Penguin Sporting News

Basketball

Perry's Late 3-Pointer Leads Guins in Comeback Win Over Butler

Friday, February 4 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

Kendrick Perry's 3-pointer with 20.9 seconds remaining capped a Penguins comeback from 10 points down in the final 5:27 and was the final points in thrilling 62-60 victory over Butler on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.

With 5:27 left in the contest, Butler built a 57-47 lead, but the Penguins were not about to back down.

Perry got the rally started with a 3-pointer and Ashen Ward's basket closed the deficit to 57-52 with 4:12 left. Matt Howard increased the Butler advantage to 60-52 but that was the final time the Bulldogs scored the rest of the contest.

Ward answered Howard's triple with one of his own at the 3:27 mark pulling the Guins within 60-55. Following two offensive rebounds, Ward cashed in from 14 feet bringing the Penguins within 60-57.

The offensive glass was key for the Penguins again when Damian Eagle grabbed a Blake Allen miss and his putback with 1:16 remaining brought YSU within 60-59.

Butler had an opportunity to increase the advantage, but Sheldon Mack missed a 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining.

Twenty seconds later, Vytas Sulskis found Perry who drained a step-back 3-pointer with 20.9 seconds putting the Guins on top 62-60.

Butler had a shot but Howard's shot from the paint was long and Eargle grabbed his nine board of the contest. With only two team fouls and just 6.7 seconds left, the Bulldogs were forced to foul quickly.

YSU had two chances at the free-throw line to close out the contest. Allen missed with 4.6 seconds left, but Howard threw the ball out of bounds just past midcourt.

Ward was fouled with 2.1 ticks left, but he missed the front end of the one-and-one and Mack grabbed the rebound. However his desparation attempt was well short.

For the game, YSU shot 45.6 percent (26-of-57), including a 50-percent effort in the second half. The Guins made seven 3-pointers on the night, all in the second half.

Butler shot 39.7 percent (23-of-58) for the contest and went 9-of-24 from behind the arc.

With the win, YSU improves to 8-14 on the year and 2-10 in the Horizon League. Butler is now 14-9 and 6-5.

Eargle scored 16 points while Perry had 14 and Allen finished with 11. Mack led the Bulldogs with 18 points.

The first half featured six ties and three lead changes.

YSU built a 25-18 lead on a Blake Allen jumper with 3:21 left in the first half. However, the Bulldogs held the Guins scoreless the remained of the period pulling with three at the break thanks to basketballs by Mack and Andrew Smith.

Eargle had 10 points for YSU while Smith scored a team-high nine for Butler.

Butler jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but five straight Penguin points tied the contest at seven. From that point, neither team held more than a two-point lead until YSU reeled off seven straight points turning an 18-17 deficit into a 25-18 lead with 3:21 remaining.

The Penguins harassed the Bulldogs into 10 turnovers while committing just one. That lone turnover came on an offensive foul by Sulskis with 40 seconds left before halftime. Butler dominated the boards holding a 26-13 bulge on the glass. YSU shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27) compared to Butler's 32.3 percent (10-of-31). Both teams combined to go 1-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc.

The Penguins play host to Valparaiso on Saturday night at the Beeghly Center. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m.

Football

Coach Wolford Commends Group Effort in Landing Top-Notch Class

Friday, February 4 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

The Youngstown State football team used a strong recruiting effort on all fronts to announce the addition of 35 student-athletes on National Letter-of-Intent Signing Day on Wednesday. Second-year Coach Eric Wolford said it was because of the commitments people have made to the university that helped the Guins land such a large class.

Of those, 24 are on defense, 10 are on offense and one is placekicker. The Penguins added 15 players from Ohio, however 11 states had at least one player sign.

Wolford said he is appreciative for time and assistance YSU President Dr. Cyndy Anderson and YSU Athletic Ron Strollo provided in bringing this group of student-athletes to Youngstown.

"Dr. Anderson has been instrumental in this recruiting class," he said. "She gets involved. She takes time out of her busy schedule along with her staff to be a part of our recruiting weekends. That's the kind of commitment we have here at Youngstown State. It's exciting.

"You have Ron Strollo, our Athletic Director, who I think has given us the best facilities around that gives us an opportunity to compete with any school we try to recruit against. Do we get them all? No. But I think when we get a kid on campus, there's probably a 75-80 percent chance we're going to get them. That's a compliment to our president, our athletic director and to our coaching staff and their families. There are a lot of people involved. This is a great place to be and I think this recruiting class shows that."

