Jones lives up to advance billing

The senior wide receiver set a new reception record in Saturday’s loss.

By Pete Mollica

YOUNGSTOWN — This season, Youngstown State senior wide receiver Donald Jones has been everything that the Penguins had expected him to be.

Saturday night, Jones tied a YSU single-game reception record when he caught 11 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.

But Jones was anything but excited about the record-tying performance.

“Records don’t mean much when you don’t win the game,” Jones said after the contest. “This was a game we were expected to win and we didn’t do what we needed to do to win it.”

Saturday, the Penguins suffered a disappointing 17-7 loss to Missouri State at home before more than 16,000 fans at Stambaugh Stadium.

This week, they will be at home again when they take on Western Illinois (1-3, 0-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Stambaugh.

Jones, a 6-foot-2, 210 pounder from Plainfield, N.J., is the Penguins top receiver this season. He has 30 catches in five games for 320 yards and three touchdowns. He is also one of the Penguins’ co-captains.

For his efforts, Jones was named the Hill, Barth and King Offensive player of the game.

“We didn’t play well enough to win and that only means that we have to come back this week and work that much harder and get back on the winning track,” Jones said.

“These are all conference games now and none of them are going to be easy,” Jones said. “We’ve got to prepare harder each week and take things one game at a time.”

While Jones was taking offensive honors, the defensive player of the game was senior cornerback Lenny Wicks.

The 5-10, 190 pounder from Pittsburgh, was starting only his second contest after recuperating from off-season knee surgery.

Wicks finished with seven tackles and came up with a big interception against the Bears that he returned 16 yards.

Special team honors for the game went to local product Scott Sentner, a sophomore free safety from McDonald High School. The 6-2, 200 pounder had two tackles, both on special teams.

The Jim Zdelar offensive lineman of the game, for the fourth straight week, was junior guard Eric Rodemoyer, the 6-4, 280 pounder from Kennedy Catholic High in Sharon, Pa.

Rodemoyer missed the Penguins season opener against Pitt for disciplinary reasons, but has more than made up for it the past four weeks.

The Jermaine Hopkins defensive lineman of the game was senior end Mychal Savage. The 6-2, 310 pounder from Hartsdale, N.Y., finished with three tackles, one for a loss and one quarterback hurry.

The Haines Family player of the game, selected by the YSU radio broadcast team, was senior defensive tackle Crispin Fernandez, who finished the game with four tackles.

mollica@vindy.com

YSU FOOTBALL | Players of the week

Hill, Barth & King Offensive Player: Donald Jones (6-2, 210, Sr.) wide receiver from Plainfield, N.J.

Hill, Barth & King Defensive Player: Lenny Wicks (5-10, 190, Sr.) cornerback from Pittsburgh.

Hill, Barth & King Special Teams Player: Scott Sentner (6-2, 200, Soph.) free safety from McDonald.

Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman: Eric Rodemoyer, (6-4, 280, Jr.) guard from Sharon, Pa.

Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman: Mychal Savage (6-2, 310, Sr.) defensive end from New Rochelle, N.Y.

Scout Offensive Player: Carson Sharbaugh (6-5, 240, Fr.) tight end from New Wilmington, Pa.

Scout Defensive Player: Mike McGlone (5-10, 180, Fr.) cornerback from Boardman.

Scout Special Teams Player: Gannon Hulea (6-2, 200, Fr.) quarterback from Poland.

W.O.W./Derek Pixley Hit of Week: Not awarded.

Haines Family Player of the Game: Crispin Fernandez (5-10, 280, Sr.) defensive tackle from Porterville, Calif.

Wells Fargo Leadership Award: Mychal Savage.