Sept. 27, 2008

Football: Summers Has Record-Setting Day in Penguins' Heartbreaking Loss

    Youngstown – YSU junior quarterback Brandon Summers set a school record by completing 32 passes but the Penguins came up just short in a 31-28 loss to the Liberty Flames in front of 18,978 fans at Stambaugh Stadium.

    The game went down to the final play when Liberty place kicker Matt Bevins lined up for a 24-yard field goal attempt with three-seconds left in the game.  Bevin's kicked sailed through the uprights as time expired giving the No. 25 Flames a three-point win over the No. 23 Penguins. 

    Down 14 points in the fourth quarter with 12:03 on the clock, the YSU defense forced two turnovers to help the Penguins tie the game up at 28 with only 1:29 remaining.

    Liberty quarterback Brock Smith found receiver Steven Crawford for a 14-yard gain but safety Andre Elliot forced the ball loose and was recovered by Brandian Ross on the 50-yard line for the first giveaway.
    From there the Penguins drove eight plays taking 3:13 off the clock that was finished by a four-yard TD reception by Donald Jones from Summers on fourth down. Brian Palmer's kick made the score 28-21.

    The defense followed the touchdown by intercepting a Smith pass and giving the Penguins the ball back on the offense on the YSU 36-yard line with 2:31 left. Linebacker Na'eem Outler pressured the quarterback and fellow linebacker Mike Barlak made the pick.

    The offense used just 1:02 off the clock and got within a point when Summers found Ferlando Williams for an 11-yard touchdown strike. With the completion on the touchdown Summers overtook Trenton Lykes' school-record of 31 that lasted since Sept. 3, 1987. Palmer's clutch extra-point tied the game with 1:29 left.

    Kicker Stephen Blose's kickoff went out of bounds and set the Flames up with good field position at their own 40.  Ten plays later the Flames kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired to take the win.

    Summers finished the night completing 32-of-39 passes for 334-yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. By throwing for 334 yards, Summers is fifth in school history for passing yards in a single contest. 

    Summers connected on his first 12 passes of the game, only three shy of school-record holder Tom Zetts who completed 15 in 2004 against Western Kentucky.

    The Penguins had no answer for Liberty running back Rashad Jennings who finished with a career-high 220 yards on 29 carries and scored three times.

    On the opening possession of the game the Penguins took the ball 77 yards and jumped out to a  7-0 lead over the Flames. The drive lasted 7:22 and took 13 plays. A seven-yard pass and catch from Summers to wide receiver Dominique Barnes capped off the drive. Summers was a perfect 8-for-8 during the scoring march.

    The defense shut down the Flames forcing their opening drive three-and-out and giving the Penguins offense the ball back.  The offense wasted little time and extended their lead to 14 as they marched 70 yards on seven plays and lasted 3:20. Summers was again perfect through the air on the drive as he completed all three of his passes, but finished the drive on the ground as he ran 18 yards for the score to put YSU ahead 14-0.

    The Flames scored the next 28 points before the Guins awoke in the fourth to tie the contest.

    Liberty finally found an answer on its next possession moving the ball 71 yards to cut the deficit in half.  The Flames manufactured a 10-play drive that ended when running back Zach Terrell crossed the goal line on a 3-yard run making the score 14-7 in favor of the Penguins.

    After the ensuing kickoff the Penguins looked as if they had made the game a 14-point game again, but an offensive pass interference call wiped out a 43-yard touchdown pass from Summers to Barnes.  The penalty pushed the ball back 15-yards and three plays later the Penguins were forced to punt.

    Following the punt, Jennings set-up the next Flame's touchdown.  On the third play of the drive he ran 55 yards to the YSU 23-yard line. Six plays later Jennings found the end zone from two yards out.  The drive lasted 4:48, took nine plays, eight of which were rushes and covered an impressive 86 yards.

    With only 1:57 left on the clock before halftime and the score tied at 14, the Penguins threatened to take the lead before the half moving the ball all the way to the Liberty 16-yard line..
    However, the Penguins could not convert as a Summers' pass was intercepted on the Liberty five-yard line by defensive back Chuck Duffy. Liberty took a knee on the following play, making the score at halftime 14-14.

    Both teams were unable to convert on their opening possession's of the second half, but the Flames used some trickery to take their first lead of the game. Liberty's tailback Zach Terrell took a pitch but threw the ball downfield to receiver Dominic Bolden for a 51-yard gain to the YSU 13-yard line.
    Four plays later Jennings scored his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard scamper to make the score 21-14. The Flames' drive covered 95 yards on eight plays and took 4:14 seconds.

    With the momentum on Liberty's side, the defense shut down the Penguins on the next drive and after three plays forced a punt.
    Bolden took the Ben Nowicki punt and returned it 56 yards all the way to Penguins six. The next play Jennings scored his third touchdown on the ground giving Liberty a 28-14 lead over the Penguins.