Posts Tagged ‘Eric Wolford’

Ahhh… Warm weather, festivals, golf, gardens, swimming, and YSU Football just around the corner.  September 4 is less than three months away and soon the Penguins of Youngstown State will be sweating in preparation for their trip to Happy Valley.  The YSU ticket office is open and there are some quality games scheduled to take place at the Ice Castle this season.  New Coach, Eric Wolford, wants these days to be community-based gatherings of fraternal celebration.  Buy a tailgate pass when you get your tickets.

Here is a promo schedule of this year’s YSU home schedule:

Sept. 11 (Butler, 6 p.m.) State Farm Kids Day (tailgate); Coca-Cola / 27 WKBN Schedule Magnet giveaway; BJ Alan Phantom Fireworks Postgame Extravaganza;  Howland High School Marching Band at half; $5 Super September game tickets.

Sept. 18 (Central Connecticut St,  6 p.m.) State Farm Kids Day (tailgate); PNC Bank / Fox Youngstown schedule poster giveaway;  BJ Alan Phantom Fireworks Postgame Extravaganza;  Lakeview High School Marching Band at half;  $5 Super September game tickets.

Sept. 25 (Southern Illinois,  4 p.m.) State Farm Kids Day (tailgate);  Coca-Cola / WFMJ TV-21 / Farmers National Bank water bottle giveaway;  Boardman High School Marching Band at half;  $5 Super September game tickets.

Oct. 9 (North Dakota St., 4 p.m.) McDonald’s / myvalleysports.com keychain giveaway;  Poland High School Marching Band at half.

Oct. 30 (Northern Iowa, 1 p.m.) Homecoming! Athletic Hall of Fame Game;  Lyden Oil / WFMJ TV-21 Stadium Cup giveaway;  Homecoming Parade before the kickoff.

The YSU Women’s Softball Team has signed Samantha Snodgrass.  She was recently named the Gatorade Player of The Year for the entire State of West Virginia.  Snodgrass pitched 21 consecutive innings of scoreless ball and recorded 11 strikeouts in a game then came back and whiffed 14 in the next game during West Virginia’s State Tournament.  She posted a 28-1 record with an ERA of 0.39 during the regular season.

Oh, yeah, she can hit too.  Snodgrass batted .473 with 13 homers and compiled 54 RBI.  Welcome to YSU!

• Leetonia’s Aaron Merrill is at it again.  Merrill has been breaking shot put and discus records anywhere he has thrown.  Merrill was recently selected First-Team ESPN The Magazine/ CoSIDA All-District IV for the second year in a row.  Merrill sports a 3.79 GPA and is majoring in Criminal Justice.  Merrill, who posted a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in the Spring Semester, won the indoor and outdoor shot put conference titles.
• YSU Baseball Sr. Tom Clayton was named the Player of The Year in the Horizon League.  Clayton was the first Penguin in 56 years to earn such notoriety.  Clayton batted .414, scored 43 runs, hit 15 doubles and 10 home runs and knocked in 44 runners in 47 games this season.
• Speaking of baseball success, Jacke Healey and Eric Marzec were selected late in the 2010 MLB Draft.  Good luck to both of the former Penguin standouts!

In a contest to see who could go broke first, Roger Waters has apparently won.  Tickets went on sale pretty much everywhere in the past five days for Waters tour of the US and they were a bit pricy.  Waters is touring without David Gilmour, who in my opinion was the voice of Pink Floyd.  To catch a “fleeting glimpse” of the Pink Floyd-like concert, expect to shell out a pretty penny.  The average seat is about $210.00 after Ticketmaster fees.  Waters who turns 67 this September is excited about the tour.  Unfortunately, I would rather see Ringo Starr do songs from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band for more than half the admission fee.

Here are some stories from other great sites…

*Babes Love Baseball takes a look at 40 year-old Ken Griffey Jr. and his fading abilities with Not now kids, grandpa is taking a nap.

