Penguins look to end losing skid

YSU has lost its last three games on homecoming.

YOUNGSTOWN — Saturday is homecoming at Youngstown State. While there will be a lot of pageantry throughout the day most of the attention will be focused in Stambaugh Stadium where the Penguins will play host to South Dakota State in a 4 p.m. kickoff.

The Penguins (4-3, 2-2 Missouri Valley Football Conference) are coming off a disappointing 27-8 loss at Southern Illinois last week. They haven’t fared well recently in homecoming games.

YSU has lost its last three homecoming contests and five of its last six. The only win over that stretch was a 31-7 victory over Missouri State in 2005.

This will be the third time the Penguins have played the Jackrabbits in a homecoming contest, although it will be the first time since 1969. The Penguins lost to the Jackrabbits 23-20 in 1968 and then defeated them in 1969 by the score of 17-16.

The Penguins are 47-19-1 overall in homecoming games, including 19-8 at Stambaugh Stadium. YSU coach Jon Heacock is 3-5 in homecoming games.

But Heacock has also played Northern Iowa in three of those games, losing all three, and is 1-2 against Illinois State. Two of the three losses against the Panthers were decided by less than three points. Last year the Penguins dropped a 21-20 contest to the Panthers and in 2004 lost 22-20. In fact all five of Heacock’s losses were decided by 10 points or less.

Heacock’s predecessor, Jim Tressel, was 13-2 in homecoming games, but Tressel never played Northern Iowa in those games. Tressel won the last nine homecoming games in a row and Heacock won his first two, so the Penguins did have a 11-game winning streak.

Tressel’s two losses came against Liberty in 1991 (10-8) and to Middle Tennessee State in 1986 (49-14). Probably the toughest homecoming win for Tressel’s Penguins came in 1994 against defending Division II national champion North Alabama with the Penguins hanging on for a 17-14 win. YSU went on to win its third national championship, posting a 14-0-1 record.

Other than the 10-10 season-opening tie with Stephen F. Austin, the North Alabama game was the closest game the Penguins had that season.

Also Youngstown State will introduce this year’s athletic hall of fame inductees this weekend.

Included in this year’s group will be two former football standouts who played on the same teams. Ian Shirey, the Penguins center from 1996-99 and linebacker Ian Dominelli (1998-99) will be included.

Also being inducted will be Matt Folk (track/cross cCountry), Vickie Robinson (volleyball), Cathy Shipka (swimming), Ronald Smith (basketball), Laura Thomas (track/cross country) and Helen Stambaugh (contributor).