Football Game Notes #7 at Ashland

ASHLAND STORYLINES
The sixth-ranked Wayne State University football team has started 6-0 for the first time since 1967 and is riding a school best 10-game winning streak, dating back to last season. WSU currently has the longest GLIAC winning streak (all games) at 10 and is tied with Colorado State University-Pueblo and Washburn University for the longest in Division II. Along with receiving their highest national ranking ever by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Warriors are in the top 25 for the 11th consecutive poll.

The Warriors embark on a stretch that has them facing opponents who all are tied for second place in the conference. Up first are back-to-back road contests at Ashland University (4-2, 4-1 GLIAC) this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and at Hillsdale College (4-2, 4-1 GLIAC) on Oct. 22, and then WSU returns home for a noon meeting with Saginaw Valley State (4-1, 4-1 GLIAC) on Oct. 29.

A win on Saturday would tie the Warriors with the 1967 squad for the program's best start in school history. 


LAKE ERIE RECAP
Behind a school record performance from junior quarterback Mickey Mohner, the sixth-ranked Warriors recorded a 45-24 home victory over Lake Erie College (1-5, 0-5 GLIAC). It was only halftime, but the statistics appeared as though Mohner and senior Troy Burrell had already played a full game. The duo accumulated impressive numbers in a lightning-packed first half that saw Mohner and Burrell hook up for three scores including a successfully executed flea flicker play for a 73-yard touchdown.

In the first 30 minutes, Mohner was 14-of-17 passing for 292 yards, while Burrell had 210 yards on eight catches. Mohner's stellar performance continued in the second half as he eclipsed the school record for most passing yards in a single game on an 18-yard reception by senior tight end Cory Zauner early in the fourth quarter. He ended his day with 439 yards on 18-of-24 passing and five touchdowns.

Mohner breaks the mark of 425 yards set by Jason Charron vs. Findlay on Sept. 30, 2000. It was also the second time Mohner threw for five TDs in his career, and it has only happened three times in program history. 

Senior running back Josh Renel ran for 128 yards on 21 carries and a score and sophomore wide receiver Dominique Maybanks caught four passes for 132 yards including touchdown receptions of 39 and 80 yards.

The Warriors raced out to a 24-7 first quarter lead but the Storm climbed back within seven with 1:21 remaining in the second stanza. However, Mohner and Burrell's last hook up, a 23-yard touchdown connection just before halftime propelled the Warriors to a 31-17 halftime lead. After receiving the ball to start the second half, LEC narrowed the hosts lead to seven (31-24) with 10:48 left in the third period. The Warrior defense shut down the Storm the rest of the way, yielding no points, while Mohner and Maybanks did their part.


LAKE ERIE HIGHLIGHTS
* Mohner's completion percentage (75.0 on 18-of-24) is the second highest in WSU history behind Randy Hutchison's 79.2 percent (19-of-24) on Oct. 25, 2003, at Northern Michigan. His 439 yards of total offense is the second most in WSU annals, trailing only A.J. Vaughn's 555 on Sept. 30, 1967 at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

* Burrell's 210 receiving yards were the fourth-most in school history. His three touchdown receptions were one shy of the school mark set on Sept. 29, 2001, by Pierre Brown at Findlay.

* WSU's 17.56 yards per pass attempt (439 yards on 25 attempts) shattered the previous school record of 12.059 at Michigan Tech on Sept. 2, 2006, when the Warriors had 205 passing yards on 17 attempts.

* Wayne State also eclipsed the school mark for yards per play of 8.622 set on Sept. 30, 2000, vs. Findlay by recording a 10.29 average with 638 yards on 62 plays.

* The 638 yards of total offense by the Warriors ties for the second place the most in a single game with the Sept. 30, 2000, contest against Findlay.  The record is 644 on Sept. 30, 1967 at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

* The all-purpose yards total of 705 marks the second time this year the Warriors have surpassed the 700-yard plateau in a game (WSU had 745 in the season opener vs. Urbana).