*NESW Sports uncovers a big scam as they bust the morning show Yo-Yo Master who has been cheating with his Duncan for years.

*PSAMP has some visuals of “The Bus”, Jerome Bettis playing golf in the story titled Jerome Bettis is a fat golfer.

*Gunaxin does a neat piece on 13 hockey goalie masks that have played a role in pop culture.

*Real Fake Sports has the story of a pitcher who got into trouble for NOT throwing a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles.

*Pippenainteasy has a link to a website welcoming Lebron James to Chicago to play for the Bulls.

*Outside The Boxscore provides the story of how the Phillie Phanatic dressed up as Lady GaGa and got beat by an umpire.

Youngstown State University is buzzing about the new staff that Head Coach Eric Wolford (above with AD Ron Strollo) has assembled.  This is no ordinary group of guys just along for the ride, but rather, a group of proven leaders who are united to parlay their experiences into molding a football program which needed stronger direction.  Coach Wolford has built a great staff, top to bottom, which will surely prove worthy by season’s end. 

The neat thing about the new regime is that they have done more community involved projects such as camps which welcome local high school players and coaches.  The local camps open the door for everyone involved.  A player learns what he must do to improve for a shot at the next level.  The visiting coaches learn new methods of teaching things.  The best part about the camps is that YSU is not getting rich conducting them.  Coach Wolford and staff see these sessions as a bond with the community, as well as, a deeper look at the potential recruiting classes of the future.

Everyone knows about Ron Stoops and Rollen Smith.  The Mooney and Ursuline programs have prospered for years under these two great minds.  To get both of them on the same staff is a big score, I don’t care what level it is.  Stoops and Smith are both respected locally and will assist Wolford with the additional local tags. 

Ron Stoops has more than 30 years of coaching experience at the high school level, including the last nine at Cardinal Mooney.  Stoops will coach the defensive secondary and will serve as the first-ever YSU Director of High School Relations.  “Coach Wolford is a great guy with a lot of energy and I am very anxious to work with him,” Stoops said.  “I’ve been very involved in Boardman and at Mooney, but to do it at the college level, and especially at YSU, is really exciting and I am looking forward to it.”

Rollen Smith was at Ursuline for the last 20 years.  In those twenty years, he coached and ran the strength and conditioning program for a school that made the playoffs 13 times in those 20 years.  Smith will serve as an assistant defensive line coach under Wolford at YSU.  Perhaps the most community-oriented coach ever, Smith is involved with the local juvenile center and is on numerous task forces and programs to assist the area.  He is respected because of his demeanor with the youth of Youngstown and I have never heard anyone say anything negative about this guy.  He is a quality addition as the last piece Wolford added to the puzzle.

Shane Montgomery will serve as offensive coordinator and will also coach the quarterbacks.  Montgomery is a former Miami (OH) head football coach.  Coaching in the D-I MAC level for four years is impressive, but to be the head coach for four years is superb.  Montgomery parted ways with Miami in 2008 and spent last season as the offensive coordinator at Akron University.  Coach Montgomery may have the difficult task of learning which quarterback can lead the team without making mental mistakes or turning the ball over, both problems in YSU’s recent past.

Carmen Bricillo has been hired to be the offensive line coach.  Bricillo has a good reputation as an up-and-coming coach who communicates well with student-athletes.  Bricillo spent last season at The University of Illinois as an offensive assistant coach.  In 2007 & 2008, Briciillo coached offensive tackles and tight ends at Akron.  He was a standout offensive lineman at Duquesne University where he graduated in 1996 and earned first team all-conference honors his last two seasons.

Rick Kravitz will serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.  Kravitz looks like the guy you thought you played bocce with for the last five years at the MVR Club.  Truth is, he wasn’t here yet despite looking like a veteran Youngstown resident.  Kravitz has coached at Western Michigan and NC State.  Perhaps his best work took place at South Florida where he helped build a program for bigger things.  While at South Florida, Kravitz served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.  He was also there for the jump from FCS Independent in 2000, to FBS newcomer as the Bulls made the jump in 2001.  To me, he is the biggest snag as an experienced D-I coach for this program.