Wolford made sure to remind everyone that each day is spent trying to make the program better.

"If you walk in on Saturday morning to an academic breakfast. You meet the President. You meet the Athletic Director. You meet the Deans of our schools. It's snowing down like crazy. It's freezing cold. You talk about commitment? There's no office hours on Saturday. That's the kind of commitment we have. But that's what this community is about.

"We're going to do it together. It's not about me. We have a blue print. We're all going to join hands and find a way to get this thing back to winning National Championships. That's what we're here for. One person is not going to do it. It's going to be all of us joining together. It's going to take a commitment by these players. I've had players on this campus that are wishy-washy about whether or not they want to be here. I tell them 'We'll see you later'. You either want to be here or you don't."

Of the 35 signees, five junior-college transfers are currently enrolled at YSU. Five of the addition 30 are junior college players as well. Wolford said

"From top to bottom, there's some impressive players there," Wolford said. "We went all over the country to get these guys. We feel that this group that we brought in here will give us the depth we need to finish a game. If we can finish games better, we're going to have a bright future here. I can assure you that the future here at YSU looks bright. We're excited about it.

Not going unnoticed is the number of defensive players that will be new to the program. Of the 35 announced on Wednesday, 24 are on that side of the ball. Wolford says he is hoping that spurs competition among the group.

"You have to recruit so you have depth," he said. "You have to create a competitive atmosphere. At the end of the day, there were some positions where we didn't have enough people to create a competitive atmosphere so we weren't able to create a competitive environment. This class here should give us the foundation for the future. That's why we made a commitment to bringing in a lot of football players. We're excited about them."

Wolford said that the defensive newcomers will all get a shot in the fall and he will use the fall-camp sessions to get a grasp on who will start.

The offense added 10 new faces, half of which are wide receivers. The Guins lost all-conference and go-to receiver Dominique Barnes falling the 2010 campaign. Wolford used some of his South Carolina connections to land a pair of Palmetto State wideouts.

Wolford credited YSU summer football camps with an influx in area talent. Last summer, Wolford and his staff had more than 600 participants in various types of camps ranging from O-Line/D-Line to Kicking and single day events.

"The whole key for us locally is getting guys on campus," he said. "That's why we've made such an emphasis about our summer camps. We have to get players on campus. Once a kid has a chance to get on campus, he sees our great facilities, he sees our great commitment to education, he sees we have the support systems in place so that way they can succeed."

Wolford made sure that everyone knows exactly how he feels about Youngstown State and the community.

"This is a great place to live and I've lived everywhere," he said. "The people are awesome. We have a great university. We have great facilities. We have a great football tradition. I think we have a great product to recruit to. We have a good coaching staff. The players like our coaching staff. These coaches have been successful. Youngstown is the place to be."

Women's Basketball

Lady Pens Can't Overcome First-Half Deficit, Fall 81-66 at UWM

Friday, February 4 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

Milwaukee -- Milwaukee shot 58 percent and hit seven 3-pointers in the opening period, and the Youngstown State women's basketball team could never recover despite a strong second-half performance in an 81-66 loss at the Klotsche Center on Thursday.

UWM's Sami Tucker scored 21 of her career-high 23 points in the first half as Milwaukee built a 51-28 halftime advantage. YSU trimmed the deficit to 15 several times midway through the second half and had the lead down to 68-54 with five minutes remaining. The Penguins never got closer than 14 points.

Brandi Brown finished with 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for Youngstown State, which recorded 16 steals. Tieara Jones added 15 points and nine rebounds, and Bojana Dimitrov scored all 10 of her points in the first half.

Tucker was 9-for-11 from the floor in the game and 8-for-9 in the first period. Lindsay Laur was an assist shy of a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Milwaukee cooled down in the second half, shooting 38 percent as the Penguins outscored UWM 38-30 in the final 20 minutes. YSU shot 34.3 percent for the game and was 7-for-26 from 3-point range.

Angela Rodriguez had 15 points behind 6-for-8 shooting, and Courtney Lindfors had 11 points for UWM. Milwaukee finished shooting 10-for-20 from 3-point range as Tucker and Rodriguez combined to go 7-for-9. The Panthers held a 40-32 rebounding advantage after owning a 26-10 edge on the glass in the first period.

YSU led 4-2 early, but two Lindfors free throws and the first of four treys in the period by Tucker gave the Panthers a lead they would never lose. Two more Lindfors free throws put UWM up 24-14 with 10:23 left.

