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Youngstown State junior offensive guard Chris Elkins was selected as the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

Elkins played all 69 offensive snaps for the Penguins in the season-finale win over Indiana State. YSU had 248 yards passing and 146 yards rushing in the impressive victory again st one of the nation’s top defenses. The 27 points scored by the Guins were the most allowed by the Sycamores in a game this season.

TB Jamaine Cook rushed for 124 yards while quarterback Kurt Hess threw for 248 yards in the victory. YSU had 394 yards of total offense in the contest.

Elkins was the team’s Offensive Line of the Game for his performance. He had an overall grade of 88 percent, a technique grade of 100 percent and led the way with five knockdowns.

The Youngstown State football team learned their postseason fate on Sunday afternoon, and it was not good news.  The Penguins were not awarded an at-large bid by the FCS Selection Committee.

Credit the coaches and team for picking up the pieces and making an exciting run by winning their last three games of the season.

The 7-4 season, which most programs would relish, was not enough.

October was a disaster for this team.  In my opinion, the real problem started in September.  On September 22, the Penguins won a game many thought they could not, defeating Northern Iowa to run their record to 4-0.

After wins against Pitt, Valparaiso, Albany, and Northern Iowa, the Penguins were forced to hibernate for a week.  September 29th was a bye week.  Some saw the bye week as an advantage to better prepare for North Dakota State the following week, but the bye week may have took the sharpness out of the tack.

The next four contests were ugly as YSU got hammered in Fargo.  The next three games, all losses, dropped the Penguins to 4-4.  The resiliency of the football team shined through with wins over South Dakota and Western Illinois (mostly everyone else in the league got to play these two teams also).  The crescendo of the season may have been on the final day, as the Penguins seemed to do everything right in defeating Indiana State.

Dom Rich may have said it best after the game.

“If we get in, we will not lose a game”, said Rich.  “We are playing our best football right now.”

Coach Eric Wolford knew that winning the last three games would still not regain control of the Penguins own destiny and that their fate would be determined by other teams results and voters opinions.

Wolford thought the win over Pitt should carry the weight of two wins, as a win over any FBS team should.  The YSU coach was confident that his Penguins would be given strong consideration.

The reality of being excluded was the automatic bids.  Teams from less talented conferences got a team in, ten of the twenty altogether.  That left two at-large bids going to Illinois State and South Dakota State from the MVFC.  It is a rare feat for a conference to put four teams into that small of a field.

Unseeded at-large bids went to Appalachian State, Cal Poly, Illinois State, New Hampshire, Sam Houston State, South Dakota State, Stony Brook and Wofford.

Trevor Parks, YSU Sports Information Director, and I exchanged texts during the second half of the Penguins game about other teams who would have probably needed to get beat for the Penguins to get in.  By the end, just about all of those teams either were winning or had already won.

So suddenly, the season that started with so much hope has elapsed.  Coach Cochran will probably have a program in place by December.  Linemen will be eating rocks and glass, backs will vow to get bigger, faster, and stronger, and 2013 can be another step forward for a program inching closer to the declared standards of making the playoffs and winning championships.

The Youngstown State women’s basketball team used a tenacious defensive effort and a dominant performance on the offensive glass en route to a 75-59 win over Bryant on Sunday afternoon at the Beeghly Center.

The Penguins, who improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1999, forced 29 turnovers that led to 34 points and collected 15 steals.  YSU shot just 36.6 percent from the field but were aided by an impressive 20 offensive rebounds.

Not long ago, shooting that low of a percentage equalled automatic defeat for the Lady Penguins.  Credit coach Bob Boldon and his staff for working hard on rebounding to create second chances.

Senior Brandi Brown (above) led the Penguins with 26 points and 19 rebounds while freshman Shar’Rae Davis scored a career-high 23 points with five steals and four assists.

The Penguins used a 14-0 run late in the second half to extend a 49-47 lead at the 9:01 mark into an insurmountable 63-47 advantage with 5:29 left.  During the spurt, Brown and Davis combined for 12 of the 14 points.

