Sept. 18, 2007

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FINDLAY GAME STORYLINES

Wayne State and Findlay enter this Saturday's contest with identical 1-2 overall marks and 0-2 GLIAC records following non-conference victories and a league loss both at home and on the road for each school.

The Warriors are coming off a heartbreaking setback at Mercyhurst in the second longest game in school history (three overtimes) only surpassed by the four overtime game at St. Joseph's on Nov. 14, 1998.

WSU led 21-3 early in the second period in Erie but the host Lakers scored 20 of the next 27 points for a 29-28 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

After MC went ahead 36-28 with 1:50 remaining on a Richard Stokes four-yard run, WSU went 57 yards in seven plays with Joique Bell hauling in a five-yard touchdown pass from third-string quarterback Mickey Berce with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.

Berce then tossed a pass to Chris Alsina for the two-point conversion tying the game at 36.

Both teams scored seven points in the first overtime with Bell scoring on a 13-yard run. In the second overtime stanza, Bell had a two-yard touchdown run but Mercyhurst scored seven points of its own to knot the game at 50.

In the third overtime, the Lakers scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass and WSU was unable to convert on a fourth-and-goal from the MC four.

Bell rushed for 227 yards (11th-highest total all-time at WSU) on 44 carries (fourth best total all-time at WSU) with four touchdowns. Along with his touchdown reception, he broke the school record with five touchdowns in a game.

Bell became the first player in school history to score 30 points in a game since Russ Lightbody (4 touchdowns, 6 extra points) on Oct. 30, 1920, vs. Ferris State in a 48-0 Detroit Junior College win.

Ed Sanders led the WSU receiving corps with five catches for 108 yards and his first collegiate touchdown on a tipped ball late in the opening period.

The 108 points combined by both teams is a WSU record breaking the 95 scored between WSU and Northern Michigan in an overtime game on Oct. 26, 2002 (a 49-46 Wildcat victory).

IN THE POLLS

Wayne State was tabbed for fifth in the 2007 GLIAC pre-season coaches' poll, while Findlay was selected 12th.

ON THE HEADSET

Wayne State's Paul Winters has an 11-23 mark in his fourth year with the Warriors. WSU has won 10 of its last 19 games.

The Warriors are 6-10 at home under Winters and have a 2-1 mark versus Findlay.

Oiler head coach, and Findlay native, Jon Wauford is in his first season as a collegiate head coach.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Findlay leads 10-5 in the all-time series, but WSU has won the last two meetings.

ON THIS DATE

WSU's last game on Sept. 22 was a 38-14 setback to Ferris State in 2001.

The Tartars defeated FSU, 29-17, in 1990, and lost at St. Joseph's, 10-6, in 1984.

SCOUTING FINDLAY

Following a 20-0 non-conference win over Charleston in its opener, Findlay has lost back-to-back games (21-17 vs. Northwood and 38-15 at Grand Valley).

Joel McDaniel has rushed for 253 yards in three games, while Anthony Lanzara has completed 22 of 46 passes for 353 yards and two touchdowns. Darren Paige has a team-best nine receptions. Defensive back Caleb Meyer has a team-high 28 tackles.

STRICTLY BY THE NUMBERS

Joique Bell had his fifth 200+-yard rushing game in only his 14th career contest.

Bell also moved into third place on the all-time rushing yards chart at 2,534. He trails Steve Lee (1988-91) by 18 yards.

The 50 points is the most by WSU since a 57-20 Tartar triumph over Michigan Tech on Oct. 6, 1984.

The Warriors had a school record 225 kickoff return yards eclipsing the 221 set at Bloomsburg on Aug. 31, 1996.

Dante Dunn had four kickoff returns for 106 yards to move into eighth place on WSU's all-time list with 744 kickoff yards.

Junior quarterback Mickey Berce, in his first extensive action, completed six of nine passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. He was three-of-four for 41 yards and had two carries for 11 yards as WSU drove 57 yards in 1:13 with no timeouts to send the game into overtime.

THIS AND THAT

All Wayne State football games can be heard on WDTK Radio (1400 AM).

Fans can also listen to all WSU football games online at wdtkam.com or watch the five home games plus the road game at Hillsdale on their computers via B2 for a $6 fee per contest.