Red team gets Rowan, then gets goin’

By Pete Mollica

The quarterback improved to 3-0 in spring games.

YOUNGSTOWN — Never bet against Todd Rowan in the Youngstown State Red and White Spring game.

Rowan, the junior quarterback from LaBrae High, led his Red team to a 15-0 victory over the White Friday night in the 36th annual classic at Stambaugh Stadium.

For Rowan, it was his third straight victory in the spring game. He led the Red team to its sixth straight win in the series. The White Team still holds an edge in the overall series, 20-16.

YSU head coach Jon Heacock was pleased with the overall performance of his team.

“I thought the kids were really excited about playing tonight,” Heacock said. “There were some good plays on both sides and we took care of the football.

“I think the difference was that the Red was able to control the ball on offense and did a good job defensively,” Heacock said.

Rowan, who seems to be the heir apparent to the starting quarterback position next fall, didn’t have the statistics that he had in the first two spring games when he passed for more than 200 yards in both contests.

He completed 11 of 16 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.

“I thought all three quarterbacks did a pretty good job,” Heacock said. “You have to remember that the offensive line was divided up among both teams, but I thought they still did a good job. All three of them have the ability to run the football when they need to.

“The difference between Tommy Zetts the last few years and these three is that Zetts would wait a second or two longer knowing that somebody would break open,” Heacock said. “These guys might tuck it a little sooner, but that will come the more they play.”

Junior Brandon Summers, a transfer from Toledo, finished the game 6-of-15 for 50 yards with one interception for the White and was 1-of-2 for 30 yards while with the Red. Redshirt freshman Paul Corsaro was 5-o-5 for the Red for 19 yards.

Defense dominated most of the first half as neither team threatened.

Rowan and senior tailback Kevin Smith then started a Red drive from their own 19 yard line and quickly moved to the White 30. Smith, who led all rushers with 44 yards on eight carries, then raced 18 yards to the 6.

Rowan then fired into the end zone where redshirt freshman Josh Lee leaped up between to defenders and hauled in the game’s first score. The point after attempt by senior Brian Palmer was blocked by senior Mychal Savage.

White senior Ferlando Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards where Dominique Barnes made a touchdown-saving tackle at the Red 19 yard line.

But playing with a continuous clock in the first half, the White team was unable to get any closer than the 8 yard line before time expired.

In the second half the White team went up 9-0 when former Boardman High kicker Bob Gratz booted a 37-yard field goal.

The Red’s final touchdown came two series later after junior tailback Jabari Scott raced 23 yards and Rowan followed with a 14-yard pass to Nate Schkurko to the White 22.

On the next play, Rowan gave the ball to Barnes on an end around. He stopped and tossed a perfect pass to junior wide receiver Aaron Pitts for the touchdown. Again, the extra point attempt by Gratz was blocked by Nick Gooden.

“It wasn’t a total surprise to see Dominique throw because he was a quarterback in high school,” Heacock said.

The Red defense held the White team to a minus-7 yards rushing and just 50 yards passing, while the Red finished with 98 yards rushing and 163 passing for 261 total yards.

The game’s only turnover came on an interception by the Red’s sophomore safety Andre Elliot late in the scrimmage on a pass thrown by Summers.

White’s senior cornerback De’Angelo Wilson led all defenders with six tackles, while Savage had a sack and a tackle for loss.

Red’s Brad Miller had two sacks and Nick Mernedakis and Jarvis Richards each had four total tackles.

mollica@vindy.com