Bryant would never cut the lead to under 12 the rest of the way and the Guins lead by as many as 18, 75-57, after Davis’ three-point play with 31 seconds left.

Bryant, who shot 52.2 percent from the field, falls to 0-4 and was led by Danielle Douglas and Naana Ankoma-Mensa, who had 14 points each.

The Penguins visit Miami (Ohio), Sunday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m.

Youngstown State came into their last regular season game knowing that they had to win against a good Indiana State team to have any chance at all to make the postseason.  Taking care of their business to the tune of 27-6, all YSU could do was hope for some help to make the playoffs.

The billing for this game was the matchup of running backs as Jamaine Cook and Shakir Bell, the two anchors of their teams respective offenses.  However, field goal kicking took center stage, and nobody would have predicted a David Brown and Tanner Fritschle matchup to determine the outcome of two potent offensive units.

Bell, reportedly, did not start the game for disciplinary reasons.  Toward the end of the first quarter, the Sycamores junior tailback emerged from the bench.  In the end though, the YSU offense proved to be the best defense against Bell.  By building a big lead, the Sycamores were forced to pas more than they normally would like, meaning no Bell to worry about.

Brown booted a 20 yard field goal in the first quarter and a 47-yarder before the half.  Fritschle kicked a 30-yard field goal.  With the two field goals, Brown put the Penguins ahead, 6-3, at the half.

Fritschle would boot a 32-yard field goal that made it a 6-6 game.  Once the Penguins punted on their ensuing possession, the Sycamores drove deep into Penguin territory, but came away with zero points as Donald D’Alesio picked off a pass attempt at the YSU three yard line.

The Penguins would take that possession and turned it into a 97-yard drive that culminated in Kurt Hess throwing a beautiful fade pattern to Andrew Williams with 3:20 remaining in the third period.

With that touchdown pass, Hess’s 52nd, the junior quarterback surpassed Tom Zetts as the Penguins all-time touchdown tosser.  In the present, it gave the Penguins a 13-6 lead.

The Penguins controlled all three phases of the game.  The special teams were the best they have been all season, and the defense has improved steadily to look as good as they had all year.

“Our conference deserves to have four teams in the playoffs.  It is like the SEC at this level.  We beat a BCS team [Pitt] and I have always been told that those count as two”, said YSU Coach Eric Wolford.

Coach Wolford was as pleased as he had been with any of the other six Penguin victories.

“I feel confident with our strength of schedule, it will be enough for the committee to take a look at us.  Anytime you can hold Bell under 100 yards, it’s a good day for your defense”, commented Wolford.

On their next possession, which started in the the third quarter and went into the 14:18 mark of the fourth, the Penguins scored again to make it 20-6.  Cook capped off the short, six-play drive with a 32-yard burst off the left edge.

Once the Penguins went back on defense, they had Indiana State in an obvious passing mode and did a great job preventing anything big from happening.  Dom Rich came off the right edge for a big sack on a first down blitz and Mike Perish had two more incompletions before the Sycamores would be forced to punt the ball away again.

“It was my guaranteed last game”, said Cook.  “We wanted to go out with a bang.  I will be praying tonight.  Anytime you have a winning record, it is a successful season, but we have a standard here to make the playoffs, so it will be bittersweet.”

The Penguins scored on their third consecutive possession when Hess again went deep, finding Williams for the second time.  The pitch and catch covered 43 yards and built the lead to 27-6.

“If we do make the playoffs, I don’t think we will lose again, we are absolutely playing our best right now”, said Rich.

Julius Childs accented the defensive effort with an interception, the second of the game for YSU.  Going into this game, the Penguins only had two interceptions for the whole season.

Cook had a good game to close out his career as a Penguin.  The senior tailback rambled for 124 yards on 30 carries.  Cook entered the game with 3, 938 yards.  This effort put him over the 4,000 yard mark,  and he also eclipsed Adrian Brown for second on YSU’s all-time rushing list.