IN THE POLLS
The Warriors are in the top 10 in all three polls for a fourth consecutive week. WSU remained sixth in the AFCA Division II Coaches poll and fourth in the D2football.com poll. The Warriors fell to eighth nationally in this week's Massey Ratings.

The Warriors were selected to win the GLIAC South Division, receiving 80 out of a possible 85 points, along with 10 out of a possible 13 first-place votes. Ashland was picked to finish second in the GLIAC South Division, earning 73 points and four first place votes, in the preseason poll.


ON THE HEADSET
Head coach Paul Winters, reigning AFCA Region Coach of the Year, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Wayne State football program. Winters (42-39) is tied with Joseph G. Gembis (1932-45) for first on the WSU career wins all-time list with 42.

In his eighth season as head coach of Ashland and 16th overall, Lee Owens is 53-30. Owens all-time coaching record stands at 93-91.


SCOUTING ASHLAND
With the third best offense in the conference, Ashland is led by freshman Jordan McCune who is fourth in both rushing yards (100.3 ypg) and scoring (10.0 ppg). Junior quarterback Taylor Housewright averages 172.8 total yards per game and brings a 132.1 passing efficiency rating into Saturday's contest.  AU leads the league in both turnover margin (+11) and pass efficiency defense (110.90).

Sophomore defensive tackle Jamie Meder, tied for third in tackles for loss (7.5), leads an Eagles' defense that ranks fourth in the GLIAC in total defense (332.0 ypg). Sophomore linebacker Cody Bloom is eighth in tackles per contest at 8.3, while senior Gregg Berkshire is tied for fourth nationally in field goals made (1.83 pg) and is 13th in yards per punt (41.7).


ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State trails 20-6 in the all-time series with Ashland. The Warriors have not won in Ashland since WSU recorded a 29-19 victory on Oct. 4, 2003, losing the last three. This will be the squads first meeting at Jack Miller Stadium. After dropping all but two games in the programs first 16 meetings, Wayne State has earned four wins in the teams' last 10 meetings. AU has won three of the last four meetings, averaging 46 points per game.


MOHNER = SCHOOL RECORD HOLDER
Mohner's 439 passing yards against Lake Erie broke the all-time mark of 425 yards set by Jason Charron vs. Findlay on Sept. 30, 2000. It was also the second time Mohner threw for five TDs in his career, and it has only happened three times in program history. 


COACH WINTERS ON WDFN 1130 AM
Tune into WDFN 1130 AM every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when WSU play-by-play announcer Sean Baligian talks with head coach Paul Winters. The interview will recap last week's contest and preview the Warriors' upcoming opponent.


JONES EARNS NATIONAL ACCOLADES
Jeremy Jones was selected national defensive player of the week on Sept. 20 by D2Football.com for the second time in his career. He earned the award last year for his play at Saginaw Valley.


UPCOMING CAREER MILESTONES
* Mohner needs to throw one touchdown to surpass Michael Gluski (1994-95, 97-98) and Jason Charron (1999-01) for first on the WSU all-time chart. He needs 222 passing yards to pass Michael Gluski (1994-95, 97-98) for first all-time.

* Renel needs two rushing touchdowns to move into a sixth-place tie with L.C. Bulger III (1983-85, 87) on the WSU all-time list. He needs 156 all-purpose yards to move into a fourth-place tie with Thabiti Williamson (1999-02) on the WSU all-time chart. He needs 20 rushing yards to tie Arnie Gilbert (1994-97) for ninth and 53 yards to equal Elbert Richmond's mark for eighth. He needs two punt returns to tie Keith Bennett (1983-86) for second place.

* Burrell needs one receiving touchdown to tie Jimmy Hill (1996-98) for second all-time. He needs 78 receiving yards to move into a third place tie with Hill on the WSU all-time list and 26 receptions to equal Pierre Brown (1998-01) for third.

* Jones needs two passes defended to tie Derrick Mason (1985-88) for third on the WSU all-time list. Jones needs 84 interception return yards to move into a second place tie with Stan Thornton (2007-10) on the all-time chart. He needs two interceptions to tie John Hazely (1946-49), Gerald Megenity (1974-77) and Derrick Mason (1985-88) with 15 INTs for fifth all-time.