Oct. 29, 2011

Photo Gallery

Detroit, Mich. – Battling injuries and missed opportunities, the 15th-ranked Wayne State University football team (7-2, 6-2 GLIAC) suffered a 28-20 setback to Saginaw Valley State University (6-2, 6-2 GLIAC) on Saturday to drop its first home game of the season and only its second in the last 11 contests played at Tom Adams Field.

Trailing 28-20 with just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Warriors offense had two chances to tie the score.

First, a quick three-and-out gave the ball back to the Cardinals, but the WSU defense answered with a three-and-out of its own, giving the offense one more chance with 2:36 to go. 

Senior Josh Renel (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) had a seven-yard reception and a four-yard run sandwiched around a two-yard rush by junior quarterback Mickey Mohner (Painesville, Ohio / Harvey) to set up a Warrior 1st-and-10 at their own 37 yard line, however four straight incomplete passes ended any comeback hope.

Trailing 21-17 at the half, the Warriors closed the deficit to one with 1:09 left in the third quarter using a 23-yard field goal from Stefan Terleckyj (Warren, Mich. / Mott). Sophomore Toney Davis (Muskegon Heights, Mich. / Muskegon) averaged 6.5 yards a carry during the 12-play, 63-yard scoring drive which lasted 5:22.

Following a Warrior punt early in the fourth period, the SVSU offense went 96 yards in 11 plays to extend its lead to 28-20 on a one-yard dive from Jonathon Jennings with 4:57 left.  The drive was aided by a Warrior penalty on a 3rd-and-goal incompletion from the 5.

Renel opened the scoring with 7:56 left in the first quarter on a one-yard plunge capping an 11-play, 49-yard drive.

The Cardinals knotted the score at seven with a three-yard TD scamper from Jennings on SVSU's first drive of the second stanza.

Renel returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards to the WSU 49.  Eight plays later, the Warriors regained the lead (14-7) on a six-yard touchdown run from Davis with 7:18 to remaining in the first half. On the drive, Davis carried five times for 32 yards.

From there, Jennings and wide receiver Jeff Janis gave the WSU defense fits. The pair hooked up for back-to-back passing scores of 22 and 39 yards, giving SVSU its first lead, 21-14, 44 seconds before halftime.

However, the hosts countered with a 35-yard field goal from Terleckyj as time expired. Along with generating eight of the Warriors 20 points, Terleckyj had his best punting output of the season, averaging a season-best 46.1 yards on a career-high eight attempts. He also pinned the Cardinals inside their own 10-yard line four times.

WSU was held to its lowest rushing total (134) of the year. Davis ended his day with 94 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, while Renel tallied 51 yards on 16 attempts with a score.

Senior linebacker Zach Easterly (Southfield, Mich. / Cass Tech) tallied a career-high 11 tackles and junior defensive back Aaron Cornett (South Lyon, Mich. / South Lyon) posted 10 tackles and a forced fumble.  Unfortunately for the Warriors, the ball bounced out of bounds, and two plays later the Cardinals knotted the contest at 14.

Freshman linebacker Norris Fradi (Dearborn Hts., Mich. / Dearborn) recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter that was forced by junior defensive tackle Serxho Guraleci (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Utica Stevenson).

Jennings was 25-of-33 passing for 338 yards with two scores through the air and two on the ground. Janis recorded 109 yards on five receptions, but was limited to no catches in the final 30 minutes. Tim Hogue led the Cardinals rushing attack with 93 yards on 13 carries.

The Warriors travel to the University of Indianapolis (7-2, 6-2) next Saturday for a 6:00 p.m. matchup with the Greyhounds at Key Stadium.