Besides breaking the record for passing touchdowns, Hess settled down, especially in the second half.  Hess engineered several first downs and kept the Penguins way ahead in the vaunted time of possession category, which they won, 36:36-23:24.  Hess was 20-28 for 248 yards and two touchdowns.

Bell didn’t have the Saturday he had last season against a Penguin defense that has been improving steadily all season.  The junior had 18 carries for 54 yards.

Aronde Stanton talked about the YSU defensive success against Bell.

“It shows how much we improved, it is a credit to the coaches.  There was a lot at stake today, and we came out and laid it all on the line.  It bothers me because we left a few games out there, hopefully the good Lord will take care of us.”

Riding the wave of a 2-0 road start, Youngstown State got to play a home game.  The Penguins responded in an adequate way – with a win.  YSU scored 42 points in the first fifteen minutes of the second half to pull away from Saint Francis and coast to a 75-60 win to push their record to 3-0 for the second season in a row.

“The key to the game was the first seven to eight minutes of the second half”, said Jerry Slocum.  “We preached on the way home from Georgia that we have to keep our identity and know how to handle winning.  We need to stay grounded in our fundamentals and our team play.”

The Penguins and the Red Flash played a pretty even 18 minutes to start the game.  YSU trailed by four points with 7:52 left in the opening session, but were able to close the half strong enough to carry a 29-24 lead into the locker room.  Kendrick Perry paced Youngstown State with 11 points.

The Red Flash got nine points from Stephon Whyatt and another eight from Stephon Mosley, but no more than three points from any other player.  The Red Flash started the game doing a very good job on defense, but the Penguins adjusted to assert their skills.

Senior guard Blake Allen (above) heated up in the second half.  Allen connected on a three with 15:01 to play that gave YSU a 42-30 advantage.  The next Saint Francis possession, Kamren Belin stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for the easy layup to push the Penguin lead to 14.  After a defensive stop, Allen connected for another three to give YSU their biggest lead of 17 points.

Allen talked about his regimen between practices.

“I get in the gym every chance I get”, said Allen.  “I shot anywhere from 800-900 free throws in the last two days.”

The Penguins were the beneficiary of good half-court defense forcing the Red Flash into ten second half turnovers.  In fact, YSU scored 22 points off of Red Flash turnovers in the game.

Meanwhile, Perry kept consistently knocking down buckets for the Penguins.  KP had the whole array going as he was hitting twos, threes, free throws, and layups.  He would finish the game with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Perry and Allen spearheaded an outburst that made it 67-46 with 7:09 left to play in the contest.  Allen’s sixth three in eight tries and a pair of Perry charity tosses boosted the Guins to their largest lead.

Allen knocked down six threes on his way to 18 points and Damian Eargle played a good all-around game as he knocked in 12 points, blocked two shots and garnered five rebounds.

The Red Flash were lead by Whyatt who would finish the game with 18 points.

The Penguins head back to the road for three games in three days starting Monday at North Dakota State, then head back East to face James Madison on Tuesday, and conclude the swing Wednesday night at Duquesne.

“Our schedule is simply a gauntlet.  All three of those teams we play in three days are very good teams with high basketball IQ’s”, said Slocum.

 

Jack Loew is putting on his 24th Annual Thanksgiving Feast boxing card.  This year, things are a little bit different.  The show was usually held the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving Day in the past, but was moved to a Saturday this year.

“As we all get older, we have children and grandchildren to spend time with around the holidays”, said Loew.  “So this year we are having the show on a Saturday night, but we are keeping the Thanksgiving theme alive.”

Popo Salinas was originally scheduled to fight Romero Hernandez of Cleveland, but Hernandez has pulled out of the fight.  Loew, scrambling madly, has found a worthy opponent after spending his entire Thursday on the phone.