Arguably, Tom Sims could count as the big piece in the puzzle.  Sims coached at Kansas last season and has spent the last nine years coaching defensive linemen at BCS schools.  Besides Kansas, Sims has gained experience while coaching at Minnesota and Illinois.  “His relationships and rapport with his players is something that I want all of our coaches to have,” claimed Wolford.  Sims played seven NFL seasons in Kansas City, Minnesota and Indianapolis.  His duties at YSU will consist of coaching the defensive line and being an assistant head coach.

Louie Matsakis will serve as special teams coordinator and work with running backs.  Matsakis also comes from Kansas where he coached running backs and coordinated special teams.  Matsakis first met Wolford while he played at Emporia, while Wolford was coaching there.  The biggest contribution, besides big-time experience, that Matsakis brings to the table is his wisdom of special teams.  Anyone who saw YSU’s special teams disasters last season may call Matsakis the big addition to the staff.

Phil Longo will coach wide receivers and serve as YSU’s recruiting coordinator.  Longo spent the last two seasons in the tent of the enemy, Southern Illinois, where he served as offensive coordinator.  He has the reputation of being a tireless recruiter and a very hard worker.  Longo commented, “I am excited about joining one of the most storied FCS programs in college football.”

Andre Coleman will coach tight ends.  “Andre has played at the highest level in the NFL playing and returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl,” Wolford said. “He is someone I have known for a long time and is a person I can rely on to get the job done at all times. He can relate well with our student-athletes and has a lot to teach them.”  Coleman, who graduated from not-so-far-away Hickory High School was a standout in the NFL where he was drafted in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft as the 70th overall pick by the San Diego Chargers.  He also played for Seattle and Pittsburgh.

Pinch yourself Penguins fans.  This is quite a coaching staff that Eric Wolford has brought to Youngstown, perhaps the best in YSU history as far as being well-rounded, community involved, recruiting know-how, experience, and player development.  With the new WATTS Indoor Facility coming very soon, Mr. Strollo has proven with the hirings of Wolford and this staff, a long-term commitment to excellence.

New YSU Coach Eric Wolford advised all to circle the annual Red-White Spring game on their calenders.  He promised at halftime of the home basketball game against Butler that there would be tailgating for the first time ever as a way to hype things up and a way for the community to enjoy fellowship and networking.  Wolford had to be happy with the upgrade from Spring games past as the Red got by the White, 48-20, in front of well over 2,000 fans.

The way the game was set up, the Red team were the “ones“, or first teamers.  The White team were the “twos“, or second teamers.  According to Wolford, no one was guaranteed anything, so with a strong showing against the Red team, any member of the White team could be promoted to starter status.

The two big questions coming into the game remained unanswered.  Marc Kanetsky and Kurt Hess (above) both had good showings at QB as they alternated series with both offenses.  Kanetsky finished the day 20-32 for 213 yards and a TD, he also ran one in from two yards out.  Hess was 26-33 for 350 yards and 3 TD.  Statistically, the edge goes to Hess, but Kanetsky did a better job leading drives that resulted in scores.  Hess was critical of himself afterwards.  “There were some reads that I made not as fast as I would have liked to, but getting the ball to the receivers we have so they can do the things they do worked out well for me today.”

The other unanswered question was will the special teams be a drawback as they were last year?  There were two field goals attempted, one by starter Stephen Blose, that were missed.  Blose also missed an extra point attempt while succeeding six times.  There were a couple of mishandled punts that rolled around on the turf.  The blocking on punts was not full contact, so that was an untested commodity.  Special Teams will win or lose a team games and Wolford knows how important they become when in a close one.