YSU increased its pressure on the ball, and a series of Milwaukee turnovers helped the Penguins trim the deficit to 24-21 with 8:45 remaining. From that point, the Panthers closed out the half by outscoring the Penguins 27-7.

Youngstown State will travel to Green Bay on Saturday to play the first-place Phoenix. Tipoff at the Kress Center is set for 3 p.m. Eastern.

Football

2011 Football National Letter-of-Intent Signees List Announced

Friday, February 4 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

Tahir Blount
5-10 • 175 | Cornerback
College Park, Ga. | Westlake

HIGH SCHOOL: Had 28 tackles, one interception and two pass breakups as a junior...three-year letterwinner...coach was Greg Minnis.

Christian Bryan
5-10 • 170 | Wide Receiver
Irwin, Pa. | Norwin

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team All-Quad South Conference selection as a multi-purpose player...Honorable-Mention All-WesternPAFootball.net Big School Team (Class AAA-Class AAAA)...as a senior, caught 39 passes for 644 and six touchdowns, four which came in one game...averaged 16.5 yards per catch and had a long grab of 71...had 32 rushes for 183 yards, including a long of 62...completed a 62-yard touchdown pass...returned 25 kickoffs for 423 yards and seven punts for 51 yards...on defense, credited with 63 tackles - 38 solos, 25 assists and had 2 interceptions...Knights qualified for WPIAL playoffs...team captain as a senior...was a four-year starter...as a junior was a second-team all-conference selection...part of the Knights squad that was Class A WPIAL Champions and PIAA state runners-up...coach as a senior was Art Tragesser...also played basketball.

Nick Buonavolonta
5-9 • 190 | Cornerback
Canfield, Ohio | Boardman

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team All-Federal League and second-team Division I All-Northeast Inland District selection as a senior...played running back and cornerback...Boardman posted a 6-4 mark...rushed for 973 yards during the year...second-team All-Federal League and Honorable-Mention Division I All-Northeast Inland District selection as a junior...Spartans reached the Division I Regional Quarterfinals in 2009 going 7-4 on the year...coach was D.J. Ogilvie.

Zach Conlan
6-0 • 295 | Offensive Lineman
Liberty, Ohio | Ursuline

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team Division V All-Ohio selection as a senior...selected to the area's Big 22 by myvalleysports.com...first-team Division V Northeast Inland All-District pick...selected to play for the North in the Ohio North-South Classic this coming April...starter on the offensive line for three straight Division V state championship teams...was a blocker for running back Akise Teague, who was named Ohio's Mr. Football...Ursuline beat Coldwater 51-21 in title game...Irish had 611 total offensive yards, including 492 rushing in title game...team averaged more than 350 yards rushing per game...posted a 15-0 season in 2010...first-team Division I All-Ohio pick as a junior...first-team Division V Northeast Inland All-District pick...Ursuline was 11-3 in 2009, defeating Coldwater 55-25 in the Division V State Championship Game... as a sophomore, Irish posted a 15-0 mark, beating Findlay Liberty-Benton 21-0 in title contest...was a four-year letterwinner...Ursuline lost in state final his freshman year...coach was Dan Reardon.

Kintrell Disher
6-4 • 200 | Wide Receiver
Orangeburg, S.C. | Orangeburg-Wilkinson

HIGH SCHOOL: AAAA All-State selection as a wide receiver...also a first-team all-area selection...caught 76 passes for 1,278 yards and nine touchdowns...had 13 receptions for 218 yards in season and career finale against North Augusta...represented the South team in the 2010 South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association North-South All-Star Game...Bruins were 7-4 in 2010...as a junior, was named AAAA All-State and first-team all-area...set a SCSHL record with 105 receptions for 1,350 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2009...in final two campaigns, caught 181 passes for 2,628 yards and 23 touchdowns...coach was Tommy Brown...also played basketball and competed in track and field.

Jeremey Edwards
6-1 • 210
Junior | Safety
Los Angeles, Calif. | Compton College | Narbonne

JUNIOR COLLEGE: CCCFCA Region VI All-California First-Team selection as an all-purpose player on offense...first-team American Division Mountain Conference selection as an all-purpose player...had 306 yards on 65 carries and scored three touchdowns...completed 36-of-81 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns...caught four passes for 72 yards...credited with 54 total tackles, including 32 solo stops...played quarterback and safety during his career...as a freshman, rushed 33 times for 131 yards and a touchdown...completed 19-of-25 passes for 163 yards and a score...coach was Sean Fernandes.