The new opponent will weigh in around 150 pounds, much heavier than Salinas, who fights at 132 pounds.  Christian Maynor, a two-time Golden Gloves champion has been named the new opponent, probably a harder foe for the fast-rising Salinas.

The show will start at 7 pm and the doors of St. Lucy’s Hall in Campbell will open at 6 pm.  There are 15 bouts confirmed to take place on the card.

Loew will also corner members of his gym.  Vic Toney, Lavelle Hadley, Vince Hadley, and Chris Daniels will all get a chance to showcase their skills on the card.

Daniels is a 64-pounder from Hubbard, Ohio making his debut.

General Admission tickets are only $15 and ringside will sell for $25.

One last gasp.  Youngstown State will celebrate the careers of the senior football players, cheerleaders, and band members this Saturday.  The last note, cartwheel, and reception can all take place within a few seconds of each other.  Then it is gone.  All that is left for the great majority of those seniors is the memories of the days when they were that person.

Indiana State comes to town ranked #7 and having a sensational year.  They are a good football team that will try to jam the ball down the throats of the eight YSU defenders in the box.  Last season, they did exactly that, racing out to a 21-0 and holding on for a 37-35 lead.  The underlying themes of that game were that Shakir Bell is really good, and Youngstown State will not quit.

Maybe a coincidence, but the Penguins are again chasing the Sycamores.  This race however covers a season, and YSU is trailing again.  The Penguins are mathematically alive for a playoff spot but will need to knock off Indiana State before any consideration will be given.  It is a must win game for both teams.

At the weekly press conference, YSU’s Jamaine Cook was asked to compare himself to Bell.

“We are very different, he [Bell] is a quicker back than me, but I think I run with a little more power”, said Cook.

Bell disagreed.

“Cook is a veteran.  I am not so sure he has more power than me.  Pound-for-pound I think I got him.  I’m quicker, but I think I am just as, if not more, powerful.”

Either way, both backs have had great years at their respective universities and the ground enthusiasts will be real happy to attend this game.  Bell, a junior, is a finalist on the Walter Payton Watch List.

Indiana State will ride a bus to Canton on Friday and have a walkthrough practice at Fawcett Stadium.  After the walkthrough, the players will get to visit the NFL Hall of Fame.

“We visited the Hall of Fame two years ago on this trip in.  I enjoy going through there and noticing how many great running back only averaged four to five yards per carry”, said Bell.

As far as last season’s meeting, Bell was quick to be quoted in the present.

“Last year was last year, it’s in the past and does nothing for us now.  They [YSU] beat Pitt and Pitt almost beat Notre Dame.  They are a good team and they like to hit.  We are going to do all we can to execute and we are not thinking about losing.”

YSU’s Aronde Stanton also talked about the weapon the Sycamores use best.

“Bell is a really good back, but we have seen some good running backs all season.  He is probably the best running back we will see though and we have to find a way to get it done.”

While Bell was quick to shun last years game, many Penguins pointed toward a regular season ending loss to Missouri State that kept them out of the postseason.

“Last year we overlooked our opponent and looked toward the playoffs”, said Cook.  “We won’t make that mistake this year.”

Penguin TE Will Shaw commented on what it will take to post a win.  “Last year at Indiana State we dug ourselves too big of a hole.  We want to have a fast start and take care of business this year.”

Coach Wolford respects the Sycamores and knows that YSU has a tough task to deal with this weekend.

“Anytime you beat North Dakota State, it is a good season.  They are a creative team with a wide-open playbook and they make you accountable.”

The playoffs are a coveted goal for all teams.  YSU can win and still be left out thanks to the month of October.  However, Wolford thinks that a win should be enough.

“If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be.  Seven of the ten teams we have played so far have been ranked in the Top-25 this season.”

Kickoff is set for 2 pm with a decent weather forecast to look forward too.  See you at the game that I predict the Penguins to win, 31-28.

