WSU WEEKLY GAME NOTES

NORTHWOOD GAME STORYLINES

Wayne State will have its final home game this Saturday against the Northwood Timberwolves. The Warriors need wins in their final two games to equal the school record for most wins in back-to-back seasons (16, 1975-76).

A victory over NU would put the Warriors in a tie for third in the GLIAC.

HILLSDALE RECAP

No. 30 Wayne State suffered a 45-14 setback at No. 25-Hillsdale.

The host Chargers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions (drives of 57, 74, 80 and 69 yards), while the Warrior offense managed 66 yards in the first quarter and 103 in the second period but no points.

HC wide receiver Andre Holmes had five receptions for 119 yard and three touchdowns, on Hillsdale's first three drives of the contest.

After a Mark Petro 38-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half made it 31-0, Wayne State answered with a four-play, 54-yard drive with Joique Bell carrying the ball on all four plays including a 30-yard TD run.

The Chargers responded with a four-play, 67-yard drive as running back Vinnie Panizzi scored on a three-yard run.

Hillsdale quarterback Troy Weatherhead tossed an 18-yard score to A.J. Kegg on a third-and-10 on a drive that started late in the third quarter.

Following a Charger punt late in the fourth quarter, the Warriors had a 13-play, 79-yard drive with Bell rushing in from a yard out.  Back-up quarterback Zack George completed 6-of-7 passes on the drive for 59 yards to reserve wide receivers Danny McKae and Kaunda Hancock.  McKae finished with a team-best 39 receiving yards on his three catches, while Hancock totaled 15 receiving yards on his first two collegiate receptions.

Bell rushed for a game-high 165 yards on 24 carries, while Panizzi led HC with 127 yards on 23 attempts.
Mickey Mohner completed 9-of-19 for 77 yards with one interception in his fifth consecutive start.  Branko Hamilton was 1-of-4 for 11 yards before George played the final series.

Weatherhead led the Chargers by completing 23-of-33 for 356 yards and four touchdowns.  In addition to Holmes, Kegg finished with 10 receptions for 131 yards.

IN THE POLLS

Wayne State was selected fourth in the 2009 GLIAC pre-season coaches' poll, while Northwood was tabbed for 11th.

ON THE HEADSET

Wayne State's Paul Winters has a 27-35 mark in his sixth year with the Warriors.  WSU is 14-6 in its last 20 games.  The Warriors are 16-15 in games at Adams Field under Winters including a 9-2 mark in the last 11 contests.

Northwood's Mike Sullivan has compiled a 7-11 record in his second year with the Timberwolves.

ALL-TIME SERIES

WSU trails 13-17-0 in the all-time series which began in 1975.  The Warriors are 6-6 at home vs. Northwood, but have lost the last five in Motown.
 
SCOUTING NORTHWOOD

The Timberwolves have won two straight (42-7 over Tiffin and 33-7 over FSU), both at home.  NU is 0-3 on the road this year.

Anthony Brandon has rushed for a team-best 314 yards and five touchdowns.  Spencer Klukowski has completed 86-of-147 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns.  Micheal Gillmore (25 receptions) and Antoine Carr (21 receptions) are 1-2 in receiving yards.

Andrew DeWeerd leads the NU defense with 57 tackles (34-23) including 12 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
 
STRICTLY BY THE NUMBERS

Bell has rushed for 6,340 yards in 42 college games.  His rushing total ranks ninth in NCAA Division II history and 16th in NCAA history (all divisions, including I-A/FBS, I-AA/FCS, II and III).

He has scored 91 touchdowns (85 rushing, 6 receiving) for 546 points, which ranks fifth in Division II history and seventh in all divisions.  He passed Villanova's Brian Westbrook (now of the Philadelphia Eagles) with his second TD on Saturday at Hillsdale.

The Warriors are 6-3 this year after an 8-3 record in 2008.  The 14-6 mark in the last 20 games is the best since 1975-77 (19-5).

Stan Thornton passed Chad Fietsam (1984-87) for fourth place on the WSU all-time kickoff return yards chart, while also surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for kickoff return yardage in a career.

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 remaining home game via B2 Networks for a $7 fee.

ON THIS DATE (OCTOBER 31)

Wayne State has a 5-2 mark including a 3-0 record in home games. 

In 1981, WSU defeated Northwood 23-18