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Ben Roethlisberger has a bad headache.  Charlie Batch has a bad wrist.  Troy Polamalu is still gimpy.  Welcome to the other side of the spectrum Steeler fans, it’s called bad luck, and you didn’t have too much of it last season. 

Losing to Kansas City in Week 11 and dropping to 6-4 is only part of the problem.  Yeah, I know, you get to play the Browns again.  Can Dennis Dixon solve all of your problems?  uh, no.

Dixon (pictured while getting hurt at Oregon) is an athlete who probably didn’t work much with the first unit at practice.  The way it was drawn up, if Ben got hurt, Charlie would put his cape on and fly in to save the day.  I don’t know if Dixon will even play.  Ben is claiming he is fine, but with all of the chances the Chiefs had to sack him (and couldn’t) how long will he last against the Ravens this weekend?

The offensive line has struggled.  Last year the defense was bailing a subpar offense out almost every game.  This year, the shoe is on the other foot, as the Steelers have given up a return touchdown in an NFL record of eight straight games.  The Rooney’s won’t stand for it, that’s why Pittsburgh always rebounds.  However, the hourglass is running thin and even though Cincinnati only has a one game lead, they beat Pittsburgh twice to control a tiebreaker.

 

Ron Strollo has known Jon Heacock for almost half of his life.  According to Strollo, YSU’s Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, they spent more time with each other than they did with their own families over those years.  Strollo addressed the media at a special press conference on Monday and spoke about a host of issues including why Heacock chose to step down, who will be considered for the vacancy, and what factors will finalize the decision.

Heacock surprised many on Sunday when he announced that he would be resigning.  Being only the fifth head coach in Youngstown State University’s history, the decision was surely a tough one because of his obvious passion for both the football program and the university.  Strollo claimed that had Heacock not voluntarily stepped down, that he would have been heavily evaluated.  Strollo also commented on the recent turn of events saying, “We talked last week.  I knew it was something he was considering.  I spoke with him yesterday about an hour before he spoke to his team and staff.”

Strollo commented that the assistant coaches are under contract until February.  When asked if the staff will be somewhat retained, Strollo remarked, “They will have opportunities to speak with the new head coach.  However, it would be hard to hold a head coach accountable if you tell him who his soldiers are.”

This search will be like no other because there is little time to work with.  Strollo noted that the candidate they will be looking for should have Division-I coaching experience, have alot of energy, and be devoted to a busy recruiting process.  He also said that many schools, unlike the Big-10, are still playing their regular season out and it would not make sense to bother anyone while they are doing their job elsewhere.  Once the time is right, the field would be narrowed.  Strollo admitted talking to an old friend, Jim Tressel, about the sudden turn of events.  “I talked with Coach Tressel yesterday.  I asked him if I could bounce something off of him.  He told me when we get to a final group that he would be happy to give his input.  The advantage that we have is what Tressel gave.  Because he made a successful transition to Ohio State, it makes this job more attractive.”

Many coaches at the higher level have agents, some who have already called to inquire about the vacancy.  Names will not be released because it is not the intent of YSU to damage the reputation or pride of any candidate.  Heacock was the lowest paid coach in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Strollo said that the pay for the new YSU Coach will be contingent on the qualified candidate’s experience.

The reality of it is there will be mad speculation over the next few weeks.  The Youngstown rumor mill will be busier than GM in saying why or why not on every single name brought up.  I asked Strollo after the press conference if Charlie Weiss was on his list.  He semi-chuckled and said affordability would be an issue.

Some of the more realistic choices on my unofficial list are Mark Snyder, who is probably going to get canned at Marshall by Christmas.  Rick Shepas, a former YSU player who is coaching football at Waynesburg.  Anyone named Stoops who is not a head college coach, or anyone named Pellini or Mangino (I am playing the hometown name association card here).

The whole press conference was sad.  Strollo and Heacock are both quality people.  They are cut from the same mold in so many ways and neither guy was a “win at any cost” type.  They both valued a student’s education and emphasized that what a student-athlete does after the games are over with their lives is what matters most.  Strollo is a class act, he said Heacock will have no problems at all finding employment based on his reputation.  Heacock knows that there are expectations that he was not meeting.  It is an amicable split where hopefully both parties benefit in the long run.

Youngstown State Football Coach Jon Heacock formally resigned his head coaching position on Sunday, just 24 hours after a terrific road win that sealed a winning season.  To say that Heacock just did not care would be the furthest thing from the truth. 