Brandon Ferguson
6-8 • 275 | Offensive Lineman
Beloit, Ohio | West Branch

HIGH SCHOOL: As a junior, was an Honorable-Mention all-district and All-Northeastern Buckeye Conference pick...two-way starter on offensive and defensive lines...three-year letterwinner...coach was Bob Altenhof...also played basketball.

Ian Folmar II
6-4 • 350 | Defensive Lineman
Warren, Ohio | Warren Harding

HIGH SCHOOL: Honorable-Mention Division I All-Northeast Inland District pick as a senior...had 97 pancake blocks playing left guard...credited with 20 tackles, 17 tackles for losses, five pass breakups and three blocked punts..was a two-time All-Trumbull County selection...offense scored at least 35 points in five games...helped the Raiders to an 8-3 mark and a berth in the state playoffs...coach was D.J. Dota.

Demond Hymes
5-9 • 190 | Tailback
Warren, Ohio | Warren Harding

HIGH SCHOOL: Special-Mention Division I All-Ohio selection...first-team Division I All-Northeast Inland District pick...selected to play for the North in the Ohio North-South Classic this coming April...carried the ball 159 times for 1,209 yards...averaged seven yards per rush...caught 18 passes for 273 yards...averaged 15 yards per catch...scored 18 total touchdowns (16 rushing)...rushed for 348 yards on 37 carries against Massillon...helped the Raiders to an 8-3 mark and a berth in the state playoffs...Honorable-Mention Division I All-Northeast Inland District selection as a junior...coach was D.J. Dota.

Terry Johnson
6-4 • 200 | Linebacker
Pinellas Park, Fla. | Countryside

HIGH SCHOOL: St. Petersburg Times Pinellas County Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker...named first-team All-Suncoast...a Pinellas County Athletic Conference First-Team selection (North County)...selected to play for the North squad at the Pinellas County All-Star Football Classic...registered 95 tackles (75 solos) and a sack...returned an interception for a touchdown and had two fumble recoveries...also played running back, finishing with 819 yards and 19 touchdowns during the season...Cougars were 12-1 record and trip to the Class 5A Region 2 Finals, losing to Plant...rushed for 77 yards on 15 carries and scored both touchdowns in game...also made a spectacular fourth-down stop on Plant running back James Wilder, one of the top seniors in the nation in 2010, in the playoffs...the 12 wins set a school record...member of first Countryside senior class to make consecutive trips to the regional finals...posted school's first-ever undefeated regular season in 2010...prior to the season was named as one of Florida's top 25 inside linebackers...coach was Jared Davis.

Markuah 'Emmanuel' Kromah
6-1 • 235 | Defensive End
Trenton, N.J. | Hamilton West

HIGH SCHOOL: Second-team All-Group 3 All-New Jersey selection as an offensive lineman...named the Colonial Valley Conference Football Lineman of the Year, receiving the Falzone Memorial award...first-team West Jersey Football League Valley Division selection...first-team South Jersey selection as an offensive lineman...was a two-way starter on the offensive and defensive lines...often played the entire game on both sides of the football...had nine sacks and averaged 10 tackles per game...started at right tackle...forced a fumble and returned it 31 yards return for a touchdown in win over Steinert...blocked for a running back who rushed for more than 1,300 yards...Hornets were 8-3 and advanced to the playoffs for first time in four years...was a captain as a senior...three-year letterwinner...coach was Tom Hoglen...also competed in track and field, throwing the discus and shot put.

Jordan Markota
6-2 • 215 | Linebacker
Girard, Ohio | Ursuline

HIGH SCHOOL: Second-team Division I All-Ohio selection...first-team Division V All-Northeast Inland District pick...played linebacker and tight end...Ursuline beat Coldwater 51-21 in title game, capping a 15-0 season in 2010...had five total tackles and two pass breakups in title game...Ursuline was 11-3 in 2009, defeating Coldwater 55-25 in the Division V State Championship Game...was a two-year starter and three-time letterwinner...as a sophomore, Irish posted a 15-0 mark, beating Findlay Liberty-Benton 21-0 in title contest...coach was Dan Reardon.

Jimmy May Jr.
6-0 • 170 | Safety
Warren, Ohio | Warren Harding

HIGH SCHOOL: Second-team All-Trumbull County selection...played wide receiver and defensive back for the Raiders...helped the Raiders to an 8-3 mark and a berth in the state playoffs...coach was D.J. Dota.

