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 One of Joique Bell's touchdown runs at Hillsdale (Shawn Wright). |
Oct. 13, 2007
Hillsdale, Mich. - The Wayne State University football team (2-5 overall, 1-5 GLIAC) twice held a one-point lead in the second half at Hillsdale (5-2 overall and GLIAC), but the host Chargers scored the final 15 points for a 35-21 victory over the Warriors.
WSU's only scoring threat of the opening stanza came on the game's first drive as the Warriors went 48 yards to the HC 20 but David Chudzinski's (Belleville, Mich.) 37-yard field goal attempt was wide left.
On Hillsdale's second possession of the contest, the Chargers went 53 yards in seven plays with Mark Nicolet completing a 15-yard scoring toss to Nick Gurica.
The Warrior defense forced a punt on HC's next possession after back-to-back sacks by Andrew Bates (Howell, Mich.), but Matt Vanover's punt went 62 yards and was downed at the WSU one.
Two carries by junior running back Daryl Graham (Detroit, Mich./St. Martin de Porres) moved the ball to the WSU 40, and another Graham rush followed a nine-yard Trent Pohl (Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge) completion to Chris Alsina (Beaumont, Calif.) advancing the ball into Charger territory. Four rushes, two each by Graham and sophomore running back Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich.), put the Warriors in the red zone. A 12-yard completion from Pohl to senior tight end John Rehberg (Livonia, Mich./Livonia Stevenson) was followed by two Bell runs including a six-yard scamper for a touchdown. The score made Bell WSU's all-time leading touchdown maker with 39, surpassing Pierre Brown's mark from 1998-2001. The 11-play, 99-yard drive took 4:03.
After the Warrior defense stopped Hillsdale on a fourth-and-goal from the one, the WSU offense had to punt from its own end zone. The Chargers followed with a 43-yard scoring drive with Billy Kanitz scoring from one yard out.
Wayne State went 50 yards following the kickoff with sophomore Anthony Morasso (Detroit, Mich./Harper Woods Notre Dame) connecting on a 36-yard field goal to pull the Warriors within five at 14-9 (WSU's first extra point kick was blocked).
The WSU defense stopped Hillsdale on its opening possession of the third quarter, and the Warrior offense went 77 yards in 10 plays with Bell scoring on a first-and-goal from the one. With the rushing touchdown, Bell tied the Wayne State career rushing touchdown mark of 37 set by Ed Skowneski (1972-75), and it also made Bell WSU's all-time leading scorer with 240 points. The two-point conversion pass failed and the Warriors had a 15-14 lead with 8:56 to go in the third period.
Hillsdale responded with a 72-yard scoring drive with Vinnie Panizzi rushing in from two yards out. HC's two-point conversion pass also failed making the score 20-15 for the Chargers.
Not to be outdone, the Wayne State offense drove 54 yards in 12 plays with Pohl completing a seven-yard scoring toss to Rehberg. Pohl's rush attempt for two points was unsuccessful and WSU had a 21-20 lead after three quarters.
Hillsdale went 73 yards after the kickoff with Nicolet tossing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Gurica, and a two-point pass from Nicolet to Aaron Waldie.
Trailing by seven points (28-21), the Warriors went 55 yards but Morasso's 22-yard field goal attempt was just wide right, hitting the flag on the outside of the goal post.
After an exchange of punts, Hillsdale completed the scoring with a 33-yard pass to Gurica from Nicolet.
Bell rushed for a team-high 135 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns, while Graham rushed for 111 yards on 18 attempts marking the first time in over four years that two WSU backs gained over 100 yards in the same game (Craig Duppong and Randy Hutchison vs. Gannon on August 30, 2003).
Rehberg's touchdown reception was his first of the season and fourth of his career.
Pohl completed 12 of 26 passes for 131 yards and no interceptions. Bell was WSU's leading receiver with five catches for 72 yards. Alsina extended his consecutive reception streak to 12 games.
Senior linebacker Alan Guy (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams) and sjunior safety Steve Wisniewski (Madison Hts., Mich./Lamphere) had 14 and 11 tackles, respectively to lead WSU.
Wayne State plays at Indianapolis next Saturday. Kickoff at UI's Key Stadium is slated for 6 p.m.