 

The Youngstown State women’s basketball team used strong defense and got 24 points and 15 rebounds from Brandi Brown to hold off Buffalo in a 60-50 victory on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Arena.

Freshman Shar’Rae Davis added a career-high 19 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Liz Hornberger (above) matched her career high with 12 points. Rachel Gregory had 17 points to lead Buffalo.

The Penguins held Buffalo scoreless for more than five minutes on three different occasions in the contest, and that helped them overcome a slugging ending to the game in which they went without a field goal for nine minutes.  Coach Bob Boldon stressed before the season started that defense was the facet of the team that the Penguins wanted to get better with.

YSU’s 10-point victory avenged a 54-point loss at Buffalo three ago. It follows YSU’s 66-point turnaround against Pittsburgh when it beat the Panthers by 14 on Friday after losing by 52 three seasons ago, and suddenly the Penguins are 2-0 for the first time since 1999-2000.

Youngstown State will play its home opener against Bryant on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. For tickets, call (330) 941-1978.

With a hot start to the Youngstown State men’s and women’s basketball seasons, now is the perfect time for those who waited to purchase season tickets. The men have road wins at Georgia and George Washington while the women defeated Pittsburgh in their opener to start the season.

Both teams make their home debuts this weekend at the Beeghly Center. On Friday night, the men’s program plays host to Saint Francis (Pa.). Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. The women are in action on Sunday against Bryant in a special noon start time.

Tickets are available at the YSU Athletic Ticket Office by calling (330) 941-1978. Ticket office hours this week are extended from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The YSU football team is also in action at home this Saturday playing host to Indiana State. Kickoff is set for 2:05 p.m.

Tickets for all men’s and women’s games are available for $175 as part of the “Penguin Package”. Men’s game only ticket packages are $155 while women’s only packages are also $155. A general admission package for the entire year is $115.

The men have 14 home games this year while the women will be in action 13 times.

After Friday’s game against Saint Francis (Pa.), the men are next in action at the Beeghly Center against Kent State on Nov. 28.

Single-game tickets are $14 for reserved and $10 for general admission in advance, but increase to $16 and $12 on gameday. Youth pricing is available for children under 12. YSU students are admitted free.

By joining the Penguin Club’s Courtside Coaches group, fans get access to tickets, parking and admission to the Coaches Court Room in the Beeghly Center. For information on joining the Courtside Coaches group contact the Penguin Club at (330) 941-2351.

Expectations were higher than usual heading into the 2012-13 basketball season for Jerry Slocum‘s Youngstown State Penguins.  Reality drawn from those expectations has been over the top.  Just two nights after defeating George Washington, the Penguins went into Georgia and bit the Bulldogs, 68-56.

Kendrick Perry (above) had 23 points (17 in the second half) to lead the Penguins.  Newcomer Kamren Belin posted 17 points and Damian Eargle rattled off a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Penguins defensive effort was tremendous as YSU forced Georgia into 15 turnovers.  The YSU defense also held the Bulldogs to 17 total field goals and a 32.1 shooting percentage for the game.

After trailing by eleven at the half, Georgia was able to cut the YSU lead down to three, 32-29, but a jumper by Eargle, a free-throw by Perry and a 3-pointer by DJ Cole, the first of his career, put the Guins back up 38-29, with 11:43 left.

YSU then used a 13-4 run and led by as many as 18 after a four-point play by Perry made it 51-33 with 7:48 to go.  Georgia never got within 10 the rest of the way.

The Guins shot 38.5 percent from the field and held the Bulldogs to a 12.5 field-goal percentage in the first half.

Shawn Amiker scored the first four points for the Penguins as they jumped out to an 8-0 start.

After the Bulldogs cut the deficit to 12-6 at the 9:16 mark, the Penguins defense allowed just one more field goal the rest of the half. Georgia scored its final six points at the free-throw line.

Belin gave the Penguins a jump start hitting a jumper and a 3-pointer to push the YSU lead to 10 points,  19-6, with 4:40 to go.