YSU adds three more football recruits

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The YSU football team continued its busy week, adding three more junior college transfers.

Offensive lineman Mark Pratt (Snow Junior College) and defensive linemen Josh Fenderson (Rochester Community Tech College) and Nick Dekraker (Grand Rapids Community College) join two other junior college players who already committed earlier in the week.

The others are offensive lineman Lamar Mady (Butler County Community College) and kicker David Brown (Ventura Community College). Brown will help replace kicker Jake Smith, who has decided to transfer.

All five will enroll at Youngstown State in January and have two years of eligibility remaining.

“Getting them here in January will be important for us this spring,” said YSU coach Eric Wolford. “They can take part in our strength program, get used to classes at YSU and having them for spring practices will help set the tone for the fall.”

YSU lost five seniors on the offensive line, including three 11-game starters (Bobby Coates, Justin Rechichar and Eric Rodemoyer) as well as six players on the defensive front, including 11-game starters Torrance Nicholson and Luke Matelan. The Penguins also lost all-conference placekicker senior Stephen Blose.

All four position players were first-team all-conference selections and were key members of strong programs that finished in the National Junior College Athletic Association top 20. Combined, the four linemen played on teams that posted a record of 41-7, all four won at least 10 games and played in the postseason.

“These five players are very talented and are all excited to become a part of our program,” Wolford said. “We answered some needs on both the offense and defensive lines and were able to sign one of the most highly-touted junior college kickers in the country.

“All four linemen were first-team all-conference picks and I love the fact that they were part of winning programs last year and all played in the postseason.

Pratt (6-3, 328), a Utah native, was a first team All-Western States Football League selection as an offensive lineman/center this fall. Snow went 10-2 and won its conference and finished ranked seventh in the country. Snow’s offense averaged 43 points per game.

Fenderson (6-2, 240), a Detroit native, was a first team All-Minnesota College Athletic Conference All-Division selection this season. He had 35 tackles, including 101/2 for loss, with six sacks.

Rochester finished 17th in the final NJCAA rankings.

Dekraker (6-3, 255), another Michigan native, was a first team All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference selection. He had 70 tackles, including 13 for loss with four sacks.

The Raiders went 10-2 and finished eighth in the final NJCAA rankings.