The factors that were expected to click did not disappoint.  Dominique Barnes caught 10 passes for 174 yards and two TDs.  Both of Barnes’ touchdowns (27 and 35 yards) came from Hess passes.  Jelani Berassa stepped it up catching 8 balls for 107 yards and a touchdown. 

In the rushing department, Torrian Pace (above, being served water by injured Torrance Nicholson) ran hard and got 13 carries for 109 yards and a pair of scores.  Jamaine Cook (pictured below) got 14 touches for 48 yards.  Dan Banna, the younger brother of Red team FB Kyle Banna, had 10 carries for 93 yards to lead the White team.  Dan Banna commented on what it was like to play against a team his brother was on fo the first time ever.  “We are always competing, but usually on the same side.  Today you got to see which Banna was better,” remarked the younger Dan as brother Kyle laughed.

Pace praised the offensive line and gave his thoughts on what will happen at quarterback.  “The O-line did a great job and it all works because of them.  Both of the quarterbacks played well and it is in the coaches hands.  I have faith in both of them and trust whoever I am lined up behind on the field.  I think they can both play”

After the game, Coach Wolford commented on the positives.  “I’m excited by the great turnout today.  I was happy with things I saw on both sides of the ball and you really have to credit the White for playing very competitively.  We are now entering the most important phase of the year, our Summer program.  As coaches, you cannot monitor the players but it is a time when you can make the biggest gains or losses and we need to make alot of gains.”

A man of his word, Wolford and members his staff went through the tailgate lot visiting the fans who came out in celebration of YSU Football.  “It was good to see.  This community is ready to change and we are all going to work together to do positive things.”

There was a little bit of everything going on at Stambaugh Stadium Saturday afternoon.  A situational scrimmage was held in the midst of Spring football.  There were plenty of bright spots for new coach Eric Wolford to bask upon.  Unfortunately for the players, Wolford is the guy who will go nuts for a couple of days trying to fix things that did not go as planned. 

The players in this environment are almost in a no-win situation.  The offense is going to gain some yards sooner or later.  The defense will nab an interception or record a few sacks.  Every play, someone had to do something wrong.  Unfortunately for the players, Coach Wolford stood comfortably 15 yards behind the offense with his whistle in his mouth and a tablet and inkpen in his hands.  Every play, Wolford would scribble some notes until the next play was ready to go.  Those notes combined with a weekend of film study will give Wolford all the ammo he needs to better prepare his team for the Spring game to be held on April 10. 

Wolford was satisfied with aspects of the practice game but says there are alot of things that have to happen.  “I told the refs before we started if anything was close to call it because I think that was a major problem from last year.  If you don’t get that corrected now, it is going to continue to be there.”  As whistles blew in the backround, Wolford went on to say, “They got backed up enough and put in second-and-long from penalties.  In fact, those boys (pointing to his offense) are over there doing up-downs right now for the penalties.  That’s good, they need that.”

Dominique Barnes (above), coming off of a solid year, had a nice afternoon for the Penguin offense.  Barnes scored three touchdowns and had 166 yards on eight receptions.  The big play from Barnes came when he  lined up split left and ran a post.  Kurt Hess threw a perfect ball hitting Barnes in stride on the 70-yard touchdown.

Marc Kanetsky and Hess split most of the time at quarterback.  The cerebral Kanetsky is proving that he can control a game by reading a defense and making good decisions without turning the ball over.  I think once the smoke clears that Kanetsky will be given the chance to run this offense.  Hess and Kanetsky both played well Saturday mixing snaps with the first and second units.  Both quarterbacks also had receivers drop a couple of passes that they threw.

Defensively, DB Brandian Ross (above) enjoyed the enthusiasm and competitiveness exhibited in the scrimmage situation.  “The receivers and the linemen have the biggest mouths.  When we get to shut them up it is the best feeling in the world.  That was like a conference game to me today.  It was physical, it was fast, and it was alot of plays, just like a normal game.”  

