 |
 Jake Weingartz's TD reception on Senior Day against Ashland. |
Nov. 4, 2006
DETROIT - The Wayne State University football team (6-4 overall, 6-3 GLIAC) secured its first winning season in more than a decade with a 33-17 triumph over the visiting Ashland Eagles (3-6 overall and GLIAC) Saturday afternoon at Adams Field.
The Warriors turned three of AU's four turnovers into 13 points, including field goals on WSU's first two drives following Ashland fumbles.
On Ashland's opening possession of the game, starting quarterback Billy Cundiff fumbled on the third play from scrimmage and senior strong safety Ryan Oshnock (Lakeview, Mich.) recovered at the AU 17. Junior place-kicker David Chudzinski (Belleville, Mich.) completed the drive with a 28-yard field goal.
On the Eagles next drive, WSU sophomore Dante Dunn (Lansing, Mich./Waverly) blocked the punt and as Bobby Madison was running, Dunn forced a fumble and recovered the ball at AU's 35. Chudzinski completed the seven-play drive with his school record 13th field goal of the season, this one from 31-yards.
Following an Ashland punt, the Warriors drove 53 yards in five plays for a 12-0 advantage. After freshman running back Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich.) gained two yards on a fourth-and-one, freshman quarterback Trent Pohl (Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge) hit senior wide receiver Jake Weingartz (Lapeer, Mich./East) with a 42-yard touchdown pass on the very next play. It was Weingartz's team-leading third TD reception of the season with all three coming from at least 40 yards.
After an exchange of punts, Ashland had a 14-play, 55-yard drive that took 6:44 with Blaine Maag scoring from one-yard out. Back-up quarterback John Ferguson had two key plays on the drive: an 18-yard pass to Troy Rice on third-and-15, and a 28-yard pass to David Ziegelhofer on a fourth-and-11.
Dunn fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Ashland's Ryan Jung made a 39-yard field goal attempt with 60 seconds left in the first half cutting the Warrior lead to 12-10. WSU had just 13 yards rushing in the opening 30 minutes and 89 yards of total offense.
Wayne State went 63 yards in 10 plays following the second half kickoff with Bell scoring on a one-yard run up the middle for the WSU single-season rushing touchdown record (he entered the game tied with Ed Skowneski's 1975 total of 18). Chudzinski's PAT kick set a WSU career mark with 33 consecutive successful PAT kicks.
Ashland went three-and-out on its next drive, and the Warriors responded with a seven-play drive covering 52 yards in 3:10 for a 26-10 advantage. Pohl completed two third down passes on the drive - 13 yards to junior tight end John Rehberg (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) on a third-and-three; and 12-yards to junior tight end Kenny Schmidt (Waterford, Mich./Mott) for his first touchdown of the season.
Two Ashland drives later, the Eagles were in the red zone but after a Ferguson completion to Ziegelhofer, senior cornerback Ty Spencer (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) stripped the ball and junior linebacker Alan Guy (Rochester Hills, Mich./Adams) recovered at the WSU 17.
Wayne State went 83 yards in 11 plays following the fumble recovery with Bell carrying on all 11 plays. AU helped the drive with a 15-yard pass interference penalty on Kelly Ajala and Ajala was also assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Bell had three third down carries for first downs and completed the drive with a 14-yard scamper for his 20th rushing touchdown of the season.
Nick Strance, Ashland's third quarterback of the game, engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive and finished the game's scoring with a five-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds left in the game.
Bell led all rushers with 150 yards on 38 carries despite having a rush not longer than 14 yards. Maag led Ashland's running attack with 40 yards on 14 carries. Pohl completed 11 of 15 for 163 yards and two scores finding six different receivers in the contest. AU's three quarterbacks combined for 15 completions in 35 attempts for 178 yards. Rehberg led WSU with three receptions, while Weingartz had a team-high 48 receiving yards. Ziegelhofer had game-highs in receptions (6) and receiving yards (77).
WSU has six league wins (6-3) on the field for the first time in school history. The 1994 squad was 5-5 in the GLIAC on the field but received a forfeit from Northern Michigan in the season finale to go 6-4 in the league.
Wayne State concludes the regular season at Ferris State next Saturday with the chance to finish with seven wins (the school record for wins in a year is 8 set in 1975 and equaled in 1976). The last WSU squad with seven wins in a season was the 1983 team.