Heacock came on board in 1992 as the defensive coordinator for Jim Tressel.  When Tressel left Youngstown State to accept the Ohio State University job in 2000, Heacock was selected to be the new head coach of the Penguins.  The switch would ultimately draw constant comparison to the Tressel days, a record nobody would have an easy time duplicating.

Tressel made the Division I-AA playoffs 10 times in 15 seasons while at Youngstown State.  He also won the big prize, a national championship, four times in those 10 appearances.  Heacock only got into the playoffs in 2006, and leaves YSU with a 60-44 record.

   

“I’ve known Jon since my senior year on the football team in 1991, and he has always been a genuine, caring person for the Youngstown State program and the community,” said Ron Strollo, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.  “I would want Jon, as well as our fans and supporters, to know that we appreciate the tremendous challenges and expectation of being the Head Football Coach at Youngstown State.  He fulfilled those duties in a manner that would make every Penguin fan proud.  Our best wishes and gratitude are extended to Jon and his family for their many sacrifices on behalf of this institution.”

Heacock, the conference coach of the year in 2005 and 2006, will have success somewhere else.  Look for him to accept a defensive coordinator position at a different school for next season, perhaps a major Division I program in the Midwest.

The thing that made Heacock genuine to so many was his very strong moral and faith based attitude.  His players are proof that ‘buying in’ to what Heacock was teaching was never hard or abrasive.  Senior Brian Mellott even commented in a recent interview, “To see some of the people who came here until the time they left was quite a transition.  I am not badmouthing anyone, but you should have seen some of these guys when they first got here.  Their behavior and attitude were transformed into respectability, and that is a testament to him [Heacock].”

Sometimes a move like this benefits both parties.  It marks a fresh start for the institution as well as the people seperated from it.  Hopefully, Heacock can prosper from this seemingly mutual divorce and succeed at some capacity wherever it is that he lands.  Also, Youngstown State, suddenly a school in transition, can select the best replacement as the last bolts of the Jim Tressel era come off of the machine, or are they?

I’m already hearing the array of comments from Cleveland Browns fans on Sunday’s 38-37 loss at Detroit.  The Browns had a 21-point first half lead and blew that by halftime.  Some Browns fans are whining about a pass interference call which gave the Lions an untimed down to win the game on the one.  Looked like pass interference to this impartial viewer. 

What is fascinating about the loss is that going into the game, Cleveland had a whopping five offensive touchdowns on the year.  Brady Quinn tossed four touchdowns in the loss.  Pinch yourself Browns fans, then say ouch because you can’t dream this stuff up.

Other Browns fans are playing the “Whew, we almost won and blew our first overall draft pick chances”.  Sorry Browns fans, you only get to pick one player with that strategy, you need about 20 to be a .500 team next year.

Again,  I don’t enjoy seeing the Browns lose.  I would prefer they win a few games as they truly are the laughing stock of the NFL these days.  Call it sympathy, but Eric Mangini can’t get a royal straight flush if all the kings were taken out of the deck.  They just don’t have the personnel to win right now.  Bring Drew Brees in, it would make no difference.

It’s basketball season on the Shores of Lake Erie, as of 4:12 pm Sunday.  Even the best and most patient fans in football – Cleveland Browns fans – have to be regurgitating with disgust.

Jim Tressel reminds Ohio State fans why he is the head coach every November.  Tressel owns Michigan, period.  It is comical to hear people whine when Ohio State loses a game about Tressel failing as a coach, and how it is time for Tressel to move on because he is not getting the job done.

When John Cooper was Ohio State’s Football Coach, I recall people making statements like, “I don’t care if we go 1-11, as long as the 1 is Michigan.”  These fans are the same ones calling for Tressel to now step away when everything is not perfect.  It will not be as loud this week because he beat the Wolverines again. 

Understand this:  The Big-10 is not the most powerful conference in college football.  That is reality.  The Rust Belt, that many of the Big-10 Schools are located in, has lost people.  Jobs have been cut and population has shifted.  There is less gum to throw at the wall to see what may stick. 

 John Cooper was a decent coach but he is no Jim Tressel.  He could not beat Michigan and it drove so many people rooting for the Buckeyes nuts for so many years. 

