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 Dante Dunn's fifth career blocked kick resulted in the game's only score. |
Sept. 13, 2008
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
DETROIT - The Wayne State University football team (2-1 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) persevered through the elements and came away with a 6-0 triumph over the visiting Indianapolis Greyhounds (1-2 overall, 0-2 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon on a rain-soaked Adams Field in Detroit.
Warrior senior Dante Dunn (Lansing, Mich./Waverly), who had been the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week in the first two weeks of the 2008 campaign, blocked a first quarter UI punt that freshman Nick Thomas (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) grabbed after a bounce in the end zone for the lone score of the game. WSU's PAT attempt turned into a pass which was incomplete.
The blocked kick was the fifth of Dunn's career (fourth punt along with one field goal) and also marked the second time he blocked a punt that resulted in a Warrior touchdown (first was Oct. 29, 2005, in a 14-7 win over Gannon. That also came in the first quarter).
Three of the first four drives of the game ended in lost fumbles. On WSU's third possession, the Warriors were able to cross midfield but freshman Shane Morris (Belleville, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) boomed a 45-yard punt which was downed at the Indianapolis two yard line. Three Greyhound rushes netted one yard setting up Dunn's heroics.
UI drove 58 yards on the ensuing possession but couldn't convert a fourth-and-six at the WSU 22. Wayne State responded with a 13-play, 76 yard drive which ended on a fourth down incomplete pass from freshman quarterback Kevin Smith (Detroit, Mich./Central), who made his collegiate debut on WSU's third drive of the game.
The Warrior defense forced a punt on the next Indy drive, but WSU was unable to capitalize on a drive that started at the UI 36.
The first six drives of the second half ended in punts and no first downs.
Indianapolis drove 34 yards to the WSU 30 on a drive that carried over into the fourth quarter but a fourth-and-12 pass by Greyhound Lance Lasker was incomplete.
Wayne State answered with a 41-yard drive but David Chudzinski's (Belleville, Mich.) 47-yard field goal attempt was just short.
Indianapolis would have three more possessions in the final stanza: 1) one first down, then punt; 2) one first down, then pass break-up by Dunn on a fourth-and-9; and 3) fourth down pass intercepted by WSU junior linebacker Matt Shango (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice), the first of his career.
Indianapolis led in first downs (12-9), rushing yards (165-103), passing yards (77-37), total offense (242-140) and time of possession (32:17-27:43), but once again it was the Wayne State special teams that proved to be the difference.
UI's Craig Jenkins led all rushers with 124 yards on 25 carries, while Rob Doyle completed 8-of-18 passes for 58 yards. Daryl Graham led the Warrior rushing attack with 57 yards on 14 rushes.
Wayne State travels to Findlay for a 4 p.m. kickoff next Saturday.
Notes:
The shutout was the first by Wayne State since October 17, 1992 (a 21-0 win at Northwood), a span of 156 games.
The shutout was the first at home by WSU since Oct. 24, 1987 (a 41-0 win over Northwood), a span of 105 games.
With his four pass break-ups, Dante Dunn moved into seventh place on the WSU all-time list with 22 (5 interceptions/17 break-ups).
The win was the 15th at WSU for coach Paul Winters. He is tied with Joe Horn (1987-91) and Brian VanGorder (1992-94) for eighth place in coaching victories at WSU. Both Winters (2005 vs. SVSU) and VanGorder (1994 vs. NMU) also have wins by forfeit not included in their victory total by the NCAA.