Aaron Morgan
6-4 • 215
Junior | Linebacker
Los Angeles, Calif. | LA Southwest College | Santee

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Unanimous selection as the American Division Pacific Conference Defensive Player of the Year by the Southern California Football Association...was a Region VI All-California first-team selection...first-team all-conference pick...totaled 70 tackles (49 solos)...had 9.5 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions as a sophomore...coach was Henry Washington.

Eric Myers
6-3 • 235 | Defensive End
Wooster, Ohio | Triway

HIGH SCHOOL: Special-Mention Division IV All-Ohio selection...First-team Division IV All-Northeast Inland District pick...first-team All-PAC 7 selection as a lineman...named All-Daily Record...as a junior was also a special-mention all-state pick and first-team Division IV All-Northeast Inland District honoree...played offensive and defensive tackle...blocker for a quarterback that threw for nearly 3,000 yards in 2010 and had more than 6,300 in career...Titans finished 8-3 in 2009 and 10, falling in the first round of the playoffs each year...was part of three straight teams to appear in the postseason for the first time in school history...also won final 16 home games...coach was Tony Lee.

Dante Nania
6-0 • 195 | Quarterback
Greensburg, Pa. | Hempfield Area

HIGH SCHOOL: Named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Fab 22 team for the East Zone and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Terrific 25 for the Greensburg area...earned first-team all-conference honors...as a senior, threw for 1,512 yards and 15 touchdowns...completed 101-of-201 attempts...finished the regular season ninth in the WPIAL in passing yards... honorable-mention All-WesternPAFootball.net Big School Team (Class AAA-Class AAAA)...threw for 978 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior...coach Greg Meisner...is also a standout wrestler.

Blake Novotny
6-2 • 215 | Defensive End
Hubbard, Ohio | Hubbard

HIGH SCHOOL: A Division III All-Ohio second-team selection as a linebacker...a first-team Division III All-Northeast Inland District pick...also played fullback...Eagles were 8-3 and reached the state playoffs in 2010...Honorable-Mention D-III All-Northeast Inland District selection as a junior...had 158 tackles, 14 for losses and eight sacks in 2009...four-year letterwinner...coach was Brian Hoffman.

Dubem Nwadiogbu
6-2 • 215 | Linebacker
Lawrenceville, Ga. | Peachtree Ridge

HIGH SCHOOL: Played linebacker, defensive end, safety, fullback and running back as a senior...selected to the Gwinnett County All-Star team...earned the county's Cecil Morris Award...was a two-way starter as a senior...as a junior was three-time athlete of the week and two-time Special Teams Player of the Week...Lions reached state 5A quarterfinals in 2009 and was the runners-up in 2010...was a three-year letterwinner...coach was Bill Ballard...nickname is Bam Bam...sister Tori is a member of the track and field squad at Auburn.

Luis Quinones
6-3 • 245
Junior | Defensive End
Gardena, Calif. | West LA College | Lynwood

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Second-team American Division Pacific Conference selection by the Southern California Football Association...as a sophomore had 48 tackles (22 solos) in 10 games played...credited with 17.5 tackles for losses, 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles...had two interceptions, returning one for a score...also returned a fumble 39 yards for a touchdown...coach was Marguet Miller.

Davion Rogers
6-6 • 215 | Linebacker
Warren, Ohio | Warren Harding

HIGH SCHOOL: Earned Division I Honorable-Mention All-Northeast Inland District honors as a senior in 2009...recorded 55 tackles, eight sacks, one interception and five fumble recoveries...posted 60 tackles, 14 TFLs, four sacks and seven pass breakups as a junior...three-star recruit and the No. 19 prospect in the state of Ohio according to Rivals.com...listed as the No. 28 outside linebacker nationally by Rivals.com...three-star and the nation's 101st outside linebacker recruit according to scout.com...rated as the No. 113 overall prospect in the Midwest by SuperPrep...three-star and the nation's No. 29 outside linebacker according to Scouts, Inc...coach was D.J. Dota...orginially attended Michigan in fall of 2010.

Aronde Stanton
6-2 • 290
Junior | Defensive End
Detroit, Mich. | Grand Rapids CC | Martin Luther King

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Credited with 56 total tackles, including 20 solo stops...had 12 tackles for losses, including eight sacks...had two sacks on three occasions...had three interceptions...returned two interceptions for touchdowns against Joliet (25 and 24 yards) in the first quarter...also had six tackles and a forced fumble to receive National Junior College Athletic Association's Defensive Player of the Week honors...Raiders appeared in the Mississippi Bowl and posted a 10-2 mark for the campaign...finished eighth in the final NJCAA rankings...in 2009, team was 9-2 and won Midwest Conference East Division...played in the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl that season...coach was Tony Annese.