Lloyd Carr is gone, Tressel ruined that job for him.  Rich Rodriguez, now 0-2 against Ohio State, will start to feel heat if he continues to lose to Ohio State.  Say what you want, in this rivalry the coaches are judged on that game almost exclusively.  If Rodriguez continues to get beat by Tressel every November, he can repack the horses and buggies and head back toward West Virginia.

To the critics of Jim Tressel, a bit of advice:  If you are a true Ohio State fan, remember the Cooper era and one win against Michigan every ten years, will that shut you up?

Coming out of Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s (VASJ), Ashen Ward was the guy who got the ball to win a game near the end, he was Mr. Clutch, and he came through.  Now a Sophomore Penguin, Ward is comfortable with his role, confident in his team, and likes being a student at Youngstown State.  I recently caught up with Ward to discuss the state of YSU Basketball, Coach Slocum, and where this team is headed.

Paneech:  Talk about your high school days at VASJ in Cleveland where you were the team captain.

Ward:  My high school experience was all about tradition.  I started out a Freshman taking in what the people above me were doing and learning.  As I was getting older, I was trying to keep the success going at our school.  It was all about family and tradition.  I didn’t want the program to fall when the guys above me left, I wanted to keep that tradition going.

Paneech:  So how weird is it going from high school, where you are ‘the man’, to going to a college team where you have to again prove yourself for minutes?

Ward:  I love proving myself.  As a Freshman in high school to the time you get older, proving yourself makes it all the more better, knowing that you really deserve it.  That’s all I am doing now, just working hard, and I know that me working hard is making our team better.  I love it here, I am getting to know this area a little better.  When you are all brothers on a team, it helps, just like a family.

Paneech:  What is it like playing for Coach Slocum?

Ward:  He is really hands-on, he is really knowledgeable and is always teaching.  When he tells you something, he wants to see it progress and use it in a game.  He will do whatever he has to do, simulate drills, do drills with us, and wants to be a part of it, and that helps us.

Paneech:  You have now played 4 games, two were against NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago in Xavier and Kent State.  Do these games give confidence to the team?

Ward:  We had confidence before the first game, we had confidence after our loss at Xavier, and we are a confident team that needs to bring that to the floor.  Those games against Xavier and Kent will help us because we were competitive.  When we play other teams we will go in thinking we are the better team.  When you go against a powerhouse like Xavier, it feels good to come back and be the powerhouse against Hiram.  We bring it every night and compete no matter who we are playing.

Paneech:  Against Kent State, Coach Slocum was not happy with free throw shooting and called missed free throws additional turnovers.  Will you be shooting extra free throws at practice?

Ward:  Well, we will, but we take it upon ourselves as a team to be good free throw shooters.  I know it didn’t show against Kent, but we spend alot of time in practice and on our own getting better at the line, and we need to just bring that to the game. 

Paneech:  Describe a practice day from the time you wake up until you go to sleep.

Ward:  I wake up and have an eight-o’clock class.  Then we have practice from 9 until coach feels it should be over, usually about 12 or 12:30.  My next class is at 2 and I have a night class at 5.  I usually go to the gym after that class and get some shots up with some of the guys.  After that, I will head home, do some homework, and go to sleep knowing I am going to do it all over again.

Paneech:  What does it mean to the team when alot of people show up for a game?

Ward:  It means alot to us.  To know that people are behind us like the Kent game means alot.  When you put so much work and effort, it feels good to know that you have people behind you.  It gets everybody going, even if you are not on the floor, you feel it. 

Paneech:  Who wins the NCAA Tournament this year?

Ward:  (laughs)  Youngstown State!

Paneech:  Good answer.  Say YSU gets upset in the Final Four, who do you see winning?

Ward:  I like Kansas.  They get good play out of the guards and have a strong big man.  They have got a good all-around game.

Paneech:  Where does YSU finish in the Horizon League this year?

Ward:  I feel like last year we proved ourselves to be a strong team in the conference.  I don’t really see anyone in this league that we can’t beat.  This team has alot of heart.  What we lack in talent and execution sometimes, we make up with heart. 

Paneech:  How does it feel looking up and seeing football players, track and field champions, and golfers watching you guys play a home game?

Ward:  I have seen that grow alot over my first year here.  I went to the football games and volleyball games, and it is good to see everyone returning it. 

Paneech:  Coach Slocum said everything on this team is symmetric and two-fold, meaning the team depth should not be an issue.  Who is your twin, the guy you replace?

