|
|
 |
|
|
Oct. 16, 2004
Penguins Lose Heartbreaker on Wingert's Field Goal, 22-20
Youngstown -- Northern Iowa's Brian
Wingert's second chance at a
game-winning 31-yard field goal
following a roughing-the-kicker
penalty nulled a 13-point fourth
quarter comeback by Youngstown State
as the Panthers snuck away with a
22-20 victory Saturday night at
Stambaugh Stadium.
After the Penguins overcame a 19-7 deficit to take a 20-19
lead with 3:53 remaining, UNI drove
45 yards to the YSU 27 to set up a
44-yard attempt for Wingert with 5
seconds on the clock. YSU's Nate
Baston got a hand on the kick
forcing it short and left, but the
Penguins were tagged for a 14-yard
roughing the kicker penalty and
Wingert converted from 31 yards out
to give the Panthers their first
Gateway win.
"The kids played awfully hard against a good football team,"
head coach Jon Heacock said. "(The
comeback) is a tribute to those
kids; they're something else."
Trailing 19-7 with 10:59 remaining in the fourth, the
Penguins (2-5, 0-3 Gateway) drove 53
yards on 16 plays to set up a 1-yard
touchdown rush for Demetrius Ison.
The UNI (2-4, 1-2 Gateway) defense
came up with its second goal-line
stand in as many possessions, but
the Penguins were given a second
chance when the Panthers were called
for pass interference in the end
zone on Tom Zetts' pass to Shawn
Carlson on fourth-and-goal from the
five. Ison punched it in from the 1
three plays later and, after the
Penguins failed to convert the point
after on a high snap, the UNI lead
was cut to 19-13.
James Terry then forced and recovered a Terrance Freeney
fumble on UNI's first play from
scrimmage on the ensuing possession
to give the Penguins the ball on the
UNI 24. Zetts found Kyle Smith on a
15-yard pass near the sideline, then
hit a wide-open Mike Roberts who
took it to the end zone from nine
yards out. Nick Terracina's point
after gave the Penguins a 20-19 lead
with 3:53 remaining.
But Northern Iowa had one drive left as it moved 58 yards on
11 plays to set up the game-winner
for Wingert. UNI faced a
fourth-and-nine on the YSU 46 with
1:35 remaining, but Eric Sanders hit
Justin Surrency over the middle for
14 yards to keep the drive alive.
Freeney then rushed twice for five
yards to set up Wingert's first
attempt.
"I felt today we played hard all four quarters," Josh Cayson
said. "The coaches have been
stressing to us all week that this
was going to be a physical game and
I think everybody played their
hearts out, defense and offense."
"We’re just going to come back next week and play harder."
Cayson, who had only 23 yards on five carries at halftime,
finished with 91 yards on 23
attempts to lead the Penguin rushing
attack while Tom Zetts was 16-of-22
for 155 yards and had two
touchdowns.
Freeney paced the Panthers with 136 yards on 29 carries while
Sanders was 9-of-18 for 137 yards
and one touchdown.
After a 44-yard field goal attempt from Wingert fell short,
the Penguins scored on their first
play of the ensuing drive for the
game's first points. Zetts found
Matt Rycraft in stride on a post
route and the receiver outran the
secondary for a 73-yard scoring
strike at the 1:21 mark of the first
quarter. Terracina's added the point
after to make the score 7-0.
The Panthers answered with a scoring drive of their own,
going 80 yards on 15 plays for the
touchdown. UNI converted on two
third-and-ones and a fourth-and-one
at the YSU 2 on the drive to set up
a 1-yard score for Terrance Freeney.
Wingert's point after attempt was
blocked by Nate Baston and the
Penguins stayed on top 7-6 with
10:07 remaining in the opening half.
The Panther defense then forced a three-and-out for the
Penguins and took a 9-7 lead as the
offense marched 30 yards on eight
plays to set up a 39-yard Wingert
field goal. UNI faced a
third-and-four from the YSU 46, but
Eric Sanders connected with Bryan
Butler for a 19-yard completion to
keep the drive alive. Sanders then
looked to Ben Spellman in the corner
of the end zone on third-and-five
from the YSU 22, but the wide
receiver couldn't keep possession on
a diving attempt and the Panthers
had to settle for a field goal.
Northern Iowa went up 16-7 on its first drive of the second
half as sanders hit Surrency on a
31-yard scoring strike to cap a
10-play, 85 yard drive with 8:43
remaining. The Panthers then
upped their advantage to 19-7 on
their next possession when Wingert
converted on a 26 yarder with 1:40
remaining in the third.
YSU had a chance to get within a touchdown early in the
fourth quarter when it faced a
first-and-10 from the UNI 11, but
the Panthers stuffed Cayson on
third-and-two and Ison on
fourth-and-one to keep the lead at
12. Cayson rushed on eight
consecutive plays for 44 yards to
start the drive.
The Penguins will head to Normal, Ill., to take on the
Illinois State Redbirds on Oct. 23
at 3:30 p.m. |
|
|
|
|
|
