Sept. 5, 2009

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DETROIT - The No. 35-ranked Wayne State University football team (1-1 overall, 0-1 GLIAC) dropped a 21-13 decision to No. 24-ranked Saginaw Valley (2-0 overall, 1-0 GLIAC) in the conference opener for both squads Saturday at WSU's Adams Field.

After five touchdowns were scored in the first half the defenses and turnovers dominated a scoreless final 30 minutes.

WSU senior running back Joique Bell (Benton Harbor, Mich.) became WSU's all-time leader in total offense on his second carry of the contest surpassing Michael Gluski's (1994-95, 97-98) mark of 4,984 yards.

The visiting Cardinals, who entered the contest with a 15-game series winning streak, struck first as quarterback Charles Dowdell rushed up the middle for six yards on a third-and-two but fumbled at the one with teammate Jordon DeRosia recovering in the end zone.

The Warriors answered back with a seven play, 69-yard drive culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass by Bell to fullback Brian Rilley (Taylor, Mich./Allen Park Cabrini). Junior quarterback Zack George (Deshler, Ohio/Patrick Henry) completed 2-of-3 passes on the drive for 26 including a third-and-six completion to senior Aaron Higginbottom (Flint, Mich./Beecher) on the play preceding the touchdown.

It was Bell's fourth touchdown pass of his career and second to Rilley (first came on Oct. 4, 2008 at Ashland).

SVSU led 7-6 after one stanza since WSU's extra-point kick was blocked.

The visitors increased their lead on the ensuing possession with a 71-yard drive in nine plays. Dowdell found Nick Gallina in the end zone for a 37-yard TD reception on a third-and-25. Austin Borchard's second PAT kick of the contest gave SVSU a 14-6 advantage.

On WSU's next drive, the Warriors drove inside the Cardinal 30, but George's pass inside the 10 was intercepted by Carlton Downs.

Three plays later, Wayne State junior cornerback Stan Thornton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow) intercepted Dowdell returning the ball 18 yards to the SVSU 2. It was Thornton's second pick of the season and 11th of his career. His next interception will tie him for eighth place on the WSU all-time list. Thornton moved into fifth place on interception return yards chart moving past Derrick Mason (1985-88). Thornton has 206 career interception return yards.

Two plays later Bell scored on a three-yard run for his third rushing touchdown of the season. Bell also moved into a tie-for-21st in Division II scoring with 402 points. Anthony Morasso's (Detroit, Mich./Harper Woods Notre Dame) PAT kick pulled the Warriors within one at 14-13 with 8:02 remaining in the second period.

Saginaw Valley drove 67 yards following the kickoff with Brandon Hayes rushing up the middle for the final two yards to culminate a 13-play drive that took 5:22.

Each team had a turnover in the final 100 seconds of the opening half.

The Warriors only trailed by eight at halftime despite being out-gained by the Cardinals 294-123 in the first 30 minutes. Bell had 14 carries for 79 to lead WSU, while Dowdell had 11 completion in 19 attempts for 131 yards to pace SVSU.

The first four drives of the second half ended in punts. On SVSU's third drive of the third quarter, the guests drove 66 yards in 11 plays before an Xavier Walker fumble was recovered by Ronald Robinson (Ruffin, S.C./Colleton/Eastern Arizona) at the WSU 8-yard line.

Wayne State was unable to get a first down, and on the first play following the punt, WSU freshman Serxho Guraleci (Sterling Hts., Mich./Utica Stevenson) forced Dowdell to fumble with classmate Greg Hasse (Northville, Mich.) recovering at the WSU 44.

The Warriors went three-and-out for the second consecutive drive. SVSU then drove 36 yards in 10 plays but a Raleigh Ross (Detroit, Mich./Crockett) sack on third down forced a Cardinal punt.

WSU drove into SVSU territory thanks to three consecutive first downs on a 21-yard reception by Troy Burrell (Port Huron, Mich.), a 13-yard rush by Rilley and an 11-yard gain by Bell. However George's fourth-down completion to Travis Campbell (Gahanna, Ohio/Westerville North) ended up four yards short of a first down.

The Wayne State defense allowed 29 yards on nine plays but stopped Saginaw Valley on a fourth down rush with 48 seconds left. Back-to-back completions by redshirt freshman Branko Hamilton (Troy, Mich.) to Bell resulted in 17 yards. After a fourth down rush by Hamilton gave the hosts a first down at the SVSU 46, an incompletion to stop the clock was followed by three consecutive incompletions to end any comeback hopes.

Wayne State will play its first road game of 2009 next Saturday (Sept. 12) at Indianapolis. Kickoff at UI's Key Stadium is slated for 6 p.m. Warrior fans can catch all the action on Newstalk 1400 WDTK with Sean Baligian and Joe Gough calling the action.

Notes:

Stan Thornton moved into ninth place on the WSU all-time kickoff return yards chart surpassing Jerriel Burrus (2003-06). Thornton has 754 kickoff return yards.

Joique Bell moved into second place on the GLIAC all-time all-purpose yards list passing SVSU's Charles Davis (1993-96). Bell has 5,534 all-purpose yards in GLIAC games in his career.

Bell also moved into 27th place on the NCAA Division II all-time rushing yards chart. He trails St. Cloud State's Matt Birkel (2001-05) by eight yards (4,920 to 4,912). Bell needs 78 rushing yards to move into 25th place.

WSU sophomore middle linebacker Nick Thomas (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) recorded a game-high 15 tackles (6-9), while SVSU's John Jacobs had 12 tackles (6-6) including a sack plus an interception.