Ward:  Kelvin Bright is my boy.  He goes out and does his thing and if he needs a blow I step in and do my job, we are like a tandem out there.  I guard him at practice and we live together so I see his face all of the time. 

One Word Answers

Favorite Flavor Of Ice Cream:  Strawberry.

Biggest Phobia:  Failure.

Worst Habit:  Humming, I hum alot.

Nicest Thing About Youngstown:  The teachers here really care.

Favorite TV Show:  Law & Order.

The Toy You Cherished Most As A Child:  My Power Rangers.  You could stick them all together and use five of them together and they would make this big monster, I loved it.

Favorite Color:  Black.

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas.

Favorite NBA Player:  LeBron James.

Sport You Watch When Basketball Isn’t On?  Football.

Favorite Flavor Of Chicken Wings:  Hot.

In a season where the expectations were high so high at the start, the ending somewhat lived up to its advertised billing.  Youngstown State rallied from an 11 point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat North Dakota State, 39-35, at the Fargodome.

Youngstown State scored first as Marc Kanetsky, who started the game at quarterback for Brandon Summers due to shoulder soreness, connected with Donald Jones from five yards away staking the Penguins to a 7-0 lead at the 10:59 mark of the opening quarter. 

Pat Paschall, the leading rusher in the Missouri Valley Football Conference coming into the game, tied things up when he went over from one yard out.  Paschall will be an NFL back next year and finished the day with 140 yards on 27 carries.  Hard to believe, but the 140 was below his season average of 150+ per game.  The touchdown came at the 12:33 mark of the second quarter and John Obarski’s extra-point attempt was good for the Bison, 7-7 at the dome.

On their next drive, Youngstown State reclaimed the lead when Summers found Dominique Barnes for a 6-yard touchdown.  Stephen Blose split the uprights for the extra-point with 7:14 left in the first half to give the Penguins a 14-7 lead.

Paschall scored from a yard out for the second time in the game with just under five minutes remaining in the opening half to again knot the contest at 14. 

Youngstown State finally got a big play on special teams as Lenny Wicks returned a blocked field goal attempt 79 yards for a touchdown with just over a minute left in the half.  The Penguins, however, would yield a game-tying touchdown when Bison QB Jose Mohler found Warren Holloway for a 21-yard scoring connection.  At the half, this one was all tied up at 21 apiece.

The Bison struck first in the second half at the 6:08 mark of the third quarter.  Matt Veldman hauled in a 27-yard toss from Mohler.  With the PAT successful, the Penguins were on the wrong end of a 28-21 score.

The Penguins managed to get three points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter as a red-hot Stephen Blose nailed a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 28-24.

Paschall would give the Bison a seemingly comfortable cushion as he scored his third touchdown on the afternoon, this one a three yarder.  With just under eight minutes, Youngstown State began their unforgettable march to vicory.

The three amigos, Aaron Pitts (#83, left), Dominique Barnes (#29, middle), and Donald Jones (#81, right) have been awesome all year.  Summers has found these three receivers and the offense seemed to be at its best when the ball was headed their way. 

On this particular Saturday, the trio would show their value as they (along with Summers) spearheaded an amazing comeback.  With 5:13 left in the game, Pitts would be the first to step up as he caught a fourth down, four-yard touchdown pass from Summers.  The touchdown made the score 35-30 in favor of North Dakota State.  YSU lined up for the two-point conversion, which was a success when Summers hit another essential cog in the machine, Kevin Smith, for a two-point completion making the score 35-32.

The YSU defense was on fire as they forced the Bison to run three plays and punt.  YSU then started a fantastic drive to really exclamate what could have been.  Summers had several tosses to Jones to move the ball at a rapid rate on both of the last two scoring drives.  Barnes then got to relish in the glory when Summers found him for the go-ahead points with just 22 seconds left in a wild finish.  Blose kicked the extra point to give YSU a four point lead.

North Dakota State had a shot at the end zone on the last play of the game , but YSU’s Scott Sentner picked off the Bison scoring effort to end the game.

Youngstown State was paced by Kevin Smith who had 101 yards on the ground.  Summers finished the game with 259 yards and three touchdowns.  Jones caught 10 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

North Dakota State got 238 passing yards out of Mohler along with a couple of touchdowns, as well as a pair of interceptions.  Paschall finished with 140 rushing yards and a 5.2 average on 27 carries.  Holloway caught three Mohler passes for 88 yards and a TD.

