Box Score
The Youngstown State football team dominated the first half but dropped a 38-35 decision in their conference opener against Western Illinois on Saturday evening at Stambaugh Stadium with 13,571 fans in attendance.
The Penguins fall to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play while Western Illinois gets their first win of the season and improves to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
The Penguins led by as many as 28 points, 35-7, and owned a 35-14 lead at halftime, but the Leathernecks scored 31 unanswered points to close out the game.
Youngstown State recorded 374 total yards of offense with 297 coming from the first half. Jaleel McLaughlin rushed for 118 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns. Quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw totaled 134 rushing yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.
Jordan White came up with an interception in the second half for the Penguins defense, and Grant Dixon led the Penguins defensively with 6 total tackles, including one for a loss.
The Penguins scored on the opening drive of the game with a three-yard touchdown run by McLaughlin to take a 7-0 lead. WIU answered with a touchdown on a three-play drive when quarterback Connor Sampson hit Daniel Bender for a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:21 left in the first quarter.
Youngstown State scored the next 28 points to take a 35-7 lead late in the second quarter.
Crenshaw scored a pair of rushing touchdowns from 11 yards and five yards out to take the lead 21-7 early in the second quarter.
On the next drive, the Penguins defense came up with a big fourth-and-one stop to set the Penguins up with good field position. The YSU offense capitalized on the short field and extended their lead to 28-7 with a 10-yard rushing touchdown by McLaughlin with 11:28 left in the half.
With 6:20 left in the second half, Nick DeSalvo delivered a 54-yard punt that went out of bounds at the one-yard line. The Penguins defense shut down the Leathernecks three-and-out on their own 10-yard line with 2:44 left in the half.
On the ensuing possession, the Penguins came up with a touchdown on a quick, three-play drive when McLaughlin scampered for a 35-yard touchdown to extend the Penguins' lead to 35-7 with 1:29 remaining in the half.
Western Illinois finished the first half with a seven-yard touchdown pass when Sampson connected with Mason Sikes in the endzone.
Western Illinois scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to come back and win the game 38-35. Mason Laramie scored the 20-yard game-winning field goal for the Leathernecks.
Youngstown State visits Northern Iowa Saturday, October 2. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m in the UNI-Dome.