All-in-all, Wolford seemed pleased with the effort.  “There are obviously positives at some positions and negatives at others.  Usually, what happens is you compliment someone, and the next scrimmage it goes the other way.  When you compliment somebody, usually they come back the next day and  disappoint you.  We are going to see how the defense responds to a compliment.  Our linebackers played well running downhill and hitting their gaps.  I like what [Deonta] Tate is doing back there for us, he is showing potential.  [Jamaine]  Cook (pictured) may not have had alot of yards, but he makes guys miss.”

When asked about Dominique Barnes making some big plays, Wolford said, “Yeah, he needed to step up and make some plays here.  I think Dominique now understands that no one is grandfathered in around here.  In the past when you were ‘the guy’ around here you might have had a long leash, well,  these guys are all on a short leash nowadays.” 

It’s March.  In like a lion, out like a lamb.  If new YSU Coach Eric Wolford and his staff had their way, March would come in like a lion, and go out a bigger, faster, and stronger lion that was more physical at month’s end.  Saturday afternoon marked the first full-contact practice for the Penguins. The intensity was at a fever-pitch level as the team, at midpractice, broke into Oklahoma drills.

Oklahoma drills are simply one blocker, one defender, and one ball carrier.  Someone gets the best of someone else every play.  There are two bags set about four yards apart that the runner, who starts at a 5-yard drop,  must stay between.  The defender has the task of shedding his block and making a good tackle.  It is a great intensity builder and there was little disappointment on that front Saturday.

Coach Wolford saw good and bad on the first official day of contact.  “I was not really pleased at what I saw.  We need to be more physical, so we need to do more physical things at practices, that might be all we do.  Right now our coaches have more energy than some of the players.”

After the Oklahoma drill, the team broke into specialty groups.  The group with the most question marks remains the quarterback position.  All four quarterbacks in camp (pictured) took snaps with different units.  As Wolford had explained earlier, this position is of the most importance and he was not sure what exactly to expect coming into Spring ball.

When asked about the high-pitched practice where some players had to be seperated, Wolford (above) remarked, “I think it’s good.  Football is not for everyone.  If you don’t like contact and flying around and  getting excited, and getting red eyes and panting a little bit, then this may not be for you.  There are some guys out here who I’m not sure know what football is all about.  My expectations are for us to be a very physical football team, and we have got to address that immediately.”

Marc Kanetsky, one of the four quarterback candidates, commented on the atmosphere.  “Everything is more uptempo.  Coach [Wolford] is real intense.  If you are doing something wrong, he will get in your face and let you know about it.  We just have to keep learning the new system and working to get better every day.”

Eric Wolford was named the sixth Youngstown State Football Coach in school history.  Wolford replaces Jon Heacock who spent nine years at YSU before resigning in November.  Wolford is already turning heads with an all-star coaching staff, a highly successful recruiting class, and an attitude that just oozes loyalty and pride.  To sit and talk with Coach Wolford was refreshing.  He has goals and aspirations for the football program, but also for the community, stressing more than once how important he feels it is to get the community involved.

Before accepting the Youngstown State position, Wolford was the offensive line coach and running-game coordinator at the University of South Carolina.  Before working for the Gamecocks, he worked under Ron Zook at Illinois for two seasons.  His powerful resume also includes stops at Arizona, Houston, South Florida, Emporia State, Kansas State, and North Texas.  Wolford grew up in Youngstown and attended Ursuline High School before setting off to chase his dream of coaching on the big stage.

Paneech: What are your feelings about these “money beatings”? Where YSU ventures to a huge college football powerhouse stadium to play, in essence, for a check.  Are they good games to be involved in?

Wolford: I don’t have any issues with it.  I understand the way things financially work, but also, I want to put a positive spin on it.  You get to play an elite Big-10 team in Penn State in front of 110,000 people, so it’s not all just about the money, but also an experience in a very special environment.  Kids from Pennsylvania on our team get a chance to play closer to home.

