Youngstown State University
1-0
Lock Haven
0-1
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lock Haven | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Youngstown State | 7 | 7 | 21 | 3 | 38 |
Special Teams Key in 38-7 Win Over LHU
8/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Youngstown State football team took advantage of two special-teams touchdowns and a 226-yard rushing effort by tailback P.J. Mays en route to 38-7 season-opening victory over Lock Haven in front of a crowd of 15,709 on Thursday night at Stambaugh Stadium.
YSU's Darius Peterson blocked a punt and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown and Andre Coleman ran a kickoff back 89 yards for a score in the 31-point victory, the first for YSU Head Coach Jon Heacock. Coleman's kickoff returner for a touchdown was YSU's first since Archie Herring returned a kick all the way on Oct. 13, 1990 against Liberty.
The Penguins (1-0) jumped out to an lead early in the first quarter when Jeff Ryan connected with Eugene Mintze on a 34-yard touchdown pass. YSU built a 14-0 halftime lead when Peterson scored on a four-yard run with 23 seconds left in the half.
In the third, Mays, who had career-high 226 yards rushing on 21 carries, scored on a 32-yard run with 12:31 left in the third. With 10 minutes left in the quarter, Peterson blocked a Joe Walker punt and scooped it up for a 36-yard score.
Lock Haven (0-1) got on the board with 1:47 left in the third when Marcus Burkley scored on a four-yard pass from Brian Genis.
YSU answered on the ensuing kickoff when Coleman found a seem on the right side and ran 89 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth, Jake Stewart kicked a 42-yard field goal with 10:15 left for YSU's final points.
The victory marked the sixth straight season the Penguins opened
the season with a win.
YSU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 9 against Clarion at
Stambaugh Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Team Stats
LHU 0, YSU 7
YSU - MINTZE, Eugene 34 yd pass from RYAN, Jeff (STEWART, Jake kick) 6 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:40
LHU 0, YSU 14
YSU - PETERSON,Darius 4 yd run (STEWART, Jake kick), 9 plays, 92 yards, TOP 1:16
LHU 0, YSU 21
YSU - MAYS, P.J. 32 yd run (STEWART, Jake kick), 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:20
LHU 0, YSU 28
YSU - PETERSON,Darius 36 yd blocked punt return (STEWART, Jake kick)
LHU 7, YSU 28
LHU - Marcus Burkley 4 yd pass from Brian Genis (Jonathan Miller kick) 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 2:56
LHU 7, YSU 35
YSU - COLEMAN, Andre 89 yd kickoff return (STEWART, Jake kick)
LHU 7, YSU 38
YSU - STEWART, Jake 42 yd field goal 7 plays, 31 yards, TOP 3:04