Youngstown State (6-5, 4-4) completed the season in unbelievable fashion.  North Dakota State (3-8, 2-6) Coach Craig Bohl will surely want to put this season behind him.  It must be noted that Youngstown State took several more chances and opened up the playbook in the last couple of weeks.  The result of those two games were 63 offensive points (the six by Lenny Wicks on the blocked FG don’t count).  

Congratulations Senior Penguins!  I salute you for not throwing in the towel and exhibiting class under the worst of times.  No fingerpointing, no excuses, and no bickering really made this bunch special to cover all season.  The positions you are leaving will be tough to fill in the future.  All twelve of you are competitive winners, you had the respect of the players under you, the coaching staff, and at least one sports journalist.  Good luck with your futures and thanks for the good memories this season!

Jerry Olsavsky has been at Youngstown State University since 2003.  Over that span, he has worked with many young men teaching them his craft, being a good linebacker.  Olsavsky was a standout at Youngstown Chaney and later had success at Pitt.  Olsavsky spent nine years in the NFL as a Pittsburgh Steeler after being selected in the 10th round by the Rooney family.  He retired in 1998 while with the Baltimore Ravens.  To talk with Olsavsky is like talking to your neighbor about anything.  He is still a very humble and quiet guy yet has the respect of those he coaches.  I recently caught up with Olsavsky and enjoyed hearing his take on everything from linebacker terminology to aspirations of being a head coach someday.

Paneech:  Growing up on Youngstown’s West Side, you did well at Chaney.  Why can’t that school field a competitive team anymore?

Olsavsky:  I think it is because alot of people have left the city.  The population just isn’t what it was and when you have fewer families, you have fewer good athletes.  I was on the tail end coming up, when you have names like Cavanaugh and Calcagni, you had four kids in a family who could play.  I don’t know how important athletics in the city are anymore.

Paneech:  It seems real important at Mooney and Ursuline.  Do you think these Catholic Schools should have their own division come playoff time?

Olsavsky:  I think that those schools have a great tradition.  One of the reasons why we were successful at Chaney was because we had Mooney first on our schedule and that drove me.  I believe that if they are good that they are doing something right over there.  I commend everything that they accomplish and as far as some of the rumors about what goes on in the Catholic Schools go, I don’t have anything to do with it.  I know in bigger cities like Philadelphia, they have a Catholic League, but you have got alot more people.  Ursuline is Division Five, so that is really a smaller school.

Paneech:  Talk to me about the transition from Chaney to Pitt.

Olsavsky:  Chaney to Pitt was about a two day transition.  My second day at Pitt, I got blocked by a guy who would later go on to play in the NFL for 12 years.  So at that point you either had to improve and get better or go home. 

Paneech:  How different was it playing for the Steelers than the Pitt Panthers ?

Olsavsky:  That was more of a quicker thing.  It was not as big of an adjustment of going from high school to college.  The speed factor was the difference in going from college to the NFL where you are going against nine guys who were all really good college players.  That’s a big difference, you start to think, man, all of these guys are fast.  In college we would play Notre Dame, and they would have six really good players, on a lesser team, you would have two or one, then when you get to the NFL, its like, wow, there are nine guys that are really good. 

Paneech:  Do you stay in contact with any of the guys you played with at any of the three levels?

Olsavsky:  I see some of the guys from Chaney once in the while.  I’m coaching and I have three kids, so it is tough.  I have a couple of friends from Pitt that I try to keep in touch with also.  It is a little easier with the Steelers because I will go to camp and see a couple of guys there.  I was there for nine years, and that is longer than both of the other places combined.  I try to keep in touch with Coach Berdis and Mr. Matte once in the while, as they were both great role models and teachers for me.

Paneech:  How have you enjoyed coaching at Youngstown State and who was the best linebacker here that you got to work with?

Olsavsky:  I enjoy coaching here.  My players listen to everything that I say, so I have their respect and we try to have fun.  I think football is fun regardless, whether it be doubles, running sprints, in the weight room, or in the classroom, it is just fun to compete.  I think my guys do that for me.  Sometimes they slip up, sometimes I slip up and make mistakes, but it is a great learning process that has helped to become a better father and husband and I love it.  I love being here in Youngstown because it is a mecca of football.  People come to the games and may not know what defense is called, but they do know if it is good or bad.  It is a high standard, but when you have 20,000 people holding you to it, you feel the presure and also the desire to be a great team.  My best linebacker was probably James Terry.  Na’eem Outler can be a great one.  Another one, a local kid, was Marty Hutchinson from Newton Falls.  That’s two kids from Virginia and one just up the street from Newton Falls.  You are a local guy and you get around these people from other areas and you learn that you can still compete, that’s why Youngstown is such a special area.