Trevor Strickland
6-6 • 245 | Defensive Tackle
Clyde, Ohio | Clyde

HIGH SCHOOL: A third-team Division III All-Ohio selection...first-team Division III All-Northwest District selection and All-Sandusky Bay Conference pick...selected to play for the North in the Ohio North-South Classic this coming April...as a senior, was credited with 82 tackles and 12.5 sacks...blocked three kicks, forced a fumble and had four pass breakups...also caught four passes for 25 yards...led the Fliers to a 10-2 record...defense posted four shutouts and allowed 101 points in the regular season...lost to Tiffin Columbian in Division III regional finals...didn't play football as a junior...named all-academic...placed sixth at state Wrestling Championships as a junior at 215 pounds...currently top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in Ohio.

Andre Stubbs
5-6 • 155 | Wide Receiver
Maple Heights, Ohio | Maple Heights

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team Division II All-Ohio selection as a wide receiver...caught 61 passes for 1,083 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior...averaged 17.8 yards per catch as a slot receiver...had 39 rushes for 503 yards and six touchdowns...Mustangs won the 2010 Division II State Championship, beating Trotwood-Madison 45-33...in title game, caught seven passes for 170 yards and two scores...had TD grabs of 80 and 11 yards...Maple Heights was 14-1 on the year...lost to Cincinnati Winton Woods in 2009 title game to finish season 12-3...started 41 games in three seasons...three-year letterwinner...coach was Todd Filtz.

Sir Aaron Taylor
6-0 • 215
Junior | Safety
Carmel, N.Y. | Alfred State | Lincoln Hall

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Second-Team All-NJCAA selection...first-team All-Northeast Football Conference pick...as a sophomore, led the Pioneers with 63 tackles in 10 games...had 36 solos stops, five interceptions and four tackles for losses...returned 19 kicks (punts and kickoffs) for 379 yards and two touchdowns...on offense, rushed for 140 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns...named NFC and NJCAA special teams player of the week against Apprentice...returned the opening kickoff of the second half 86 yards and had 97 return yards for the game...also had five tackles, three pass breakups and an interception in the game...recorded 52 tackles (32 solo), one sack, and picked off three passes, returning one 85 yards for a score, as a freshman...rushed for 250 yards and three scores and passed for 423 yards and four scores...coach was Mick Caba.

Brandon Thomas
5-10 • 180 | Wide Receiver
Cameron, S.C. | Calhoun County

HIGH SCHOOL: Second-team all-area selection...as a senior, had 950 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns...also rushed for 650 yards and 11 touchdowns...on defense had 35 tackles with five interceptions as a defensive back...was the focal point at quarterback of the team's "Wildcat" formation...finished the 2010 season with a 9-3 mark, losing to eventual state champion Abbeville in Class A Division I quarterfinals...coach was Walt Wilson.

Mike Thomas
5-10 • 170 | Cornerback
Youngstown, Ohio | East

HIGH SCHOOL: Special-Mention Division II All-Ohio selection...first-team Division II All-Northeast Inland District selection as a wide receiver...as a junior, had 700 yards receiving...coach was Brian Shaner.

Andrew Williams
6-2 • 170 | Wide Receiver
Bowman, S.C. | Bethune-Bowman

HIGH SCHOOL: All-Area second-team selection as a wide receiver...caught 50 passes for more than 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns...Mohawks advanced to state playoffs for first time since 2007...also played safety...coach was Glynn Darby...also a standout basketball player.

Teven Williams
6-0 • 210 | Linebacker
Huber Heights, Ohio | Wayne

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team All-GWOC selection at linebacker...Special-Mention Division I All-Southwest District pick...first-team all-region selection...credited with 176 tackles which not only led the team, it was first in the league...returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown against Centerville...helped lead Wayne to Division I state final where it lost 35-28 to Lakewood St. Edward...Wayne posted an 11-4 mark for the season...had 10 tackles in state title game...named team Defensive MVP...coach was Jay Minton.

