Nov. 25, 2006

Fourth-Quarter Rally Lifts YSU Past James Madison, 35-31

    Youngstown -- Youngstown State star tailback Marcus Mason had averaged nearly 170 yards during Youngstown State's regular season, but behind a career day from quarterback Tom Zetts he needed only one to carry the Penguins to a 35-31 victory and into the second round of the Division I Football Championship.
    Mason scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:12 remaining to cap an 11-point fourth-quarter rally, and Marty Hutchinson and James Terry stopped Justin Rascati on fourth down in James Madison's desperation drive.

    Zetts passed for a career-high 314 yards and a touchdown while Mason finished with 72 yards and two touchdowns. Wideout T.J. Peterson caught 11 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown, and Rory Berry finished with 58 yards and one score.
    The Penguins will face Illinois State on Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium. Tickets will go on sale at the YSU ticket office Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. for Penguin Club Gridiron Members and season-ticket holders. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Monday at 9 a.m. The kickoff time will be announced Sunday.
    James Madison scored 14 straight points in the second half to take a 31-20 lead with 14:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Zetts' right arm brought the Penguins as the Boardman, Ohio, native completed 9-of-15 passes for 116 yards in the final quarter.
    After a big defensive stand forced a three-and-out, Zetts hit Peterson for a six-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion to get YSU within three. Zetts was 3-for-4 for 50 yards on the drive, including a 22-yard connection to Peterson on the drive's opening play.

    The Dukes elected to go for a first down on fourth and inches with just under five minutes to play, but Rashod Cotton and Hutchinson stuffed Rascati on a sneak to give YSU a chance.
    The Penguins took over with 4:41 remaining and scored 3:29 later on Mason's one-yard score.
    Scotty McGee, who had already returned a kickoff for a touchdown, put the Dukes on their own 34 with 1:00 remaining. Rascati completed his first two passes down to the YSU 46. After two dropped passes and a big breakup by Vince Gliatta, Rascati scrambled and came up two yards short. The Penguins took over with three seconds left and watched time expire from the sidelines.
    The win for the Penguins was their first in the postseason since 1999 and the first under head coach Jon Heacock.
    Rascati finished with 93 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and passed for 145 yards and another score. Eugene Holloman added 89 yards as the Dukes rushed for 249 yards.
    The Penguins scored on their opening possession, marching 84 yards on 10 plays. Mason rushed seven times in the drive, including a one-yard score at the 9:39 mark. Zetts had a 43-yard completion to Monquantae Gibson on third-and-four that set up three straight Mason runs from inside the JMU 6.
    McGee tied the score 20 seconds later when he weaved through the kickoff coverage and ran across the width of the field into the endzone for a 99-yard touchdown.
    Brian Palmer kicked a 40-yard field goal for his first of two makes on YSU's next drive, but Rascati gave the Dukes a 14-10 lead with an 11-yard score on the next possession.
    Gibson hit Berry on a halfback option pass on third-and-goal from the 4 to put YSU up 17-14, and Palmer and David Rabil traded field goals late to make the score 20-17 at the half.
    Rascati hooked up with Mike Caussin for a 14-yard score with 4:09 remaining to put JMU up 24-20, and the quarterback ran for a 27-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter to put JMU up 11.
    Zetts' previous career high for yards was 291 against Southern Illinois on Nov. 5, 2005. Zetts' yardage was also the top for a Penguin quarterback in YSU's 30 playoff games. Jeff Ryan previously held the record for passing yards in a playoff game with 281 against Montana on Nov. 27, 1999.
    Peterson also set career highs in receptions and yards, and his 11 receptions tied Dave DelSignore's school record that was set in 1968.
    Gibson's touchdown pass was the first scoring toss from a non-quarterback since 1979.