Paneech:  Try to explain why linebacker terminology has changed from simplistic as Middle LB and Outside LB to the more confusing Mike, Will and Sam.

Olsavsky:  It all comes down to players.  What can the players do?  If you have three guys, a Mike, Will and Sam, and run a 4-3 and they play well off of the line, then you call them Mike, Will, and Sam or Middle, Weak, and Strong.  When you have a fourth linebacker like we did in Pittsburgh, what do you call that other guy?  Are you going to call him Willis?  It’s just football always evolving but it still all comes down to who blocks and who tackles the best.

Paneech:  Explain what this year has been like with Coach Heacock running the defense.

Olsavsky:  The best thing about coach [Heacock] is that he keeps it simple for the kids.  The kids, in turn, can focus on execution because they don’t have so many jobs to do.  Last year, as guys got hurt, you had to keep put younger guys in.  It really got to be difficult for the kids to handle all of that.  So this year, we sat down and shot at keeping it simple.  We would sit down on Tuesday and it was like, okay, what don’t you like, what do you like.  That is what it is about, keeping it simple and letting your players play.

Paneech:  Do you ever see YSU on a larger, grander scale someday, perhaps Division-I?

Olsavsky:  I really don’t get caught up in those levels.  I felt like when we went on the field with Pitt, that we could compete against them.  We have 22 less scholarships, and that is their [Pitt’s] whole first team.  As far as facilities, administration, and fan base, we are right up there.  I haven’t seen a game at Kent or a MAC School, but we feel we are comparable to them.  They play in bowl games and are on TV week in and week out.  Here, you will always have fans who appreciate what they have here, we will always have a good fan base.

Paneech:  Do you have plans to someday branch out and try your hand at being a head coach?

Olsavsky:  Right now I want to be a head coach at the family level.  That’s the most important thing to me right now – my wife and kids.  To be a head coach and have 63 kids in addition to what you have at home is something that I can’t envision right now.  Down the road, I would love to.  In any good organization, it always comes down to the leadership.  When I was with the Steelers, there was great leadership and they still have it, and that is where you get to be a great organization.

Paneech:  Do you regret not accomplishing anything as a player or coach?

Olsavsky:  I regret not winning a Super Bowl, and maybe I could have been a better player in the NFL.  I think I was satisfied with my accomplishments in high school.  In college, I did what alot of people didn’t think I could do.  In the NFL, it’s a little different, it’s a business, and I thought I could have been a better NFL player.

One Word Answers

Favorite Flavor Of Handel’s Ice Cream:  Chocoholic Chunk. 

Biggest Phobia:  Snakes.

Worst Habit:  Too bossy sometimes.

Favorite Flavor of Chicken Wings:  Belleria Ranch.

Nicest Thing About Youngstown:  The people.

Favorite TV Show:  NFL Football.

The One Toy You Cherished As A Child:  My train.

Favorite Color:  Blue.

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas.

Who Is Weirder ~ Punters or Kickers?  (long pause)  Kickers.

Favorite Current NFL Player:  Adrian Peterson.

Sport To Watch When Football Isn’t On:  Basketball.

 

Big time basketball atmosphere on Wednesday night at the Beeghly Center. Youngstown State was challenging their second 2008-09 NCAA Tournament qualifying team in three games, Kent State.  The Golden Flashes took advantage of poor YSU free throw opportunities and walked away 70-61 winners in front of 4,000 plus fans.

Kent State looked powerful in the early going and held an eight point lead just 1:50 into the contest. YSU roared back to take a lead of their own, going up by a point with eight minutes left in the half. Eleven first half turnovers were probably a big difference in the six point deficit. With one half in the books, Kent State was ahead, 30-26.

The Penguins shot 39% on 9-23 from the field. Kent shot 44% on 12-27 attempts. Tyree Evans had 10 points at the half for Kent, and Sirlester Martin tallied eight points for YSU. With YSU only down six at the break, could a big crowd and some momentum give this team the second half boost they needed to get over the hump and win a big game?