Justin Yuran
6-1 • 225 | Linebacker/Long Snapper
Sharon, Pa. | Sharon

HIGH SCHOOL: District 10 all-star selection...first-team 2010 All-WesternPAFootball.net Small School Team (Class A-Class AA)...had 190 tackles, averaging nearly 15 stops per game...Tigers were 11-3 in 2010, losing to Forest Hills in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AA playoffs...won the District 10 Championship...in 2009, Sharon was 10-3 overall, falling to Wilmington in the district finals...coach was Bob Fromm...also a standout wrestler.

Steve Zaborsky
6-2 • 240 | Defensive End
Mineral Ridge, Ohio | Austintown Fitch

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team Division I All-Ohio selection as an offensive lineman...first-team Division I All-Northeast Inland District selection as an offensive lineman...first-team All-Federal League selection...named one of the local Five Blocks of Granite by MyValleySports.com...graded out at 87 percent on offense with 11 pancake blocks...also recorded 30 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery and also scored a touchdown on defense...handled punting duties as well...helped lead the Falcons to a 10-2 record...Austintown Fitch reached the Regional Semifinals...named to the Academic All-Ohio Football team...coach was Phil Annarella.

These Five Players joined the YSU program in January.

David Brown
5-10 • 170
Junior | Placekicker
Ojai, Calif. | Ventura CC | Nordhoff

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Ranked as the 17th-best placekicker by Chris Sailer (chrissailerkicking.com) for class of 2011...is ranked as the No. 2 junior college kicker for the class of 2011...second-team All-Northern Conference selection in 2010...was 34-of-38 on PAT attempts and 8-of-16 on field-goal tries...scored 58 points, second most on the squad...had a long make of 47 and a long attempt of 51...had 57 kickoffs for an average of 56.8 yards...had four solo tackles...coach was Steve Mooshagian...originally attended San Diego State out of high school, where he redshirted in 2008.

Nick DeKraker
6-3 • 255
Junior | Defensive End
Marne, Mich. | Grand Rapids CC | Coopersville

JUNIOR COLLEGE: First-Team All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference selection in 2010...NJCAA All-Region IV selection...credited with more than 70 tackles, including 13 for losses and four sacks...had at least one tackle for loss in nine games...Raiders appeared in the Mississippi Bowl and posted a 10-2 mark for the campaign...finished eighth in the final NJCAA rankings...served as a team captain...in 2009, team was 9-2 and won Midwest Conference East Division...played in the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl that season...coach was Tony Annese.

Josh Fenderson
6-2 • 250
Junior | Defensive Lineman
Detroit, Mich. | Rochester CTC | Henry Ford

JUNIOR COLLEGE: First-Team All-Minnesota College Athletic Conference All-Division selection in 2010...had 35 total tackles, including 10.5 for 65 yards in losses...of the 10 TFLs, six were sacks...the Yellowjackets won State Playoffs, posting 10-2 mark...played in North Star Bowl against Iowa Central...finished 17th in final NJCAA rankings...coach was Brad LaPlante.

Lamar Mady
6-4 • 325
Junior | Offensive Lineman
Topeka, Kan. | Butler County CC | Topeka

JUNIOR COLLEGE: First-Team All-Jayhawk Conference selection in 2010...was a first-team All-Region VI selection...started all 12 games at right guard in 2010...Grizzlies posted an 11-1 mark and played in NJCAA National Championship Game...lost 13-12 in title game to Navarro...finished No. 2 in final polls...team was Jayhawk Conference champs finishing 7-0...team averaged 47 points per game in league play...Grizzlies scored at least 31 points on eight occasions and averaged 38 per game for the season...offense averaged 373 yards per game and set school mark with 32 touchdown passes in a season...as a freshman, started final six games at right tackle...coach was Troy Morrell...attended same junior college as current YSU men's basketball player DuShawn Brooks.

Mark Pratt
6-3 • 325
Junior | Offensive Lineman
Tooele, Utah | Snow JC | Tooele

JUNIOR COLLEGE: First-Team All-Western States Football League selection as an offensive lineman/center in 2010...Snow finished 10-2, winning a conference championship...Snow defeated Iowa Western 48-36 in the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl to end campaign and finished ranked seventh in the country...was part of an offense that averaged 43 points per game and scored at least 31 points on nine occasions...was a member of the squad in 2007 before going on a mission during 2008 and 2009 seasons...coach was Steve Coburn.

Track & Field

Women’s track team wins four individual events, sets season-best marks during weekend competition

Sunday, January 30 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

Freshman Katrina Rettburg set a new school record in the high jump for the second consecutive week while junior Laura Kosiorek won the 60m hurdles and the long jump events at the GaREAT Collegiate Open in Geneva, Ohio on Friday and Saturday. Several other athletes achieved season-best marks.
Rettburg, Kosiorek, Alexis Hall and Samantha Hamilton each won their respective events over the weekend.

