No cigar, but still a victory

It was a long time coming, but Saturday’s Youngstown State victory over Indiana State left a good feeling, especially to the 16 seniors who were playing their final game at Stambaugh Stadium.

OK, so the win was against a team that hasn’t won a game in over two years, but when you figure that after a quarter and a half most people in the stadium (and there weren’t very many fans in the stands) thought the Penguins were going to be the team that let the Sycamores finally end their long losing streak, which has now reached 24 games.

After coming out and driving right down the field for an opening touchdown, the Penguins seemed to go into hibernation for the next 15 minutes and allowed the Sycamores to scored three unanswered touchdowns and take a 21-7 lead with just over 10 minutes left in the half.

The Sycamores didn’t play like a team that hadn’t won for such a long time in those early going, but the Penguins finally found themselves in time to rally for 14 late second quarter points and a 21-21 tie at halftime.

Those two scores, the final one coming with just 31 seconds left in the half, gave the Penguins the momentum they needed going into the second half, when the Sycamores returned to their losing ways.

Heacock happy for seniors

YSU coach Jon Heacock was extremely happy for his seniors, but he wasn’t too happy about the two lost fumbles the Penguins had, including the first one by redshirt freshman Kamryn Keys, which was returned for the Sycamores’ third touchdown.

That fumble may have cost Keys an opportunity for a very big game as the youngster had 123 yards on 17 carries, all in the first half, then was benched by an unhappy Heacock for not taking care of the football.

Benching Keys is not something that the Penguins could really afford since they don’t have that many running backs to step in and take over.

In fact, in the fourth quarter it was senior fullback Ben Lane who was carrying the ball for most of the load.

Lane went into the contest with just seven career carries after three years as a starter, but he had 10 carries for 38 yards Saturday.

“I’ve always loved to block and I’ve never been bothered by not carrying the ball much,” said Lane.

“Now when they call my number then I’m ready to tote it, but I really enjoy blocking just as much.”

Difference was the defense

Heacock said the difference in the game was the way the defense responded after the Sycamores took the 21-7 lead.

Indiana State had almost three-quarters of its offensive yards in the first half before the Penguins shut them down.

Now the Penguins have a week off, a much needed week off.

“We haven’t had this for quite a while,” Heacock said. “We are probably the only team in the conference that has played 11 straight weeks and in the past we’ve had our bye at the end of the season.”

Heacock said he plans to give the Penguins some rest this week, although he doesn’t expect to get any of his top injured players back before the next game Nov. 22 at Western Illinois.

“Our healthy guys need rest,” Heacock said.

“There is a chance we might get Ferlando [Williams] back, he’s going to be checked over this week. It’s a slight possibility he’ll get to play one more game, but other than him I don’t see anybody else returning.”

Basketball set this Saturday

Are you ready for some basketball?

Both the YSU men and women’s teams will open the season Saturday. The women play at Kent State at 2 p.m. and the men are home against Buffalo at 7:05 p.m.

The women have played two exhibition games, splitting the two, while the men will play their second exhibition contest Tuesday night at Beeghly Center against Geneva College at 7 p.m.

Both teams should be exciting to watch this season as they compete in the Horizon League.

Jerry Slocum begins his fourth season as the helm of the men’s program, while Cindy Martin is making her debut with the women’s program.

XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.