The Penguins routed Missouri State, 49-21

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State’s football team continued its dominance over Missouri State and kept its success story going in Gateway Conference openers Saturday night.

The Penguins (4-1, 1-0 Gateway) put on an offensive display that was equal to the post-game fireworks. They beat the Bears for the 11th time in 12 meetings, 49-21 before a season-best crowd of 19,617 at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU, now 9-2 in Gateway openers, rushed for a season high 304 yards and totaled 473 yards on the night while scoring seven touchdowns, including the Penguins’ first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2001.

The YSU defense, while allowing 21 points (the most it has allowed since the season opener at Ohio State), played well against a Missouri State team that came in averaging 41 points and more than 450 yards per game.

The Penguins held the Bears (3-2, 0-1) to 305 total yards, with 100 of those coming in the final quarter when the game was out of reach.

“This was a very important win because it was the Gateway opener,” said YSU coach Jon Heacock. “I thought our defense played well, but we relaxed a bit in the second half and that disappointed me.

“We have a lot of young kids in there, and they have the tendency to do that when you jump out like we did,” he added.

Smith gets 102 yards

The Penguins had their first 100-yard rusher of the season as junior transfer Kevin Smith rushed for 102 yards on 15 carries and scored three touchdowns. Smith started after sophomore Jabari Scott was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Senior quarterback Tom Zetts also had a good night, completing 13-of-23 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown. He was intercepted once.

Smith scored on runs of 11, 1 and 3 yards, junior Ferlando Williams also added two more rushing touchdowns and Zetts connected with junior fullback Ben Lane on a 3-yard scoring toss.

The final YSU touchdown came in the fourth quarter after Missouri State had scored to cut the lead to 42-21 with more than 13 minutes remaining.

Kickoff return for TD

Bears kicker Matt Hottelman attempted an onside kick and the ball went high in the air. A Missouri State player missed it and it landed right in the hands of freshman Dominique Barnes — who took the ball at the Bears’ 37 and returned it for the touchdown.

Missouri State actually scored first in the contest off its opening drive. Tailback Gerald Davis broke several tackles and raced 51 yards for the score.

“They actually caught us in a blitz on that play,” said Heacock. “It was really the only big mistake we made the entire first half.”

The Penguins bounced right back on their first drive and went 65 yards in seven plays.

Zetts hit two big passes, then ran for 9 yards to the Missouri State 11.

From there Smith cut off tackle and bulled his way into the end zone.

The Penguins took the lead for good early in the second quarter. Again it was Smith, who capped a 54-yard drive with a 1-yard scamper.

Senior defensive back Dorian Chenault came up with a big play late in the quarter when he made a one-handed interception of a Cody Kirby pass at the YSU 49 yard line.

Zetts hit two big passes and then Smith ripped off a 19-yard run, before Williams came in and raced the final five yards for a 21-7 halftime lead.

Put Bears in big hole

Junior punter Ben Nowicki kicked the Bears into a hole early in the third quarter, placing the ball at the 1-yard line.

After the Bears couldn’t budge, they punted to their 40 and senior Dustin Helle returned it to the 34.

Four plays later Smith raced in from 3 yards out.

Missouri State scored its second touchdown on a 74-yard drive that was all through the air and ended when Kirby hit Jeremy Nicholson with a 6-yard pass.

YSU came right back and made it 35-14. This time it was Williams capping a drive with a 1-yard run.

When junior Da’Michael Horne recovered a fumble by the Bears on the ensuing kickoff, the Penguins had a short drive of 28 yards to score when Zetts and Lane connected from 3 yards.

The final Missouri State scoring drive was 76 yards in 10 plays and used up 4:12 on the clock before Kirby scored on a 2-yard run.

Then came the onside kick and the Penguins put the game on ice.

mollica@vindy.com