Paneech: Last year, you are coaching football in South Carolina, before that, you were several other places.  Everytime someone got married or died you are booking a plane ride to get back home.  How does it feel to be home and eliminate those kinds of problems?

Wolford: Being here is obviously a great feeling.  I have a great support system in my family.  However, I don’t think I will see any more of them now then I did when I was in South Carolina, except for occasional dinners or those types of things.  I have been gone for 20 years, and this is a special place, very family-oriented, and that is what’s important to me.

Paneech: What makes Youngstown State Football so important to this area?

Wolford: There was a period in time when this community thrived on what took place here on a Saturday.  It was a reason to get together with family and friends and practice fellowship for a good cause.  My staff and I know the expectations are very high here.  We need to make sure our football team knows that.  We need to field a physical football team.  This is a tough town, and the players and staff will be held accountable to do things right, and those are the traits we are trying to instill in the kids.

Paneech: I am sure you have seen a film or two from last season.  You have some proven talent coming back.  Is this a year you put the “rebuilding” label on, or do you go out and immediately try to win?

Wolford: I think that question would be better answered after Spring ball.  I have concerns about depth issues and we really don’t have a proven quarterback.  Without a proven quarterback, throughout history, your chances of winning are not as good.  It is a situation I wonder about daily.  We have four guys going into camp that do not have much experience.  You have got to have a good quarterback to win.  In the early stages they need to show us that they can manage a football game, make good decisions, and do not turn the football over.  I am sure that Coach Montgomery and I will be able to find a person who can do what we want at that position.

Paneech: Two early moves you should be commended for are the hiring of Coach Ron Stoops and Coach Rollen Smith.  They are both very well-respected local coaching legends who came from consistent-winning programs.  Was this a move to assist the harnessing of local talent?

Wolford: I think it may have somewhat of an influence.  I hired Rollen Smith and Ronnie Stoops because of their high-level coaching abilities and their character that they bring to the table.  Initially, I didn’t know how many high school coaches I wanted to hire, but those were two of the top guys on my list from day one.  I hired them because they are great people and great coaches, the recruiting impact was more of an afterthought.

Paneech:  Last year, special teams played a hand in at least three losses.  How much emphasis will you place on the importance of not getting punts and field goals blocked, making good snaps, and containing opponents returners?

Wolford:  Well, Louie Matsakis was the second person on my list of people to hire.  He is a proven successful special teams guy.  We will play starters on special teams, I feel we have to.  I cannot put enough emphasis on special teams.  We have a schedule for the Spring to see who can do what the best.  This large wave of newcomers will have to give us some depth on special teams and maybe even play a little bit.

Paneech:  For a couple of weeks, SID Trevor Parks was sending me e-mails talking about guys you were adding to the staff.  Somehow, you have assembled the Beatles of college football coaching here at Youngstown State.  It’s an incredible staff, top to bottom, how do you sell a smaller-school to someone you are trying to get to join you here?

Wolford: That was probably one of the hardest things that I had to do was to hire a staff and recruit at the same time.  I often found myself in between phone calls recruiting coaches and wives, to recruiting players.  Some of my experiences with rookie coaches was that they sometimes didn’t take the time to hire the right staff people.  You are only as good as your staff.  I have been fortunate that Ron Strollo and the administration have given me the resources to hire a good staff.  I also believe it is a statement to the people of Youngstown that this is a great place to be, and this is also a great place to work.  They [assistant coaching hires] have enough insight as to what can be done here.  We feel we are getting things lined up in the right places to make a run.

Paneech: Looking over your recruits, a recent acquisition of Adaris Bellamy, a running back who was considering becoming a Cincinnati Bearcat, has not been talked about as much as your high school signees.  What can you tell me about him?

