By William Staten / The Jambar
After trailing 21-7 in the first half of the game against the University of North Dakota on Oct. 31, the Youngstown State University football team scored 17 straight points in a second-half comeback at Stambaugh Stadium.
Youngstown State kicked off the game with a 49-yard touchdown pass from fifth-year senior Beau Brungard to senior Lynn Wyche-El. North Dakota responded with a touchdown, but the ensuing extra point was blocked by junior Brandon Chambers Jr.
Brungard started off the second drive with a 23-yard pass to Wyche-El before Fighting Hawks senior Ben Kamara forced a fumble on the next play. Senior Ethan Boll of North Dakota recovered the fumble and returned it inside the ’Guins’ 40-yard line.
The play was Youngstown State’s first fumble loss of the season out of the ’Guins’ four total fumbles.
The Fighting Hawks ripped off a 31-yard run to Youngstown State’s 3-yard line before they scored a touchdown to go up 13-7.
After being sacked by North Dakota senior Lance Rucker, Brungard unleashed several big plays before the Penguins’ offense was stalled inside the 10-yard line. An incomplete pass led to a turnover on downs.
The Fighting Hawks embarked on a 19-play drive down the field into the second quarter before North Dakota’s backup quarterback, senior Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson, threw a touchdown to senior Jerry Kaminski. The Fighting Hawks extended their lead with a successful two-point conversion.
The Penguins stalled twice more and punted. North Dakota drove down the field again in an attempt to score before sophomore Bilal Tucker blocked a field goal by the Fighting Hawks. The first half ended with a 21-7 lead for North Dakota.
Senior Michael Wells intercepted Kaminski on the second play of the second half and returned it to the 7-yard line, which set up a touchdown run from senior Jaden Gilbert. Kaminski responded with a rushing touchdown of his own on the subsequent drive to keep the 14-point lead.
After both teams traded three-and-out punts, the Penguins found themselves in the redzone at the end of the third quarter. Brungard threw a pass to senior Bryan Hunt, who turned and tossed the ball to Wyche-El. Wyche-El ran in for the touchdown on the hook-and-ladder.
North Dakota punted on its next drive, and a sack on Brungard led to a field goal by the Penguins to cut the lead to four points. The ’Guins’ defense held the Fighting Hawks to a third consecutive punt which set up a final drive for the Penguins.After stalling on their own 20-yard line, the Penguins set up a fake punt for Wells, who took it and rushed 26 yards for the first down.
Brungard drove down the field before a touchdown to Hunt was called back due to a holding penalty. On fourth down with 19 yards to go, Brungard threw the lead-taking touchdown to Wyche-El with two minutes left in the game.
On the final drive of the game, senior Ebony Curry Jr. sacked Kaminski, who incurred an intentional grounding penalty. After two incompletions, Kaminski faced a fourth down with 20 yards to gain.
Sophomore Maximillian Johnson sealed the 31-28 win for Youngstown State after intercepting Kaminski’s deep ball. Brungard knelt out the remaining minute on the clock.
Brungard said the way the team played in the first half did not meet the team’s standards.
“We knew we didn’t play a good half. That wasn’t Youngstown State football,” Brungard said. “It wasn’t up to our standards. We regrouped in the locker room, and we knew we had to play a good second half … and things were gonna go our way.”
Youngstown State will face Murray State University next week in Murray, Kentucky, on Nov. 7. The following week, the Penguins will return home to face Illinois State University for the final game of the Penguins’ regular season.