Aug. 30, 2008

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DETROIT - The 2008 Wayne State University football team (1-0) did something in the season opener the 2007 squad failed to do on four different occasions -- have the lead in the fourth quarter and win the ball game.

The Warriors held on a 14-10 triumph over Mercyhurst College (0-1) in a non-league affair since the Lakers have moved to the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference).

In fact, WSU trailed for only 12 seconds in the first quarter. Senior all-region return specialist Dante Dunn (Lansing, Mich./Waverly) went 93 yards on the kickoff following a 33-yard field goal by MC's Chris Ryan midway through the opening period.

Dunn's kickoff return for a touchdown was the fourth longest in school history and it also gives Dunn three of the eight longest kickoff returns for touchdowns in school history. It also marked the third consecutive season Dunn has had a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Senior place-kicker David Chudzinski's (Belleville, Mich.) PAT split the uprights giving him the school record for career points by a kicker. He was tied with Matt Fishburn (1994-97) at 158 points.

In the second stanza, Mercyhurst took a 10-7 advantage on a one-yard run by Richard Stokes capping off a 13-play, 85-yard drive.

After the Warriors turned the ball over on downs, and Mercyhurst was forced to punt, Wayne State took over on its own 24 with 2:28 remaining in the opening half.

A Daryl Graham (Detroit, Mich.) rush and a Mickey Berce (Dearborn, Mich.) pass to Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich.) gave the Warriors a first down. Berce then scrambled for 20 yards and across midfield. After an incomplete pass, Berce then connected with Travis Campbell (Gahanna, Ohio/Westerville North) and David Mosley (Detroit, Mich./Oak Park) for another WSU first down. Following an incompletion and a loss of a yard, Berce found redshirt freshman Troy Burrell (Port Huron, Mich.) in the middle of the field on third down with Burrell finding the end zone just 33 seconds before intermission.

Little did the crowd know that would be the end of the scoring for the day as the teams had combined for 276 yards of total offense (Mercyhurst 160, WSU 116) in the opening 30 minutes.

The third quarter began with Wayne State having to punt on its opening possession and after nearly a 40-yard drive, Warrior Matt Shango (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) recovered a fumble inside the red zone.

Both teams then exchanged punts and fumbles to conclude the third quarter.

In the final stanza, two WSU punts sandwiched around a Laker punt resulted in Mercyhurst having the ball at its 15 yard line with 10:31 remaining. The Lakers drove to the Warrior 19 yard line, but on second down Stokes was caught in the backfield by Andrew Bates (Howell, Mich.) for an eight-yard loss. Shango then sacked MC quarterback Cody Ladutko creating a fourth-and-19. Ladutko's pass was complete to Kirk Campbell who was tackled two yards shy of a first down by Joe Claiborne (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance).

Wayne State was unable to get a first down and run out the clock. Mercyhurst took over at the Wayne State 36 yard line with 23 seconds left and no timeouts. Ladutko was sacked for an 11-yard loss by Shango on first down, then spiked the ball to stop the clock. His third down play started with only four seconds on the clock and even though Max Khuri was able to haul in the hail mary, he was tackled at the two yard line by Dunn.

Wayne State will begin GLIAC play next Saturday with a noon kickoff at Saginaw Valley.

Notes:

Wayne State has started 1-0 under Paul Winters for the second time in three seasons.

The Warriors are now 3-1 all-time at home against Mercyhurst.

The last five meetings between Wayne State and Mercyhurst have been decided by a total of 27 points.

Joique Bell needs one rushing attempt to tie Ed Skowneski (1972-75) for second place on the WSU all-time charts with 648 carries.

Dante Dunn moved into a three-way tie for third place on the WSU kickoff return list with his 47th. He is tied with Chad Fietsam (1984-87) and Nate Bush (1993-95).

Dunn also recorded his fifth career interception in the contest.

Troy Burrell's touchdown catch came on his second career reception in his first collegiate game.

After having only two true freshmen play in 2007, six true freshmen made their collegiate debut vs. Mercyhurst - Jordan Kidd, Harold Lloyd, Shane Morris, Josh Renel, Nick Thomas and James Woodard.

Another 11 Warriors made their first collegiate appearance vs. the Lakers (all redshirt freshmen) - Don Brown, Troy Burrell, Zachary Easterly, Jeremy Jones, Will Khoury, Joe Long, Jordan Miller, Greg Oberstaedt, Jon Robinson, Raleigh Ross and Cory Zauner.

In fact, four of the "rookies" started on offense in tight ends Greg Oberstaedt and Cory Zauner, left tackle Joe Long and left guard Will Khoury.