Wolford: After we had a chance to look things over as a staff, we came upon the realization that we only have two scholarship running backs on the roster, and one of those was redshirted.  Then we looked at the fact that we signed two kids.  After evaluating last season, we feel like we need four guys who could play.  If you lose one of those four, it could be devastating.  We just felt like we didn’t have enough depth at running back.  Bellamy is very talented, that is very easy to see on film.  He’s got some maturity to him, he has been out of high school for a year, he’s got size as he weighs between 215-220 pounds, and he uses his natural vision to run really well between the tackles.  He is a guy that will come in here and get a chance at the job, and we will see what happens.

One thing I can predict about Wolford, he is a no-nonsense guy when it comes to football.  To sense his passion and love of the game are truly refreshing and has the community buzzing over the potential factor.  He may only be the sixth head coach in Youngstown State Football history, but we might not see number seven for a very long time.

The lights just seem to project a higher magnitude when the words ESPN are attached to a camera. It is a treat to see Youngstown State play in a nationally televised game. It was also great marketing by the YSU Athletic Department to pack the house using reduced ticket prices. At night’s end, the Penguins could not pull out a victory, falling 69-59 to visiting Milwaukee.

Milwaukee held an 18-13 lead with 7:50 to go in the first half. YSU had earlier tied the game at 13 when DeAndre Mays delivered a perfect alley-oop pass to Kelvin Bright who slammed the pill home to absolutely rock the house.  Beeghly Center had not been that loud since the Kelly Pavlik fight in December.

Ricky Franklin hit a couple of consecutive long-range threes to jump the Milwaukee lead to 24-15 with 6:23 left in the first half. Franklin had already compiled 14 points and the Penguins needed to pay better attention to him.

The Penguins cut a little off of the lead right before the half when Ashen Ward nailed a three. At halftime, Milwaukee held a 31-23 advantage riding the hot hand of Franklin, whose trio of threes was pretty much the difference of a hard-played physical half.  YSU did not have a player with more than five points and shot just 1-10 from long distance.

At halftime, new YSU Football Coach Eric Wolford addressed the packed house promising that Youngstown State Football would be back on the map real soon and enticing the crowd to tailgate before the Spring game. Coach Wolford got a rousing ovation with all of his positive comments and is doing a great job promoting the future of football at YSU, especially the recruitment of local A-list talent.

The Penguins trailed 38-27 with 15:49 left in the game. Trailing by as many as 15, YSU started using a half-court press to rattle Milwaukee into committing a couple of turnovers.  Ashen Ward took the ball the length of the court off of a Milwaukee miss and layed it in as he was fouled. Ward also hit the free throw to cut the lead to 42-34 with 12:22 left in the contest.

DeAndre Mays got the crowd back into the action when he glided through traffic and hit a finger roll to trim Milwaukee’s lead to 45-41 with 7:28 left. Milwaukee went back to it’s most reliable source on offense, and Ricky Franklin again responded with another two points to make it 47-41.

With the Penguins down 50-44 with 4:39 remaining in the game, Mays again drove and scored. After James Eayrs converted for two to build the Milwaukee lead back to seven, Mays hit a three to cut the lead to just four points. Franklin responded again as he hit another three, his fourth, to re-establish the seven point lead at 56-49 with 1:59 left. Franklin finished the game with 21 points, taking high-scoring honors.

The Penguins went into ‘foul mode’  but Milwaukee was making the majority of their tosses from the charity stripe. Conversely, YSU could not score when they had the ball. The end result was a 69-59 Horizon League victory for the visiting team from Milwaukee.

After the game, Coach Jerry Slocum addressed the things that hurt his Penguins.  “We are not the type of team to take 27 three-point shots in a game, we took 20 more shots than they took and they had more turnovers.  We couldn’t make our shots tonight.”

Dallas Blocker had his best all-around performance of the season with eight points and eight rebounds.  Vytas Sulskis also scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds.  The Penguins will return to action on Sunday afternoon when they host Green Bay at 2 PM.