the end it was a great learning experience for my football team.”

As an example of just how many players the Penguins used, nine different Penguins carried the football, led by sophomore Jabari Scott with 88 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

Junior Ferlando Williams added 62 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown run, while senior quarterback Tom Zetts rushed for 45 yards and had a 25-yard touchdown run. Junior Brandon Nicholson also scored for the Penguins.

Zetts, who started slowly again, connected on 11 of 16 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown, a 19-yard scoring toss to sophomore wide receiver Aaron Pitts.

Defense sharp

The defense was equally impressive as it came up with two sacks and six tackles for losses that totaled 18 yards.

“We played well on both sides of the football today and we still need to see the films, but there were some outstanding plays by a lot of young players out there,” Heacock said.

Lock Haven could muster up just four first downs in the game and only one in the second half and committed three turnovers, although the Penguins had two of their own.

The Penguins fumbled the first time they touched the football when Zetts hit Williams with a pass and the wide receiver lost the football at the YSU 45.

That led to Lock Haven’s only score of the game — a 35-yard field goal by Marc Domonkios that gave the Bald Eagles a 3-0 lead.

The Penguins bounced right back on the next series, driving 70 yards in just five plays as Scott broke loose for a 51-yard TD jaunt to put the Penguins back on top.

YSU scored on its next two possessions, first with Williams moving to quarterback and reeling off a 40-yard scamper to the end zone.

Then, after a Lock Haven punt, Zetts drove the team 64 yards in 13 plays, including a 10 yard keeper that put the ball at the Bald Eagles’ 3 yard line. Nicholson took it over from there.

Sealing it

The Penguins put the game away on their first two possessions of the third quarter.

Zetts opened the first drive with a 38-yard pass to Williams and then found Pitts open near the goal line and the sophomore leaped high to haul in the toss and score.

On the Penguins’ next series, Zetts threw three passes to senior wide receiver Rory Berry of 21, 7 and 12 yards. With the ball on the Lock Haven 25 yard line, Zetts made a beautiful fake into the line and took off around the right side and found it wide open as he scored easily.

“I just took off and saw the lane open up and I was just grateful that I didn’t stumble or fall,” added Zetts.

Following the last score, which came with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter, Heacock began freely substituting on both sides of the football.

The reserves did have one good drive, led by a 29-yard run from redshirt freshman Jordan Edwards, but it ended in a punt. The Eagles fumbled the kick and senior Tim Dewberry recovered at the Lock Haven 11.

Sophomore quarterback Todd Rowan, who was getting his first game experience after recuperating from an injury, fumbled on the first play and Lock Haven recovered.