Setting a new school record in the high jump with a mark of 1.73m, Rettburg jumped .3m better than her mark last week. She placed ninth in the long jump (4.98m) as well. Kosiorek set a new personal-best 60m hurdles time with her top finish in the event. She ran the race in 8.94 seconds, .05 seconds better than her previous best time, and also set a season-best mark of 11.48m in the long jump.

With a weight throw of 17.56m, Hall won the event with more than a .75m advantage over the competition while Hamilton won the 5,000m run in a personal-best time of 17:25.44, beating the closest runners by more than 15 seconds.

The women's sprinters also ran well, as YSU had four runners in the top ten in both the 60m and 200m races and three runners in the top ten in the 60m hurdles.

Ciara Jarrett placed third in the 60m with a season-best time of 7.84 seconds (7.90 seconds in the preliminaries), Kenya Garner placed fourth with a time of 7.91 seconds (7.92 in the preliminaries), Symona Gregory finished fifth with a season-best time of 7.91 seconds (8.01 in the preliminaries) and Alisha Anthony placed seventh with a season-best time of 7.95 seconds (7.97 in the preliminaries).

In the 200m, Jarrett finished third (25.44 seconds), Garner finished fifth (25.94 seconds), Alisha Anthony finished sixth (26.00 seconds) and Gregory finished eighth (26.12). All four times were season-bests for each athlete.

Kosiorek was followed by Nichole Rymer, who finished second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.96 seconds, and Nichole Pachol, who finished sixth with a time of 9.10 seconds. These were also personal-best times for Rymer and Pachol.

In the 5,000m, Anna Pompeo (19:04.75), Katherine Digby (19:06.24) and Nelly Yegon (19:07.44) each ran personal-best times to earn the top three places in the first heat of the race.

Other notable performances for the women included Kendall Homan, fifth in the long jump (5.03m) and ninth in the triple jump (10.46m); Tessa Parks, eighth in the long jump (4.98m); Alison Roth, fourth in the shot put (12.69m); and Kaitlyn Griffith, fourth in the weight throw (15.98m).

On the men's side, Michael Davis and Tarelle Irwin each ran personal-best times in the sprinting events.

Davis finished second in the 60m with a time of 6.93 seconds and fifth in the 200m with a time of 21.98 seconds. Irwin finished fourth in both events, running 6.98 seconds in the 60m and 21.87 seconds in the 200m.

Martin Solomon placed third in the 60m hurdles after running a personal-best 8.40 seconds while Eric Rupe ran the 3,000m in a personal-best 8:35.08 to finish fifth.

Bobby Grace was the runner up in the shot put event with a throw of 15.83m and finished eleventh in the weight throw with a mark of 14.78m. The Guins had three throwers in the top ten for the weight throw. George Thomas finished seventh (15.80m), Caleb Schwan finished eighth (15.36m) and Jeremiah Folger placed tenth (15.10m).

In the pole vault, Johny Copley placed fourth with a mark of 4.57m. Dorian Davis finished fifth in the long jump (6.22m) while Darius Reeves and Davion Cuff placed in the top ten in the triple jump. Reeves finished fifth (13.31m) and Cuff finished eighth (13.01m).

The Penguins' next meet is the Akron Invitational on Feb. 11 and 12.

Swimming and Diving

Hill Wins 1-Meter in Meet with Green Bay, Illinois State

Sunday, January 30 2011

Courtesy of: YSU

Green Bay, Wis. -- The Youngstown State swimming and diving team traveled to Green Bay on Saturday to compete in a dual meet between Green Bay and Illinois State. YSU dropped decisions to both, 230-70 and 233-67, respectively at the Peter F. Dorschel Natatorium.

Youngstown State sophomore diver Casey Hill finished on top in the 1-meter dive scoring 262.15. Hill also had a third-place finish in the 3-meter dive with a score of 236.40.

Sophomore Sam Roberts finished in third place in the 100-yard with a time of 1:08.57 and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:26.62). In the 200-yard freestyle, junior Kirstin Walker came in fifth with a time of 1:57.69.

The Penguins' top relay team was fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team comprised of Walker, junior Audy Grubbs, senior Alana Kane and junior Nishani Cicilson.

The YSU divers will host a Diving Invitational on Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. The team's next action is at the Horizon League Championship in February.