With 15:49 left in the game, Kent State had a 36-31 lead. Eddie D’Haiti drew a foul and hit one of his two free throws and YSU forced a five second violation to get the ball back. After Vytas Sulskis sunk a pair of free throws, the Golden Flashes lead was cut to a mere two points. Sulskis then hit a layup with 14:24 left in the game to tie things up at 36.

With 9:25 remaining, Kent State took a five point lead on a big Anthony Simpson baseline jumper from 12 feet. From there, the Golden Flashes started to pour it on taking advantage of a poor Youngstown State shot selection and a couple of turnovers. Youngstown State finally ended the Kent State run at 13-0 when Sulskis hit a pair of free throws to make it 53-42.

YSU flirted with cutting into the lead, but hustle fouls on D’Haiti and Sulskis, their fifth each, kept the Penguins at bay. At the 2:49 mark, Kent held a 58-49 lead. YSU had one tactic that proved effective with about two minutes left in the game – a full court press.  However, the Penguins really struggled from the free throw line in the second half and ended the game just 19-28 from the charity stripe, many the front end of one-and-one situations.

Evans headed the Kent offense with 18 points.  Justin Greene tallied 17 and Rodriguez Sherman chipped in with 15 for the Golden Flashes.

Youngstown State got 15 points each out of Sirlester Martin and Sulskis and DeAndre Mays added 14.

Youngstown State Coach Jerry Slocum was vocal about the blown opportunities.  “19 turnovers and you give up 14 offensive rebounds and you are not going to beat a good team.  When you miss the front end of three or four one-and-ones, we count that as a turnover and you are not going to beat a good basketball team like they are when you do those kinds of things.”

Youngstown State travels to New Jersey for a Saturday meeting with Saint Peter’s at 2 p.m.  You can catch all of te action on AM-570 with Robb Schmidt.

Coach Cindy Martin knows that her 2009-10 Lady Penguins team has the potential to win more than the three games last year’s squad walked away with.  Marked improvement over last year against Kent State is proof to the naysayers.  The scrappy YSU women are playing shorthanded with really only seven able bodies right now and fought until the end.  The result was respectable, albeit a loss, as Kent State came away with a 71-55 victory at the Beeghly Center.

The Lady Penguins held the lead for the majority of the first half.  Kent State nabbed the lead at the 13:10 mark, taking a 14-13 lead.  A pair of Rachael Manuel free throws ended a long Youngstown State drought and put an end to the Golden Flashes run.  Macey Nortey hit a nice underhand running layup when she was fouled and hit the bonus toss to pull YSU to within two, a 20-18 deficit.   Kent closed out the half on an 11-4 run and took a 31-22 lead into the break. 

YSU was only 6-29 from the field in the half combined with 11 turnovers and was having an issue with fouls.  Dressing only eight players and having a couple of them with three fouls has to cut back on the aggression YSU would be able to play with defensively in the second half.  Kent’s bench outscored YSU’s 15-0 in the opening half. 

Youngstown State battled to keep things close in the second half, but Kent would not yield any ground.  At the 11:50 mark, the Golden Flashes extended their halftime lead by a point to a 46-36 advantage. 

Kent State would start to pull away, but YSU would show some fight and battle back from trailing by 18 to just 13 on a Nortey three.  Nortey, who finished with a career high 20 points for the Penguins,  then connected on a pair of free throws to chop the lead back to 11.  The lack of numbers and fatigue factor were both seemingly working against YSU with about five minutes left in the game.  Kent State had five offensive rebounds and six shots on one trip down the floor.

When all of the remaining time elapsed, Kent State claimed the victory with a 70-55 verdict.  Give the Lady Penguins some credit for hanging in there against Kent when they could have easily thrown in the towel several times earlier in the game.

Nortey collected her 20 points for YSU on 7-15 shooting and 5-6 on her free throws.    Kent State was paced by Jamilah Humes who tallied 14 for the Golden Flashes.

Coach Martin was not completely disappointed with the effort.  “I am not satisfied, I won’t be satisfied until we cut down the nets here at Youngstown State.  I am happy and proud.  The ladies have alot of fiestiness and we did well with our late game situations.  Last year we lost 95-58 to Kent State, they have a great program over there, so yes, I am happy with the effort tonight.”

Youngstown State (0-3) hosts Canisius this Sunday at 2 p.m. in hopes of getting that elusive first win on the year.  Hang in there Coach Martin, your hard work will pay off eventually.