The Youngstown State football team pulled out all the stops against Illinois State on Saturday afternoon to help send 12 seniors out in style with a 30-18 victory over the Redbirds at Stambaugh Stadium. YSU tried two onside kicks, kicked three field goals and faked a punt to offset a blocked punt and blocked field goal during an entertaining and emotional Senior Day victory. Senior quarterback Brandon Summers paced the offense, which had a season-high 472 yards, by completing 25-of-38 for 346 yards and two touchdowns. It was Summers third time in his career that he threw for over 300 yards - tying Keith Snoddy's school record - and the second time against Illinois State. He was one yard shy of his career high, which was 347 yards last year at ISU.

On the ground, senior tailback Kevin Smith had his third 100-yard game of the year, as he carried the ball 27 times for 121 yards, including a second-quarter touchdown.

Guin receivers Dominique Barnes and Donald Jones both eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards, while adding a touchdown each. Barnes hauled in eight balls for a career-best 122 yards, while Jones, another senior, tallied seven catches for 105 yards.

Defensively, seniors Lenny Wicks and Draye Ersery led the the team in tackles as both had 11. It was a career high in tackles for Ersery, who had eight solo stops in the game. Entering the game, Ersery had 10 total career tackles in his two seasons with the program.

Safety Nick Gooden forced the lone turnover of the game early in the fourth quarter, that led to a score by Barnes that sealed the game for YSU with 9:32 remaining.

The Penguins scored the lone points of the first quarter on their opening drive. The 12-play drive, covered 59 yards and was capped off by a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Blose.

The second quarter proved to be a wild one as it saw three lead changes, a blocked punt and field goal, a safety, and 25 points combined between the two teams.

YSU extended its lead to six early in the second quarter with 12:39 remaining on a 35-yard field goal by Blose. The Penguins again used 12 plays to score, covering 34 yards to make the score 6-0.

Illinois State came right back on the next possession with a field goal of its own. Starting with good field position after an unsuccessful onside kick attempt by the Penguins, the Redbirds moved the ball 20 yards over five plays, using 1:27 to cut the lead to three on a Zach Kutch 41 yard field goal.

Illinois State tacked on two more points on the Penguins next drive, as a Ben Nowicki punt was blocked by ISU defensive end Bert Whigham. The blocked punt resulted in a safety, after Nowicki's hustle kept the ball out of the hands of two Redbirds attempting to score a touchdown and the ball rolled out of the end zone to make the score 6-5.

The Redbirds returned the kick after safety back to the YSU 40-yard line to set-up their next score. Four plays later, the Redbirds scored the first touchdown of the game on a four yard touchdown run by running back Cliffton Gordon. The extra point made the score 12-6 in favor of Illinois State.

The Penguins responded on their next drive to take the lead back. The eight-play, 62-yard touchdown drive was set-up by a 39-yard throw and catch from Summers to Jones. The Penguins benefited from a personal foul penalty for roughing the snapper on Illinois State on a 22-yard successful field goal attempt by Blose on fourth down. 

T

he penalty took the field goal off of the board and moved the ball to the ISU three-yard line. Smith scored on the next play and along with Blose's kick, the Penguins held a 13-12 advantage.

The lead was short lived though, as Illinois State moved the ball 47 yards in seven plays, only taking 1:37 off the clock to regain the lead on a 49-yard field goal by Kutch to give the Redbirds a 15-13 advantage.

The Penguins gave it their best shot to take the lead back before halftime as they returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 44-yard line with 1:08 remaining. YSU moved the ball down to the ISU 25-yard line in five plays, but had a 42-yard field goal try blocked by defensive tackle Eric Brunner as time expired.

The third quarter started out with four consecutive punts, but the Penguins offense found the end zone on the second play of their third drive of the quarter.

Summers found Barnes from 55 yards out for the touchdown to regain the lead for the Penguins. The drive covered 58 yards and took just 48 seconds. The Blose PAT put the Penguins up by a score of 20-15.

The Redbirds scored the first points of the fourth quarter by scoring on the second play of the quarter. The Redbirds cut into their deficit on a 39-yard boot from Kutch making the score 20-18. The scoring drive consisted of 12 plays, covering 48 yards, and took 4:30 off the clock. 

The Penguins pushed the lead back to five on their very next possession. YSU moved the ball 60 yards, over six plays to set-up a 37 yard field goal from Blose. A completion from Summers to senior receiver Aaron Pitts covered 54 of the 60 yards on the drive.

The Penguins defense set the offense up with prime field position, on the ensuing Redbirds possession. The defense created the first, and only, turnover of the game as safety Nick Gooden forced Brown to fumble and was scooped up by  cornerback A.J. Walker at the YSU 44-yard line.

With the short field, the Penguins found the end zone for the third time on a completion to receiver Donald Jones from eight yards out. The score would put the Redbirds away as the Penguins went up by a score of 30-18. The six-play drive, 56-yard drive saw Summers throw the ball four times for 42 yards.

The Penguins play their final game of the season next Saturday against North Dakota State. Kickoff against the Bison is set for 2 p.m. at the Fargo Dome.