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Wayne State Hangs
29-19 Loss On Eagles |
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Saturday (Oct. 4) morning, the biggest parade in Ashland University’s homecoming history rolled through the streets of Ashland. Bands, cheerleaders, animals, children, something for everyone. Saturday’s Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference between Ashland and Wayne State at Community Stadium followed suit – it had a bit of everything. Plenty of penalties, a blocked punt, some interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. A real hodgepodge – a little bit of everything except an AU victory. The Eagles lost their third consecutive game, losing to Wayne State, 29-19. The win was WSU’s first since its opener, a win over Gannon. The triumph was Wayne State’s first in the GLIAC and it snapped a three-game losing streak. Wayne State senior tailback Craig Duppong finished off a 158-yard rushing day with a 44-yard run with 4:02 left to play in regulation as the Warriors (2-3/1-3 GLIAC) came from ahead to stop the Eagles (1-5/1-4). Duppong’s touchdown snapped a 17-17 tie. The visitors had a 17-3 lead with 9:25 left in the third quarter. The Eagles rebounded to score 14 unanswered points, the last of those on a 4-yard run by junior tailback Antwan Hart with 10 minutes left in regulation. Hart rushed for 113 yards on 25 carries and junior tailback Jason Schwalm pounded his way for 69 yards on 11 trips. This was AU’s best rushing performance of the season – the Eagles ground out 193 yards and averaged 4.5 ypc. After Duppong’s score, the Warriors took a safety while running out the clock. Ashland managed to get the ball back and on the game’s final play, Wayne State’s Earl Carruthers (Waterford, MI/Mott) intercepted a pass by freshman quarterback Nick Strance and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. Strance, making the second start of his career, was 17-for-38 for 173 yards with three interceptions. The Warriors grabbed a 3-0 lead with 41 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 25-yard field goal by Greg Gundersen. That score was set up by a blocked punt – WSU’s Demetrius Hallums (Lansing, MI/East Lansing) blocking an Eagle punt at the AU10. The advantage grew to 10-0 when WSU junior quarterback Randy Hutchison scored on a 3-yard run. That 6-play, 69-yard drive began after the Warriors stopped the Eagles on a fourth-and-12 play. Hutchison would end his day 16-for-28 for 191 yards and a touchdown. He was picked off twice. Hutchison threw a 25-yard scoring pass to sophomore wide receiver Nick Body to give the Warriors their biggest lead, 17-3, with 9:25 left in the third quarter. AU’s rally started with a 1-yard TD run by Strance with 5:16 to go in the third frame. All across the board, the stats were nearly even. In total yards, AU led, 366-363. In penalties, Ashland had nine infractions for 65 yards and WSU was tagged seven times for 67 yards. AU had three turnovers, WSU gave the ball away twice. The loss snapped an Ashland seven-game winning streak on homecoming. The Eagles have lost four consecutive home games and have lost six of their last seven home games. Senior safety Karl Ransom led AU with 14 tackles (nine solo) and an interception. Sophomore linebacker Devin Conwell had 10 tackles (four solo). Wayne State was paced by free safety Alvin Mask’s 12 tackles (nine solo). The Eagles will play at Mercyhurst next Saturday (Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m.). |