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Sept. 16, 2000
Football: Penguins Improve to 3-0
with 26-20 Win at KSU
Kent, Ohio --
The Nos. 5/6 Youngstown State
football team used a workmanlike
effort in holding off Kent State
26-20 before a crowd of 13,642 fans
on Saturday night at Dix Stadium in
Kent, Ohio.
The Penguins (3-0) took a 26-14 lead with 2:20 left
when YSU quarterback Jeff Ryan threw
an eight-yard pass to Sean Guerriero
in the fourth quarter. YSU held off
a late comeback try by the Golden
Flashes to earn their third straight
win over their Northeastern Ohio
neighbors. With the win, the
Penguins retain possession of the
Schwebel's Series Trophy beating the
Golden Flashes for the third time in
four years.
Ryan threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more
scores to account for all four of
YSU’s touchdowns. In the contest, he
completed 10-of-15 passes for 127
yards and the two scores. He
finished the ballgame with minus-two
yards rushing on 13 carries, despite
scoring on touchdown runs of three
and four yards.
Tim Johnson was the star on defense with 16 tackles and
an interception return for 58 yards
to set up a Ryan touchdown run.
Sophomore Justin Dellarose had a
breakout game with 11 tackles,
including one sack. The Penguins
finished the game with three sacks
after not recording a sack in the
first two games of the season.
Kent State (0-3) outyarded the Penguins 275-208 and
held YSU to just 81 yards rushing.
In the fourth quarter, YSU took a 26-14 lead when Ryan
threw an eight-yard scoring pass to
Guerriero with 2:20 remaining.
The Golden Flashes cut the lead to 26-20 when Zach
Williams threw a five-yard touchdown
pass to Jurron Kelly. On the onside
kick following a blocked extra
point, YSU freshman Jerald Burley
recovered the kick and YSU ran the
clock out on three plays.
Kent State began the second half taking its initial
possession 74 yards on 19 plays to
pull within 20-13. Williams scored
on a quarterback sneak on a
fourth-down play from inside the one
to pull within seven. The Golden
Flashes took 10:15 off the clock in
the third quarter as they pulled
within six.
The Penguins took advantage of two Kent State miscues
to put 13 points on the board in the
second quarter and build a 20-7
halftime lead.
Johnson returned an interception 58 yards and a dropped
punt snap by KSU punter Jared Fritz
helped set up two Youngstown State
touchdowns and give the Penguins a
13-point lead.
With the game tied 7-7, Johnson intercepted a deflected
Williams throw and returned it 58
yards before fumbling. YSU’s John
Tekac recovered the fumble at the
Kent State 10-yard line. A pass
interference penalty moved the ball
to the two and after Josiah Doby
lost a yard on first down. Ryan
leaped in the end zone and crossed
the plane before being spun around
and losing the ball in midair.
On Kent State’s next possession, Fritz bobbled the punt
snap at the Kent State 33 and was
tackled by Tekac to set up YSU’s
next score.
The lead increased to 20-7 when Ryan scored his second
touchdown of the game on a four-yard
quarterback draw. The Penguins
missed the extra point, but owned a
20-7 advantage.
YSU scored on its opening possession of the game to
jump ahead 7-0. Ryan threw a 14-yard
touchdown pass to Brandon Pedraza
capping a 14-play 79-yard drive with
8:35 remaining in the first quarter.
Kent State battled back to tie the game on a 5-play
64-yard drive when Chante Murray
scored on an 18-yard run with 1:54
left in the opening quarter.
After an off week, YSU begins Gateway Football
Conference action at Southwest
Missouri State on Saturday, Sept.
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