DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team (3-6 overall, 2-5 GLIAC) battled 12th-ranked Ashland University (8-1 overall, 7-0 GLIAC) nearly even for 45 minutes, but a 17-point fourth quarter propelled the visiting Eagles to a 30-10 win at WSU's Tom Adams Field on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After the first two drives of the game ended in punts, Warrior junior defensive end
Derrick Coleman (Beverly Hills, Mich. / Country Day) stripped AU signal caller Travis Tarnowski in the backfield with sophomore defensive tackle
Justin Hollins (West Bloomfield, Mich.) making his third fumble recovery of the year at the AU 27. Three incomplete passes by WSU and missed 44-yard field goal attempt left the game scoreless.
Ashland then used a 14-play drive which covered 69 yards in 7:12 to take a 3-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal by Aidan Simenc.
Following another Wayne State punt, senior safety
Ronny Brant II (Uniontown, Ohio / Green) forced a fumble on AU's fourth play with junior cornerback
Myron Riley (Harvey, Ill. / Thornton) returning the ball to the Eagle 33.
The Warriors grabbed a 7-3 lead on a one-yard scamper by running back
Demetrius Stinson (Detroit, Mich. / Douglass) on third-and-goal. Stinson's team leading fifth rushing touchdown was the ninth play of the scoring drive.
After an exchange of punts, Ashland went 67 yards in just 56 seconds with Andrew Vaughn scoring on a 39-yard jaunt with 2:19 remaining before intermission. Simenc's PAT gave AU a 10-7 advantage.
The Eagles extended their lead to 13-7 on a 41-yard field goal by Simenc with just 18 seconds remaining prior to halftime. Tarnowski had two completions of at least 20 yards on the drive.
Each team had just one drive in the third period.
Wayne State took the second half kickoff, which was returned 39 yards by sophomore
DeOntay Moffett (Muskegon Heights, Mich. / Mona Shores) to the WSU 48. After a 12-play drive, senior
Paul Graham (Commerce Twp., Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) connected on a 44-yard field goal attempt to pull the Warriors within three at 13-10.
AU converted three third-down plays in the third quarter, and on the first play of the fourth period Tarnowski scrambled for an 11-yard touchdown run as he eluded multiple Warrior defenders.
An interception by Ashland's Nick Powers on WSU's ensuing drive gave the Eagles the ball at midfield. Simenc concluded that drive with a 25-yard field goal. On Wayne State's next possession, a fumble was recovered by AU's Cedric Frierson at the Warrior 43. On the fourth play of that drive, Vaughn scored on a five-yard touchdown jaunt to make it 30-10.
TEAM STATS
Ashland led in rushing yards (251-134), passing yards (265-151), total offense (446-242), time of possession (34:52-25:08) and third-down conversions (12-of-17 to 5-of-13). Each team had three turnovers in the contest.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Senior running back
Romello Brown (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) rushed for a team-high 65 yards on 15 carries, while sophomore quarterback
Dakota Kupp (Waterford, Mich. / Mott) contributed 46 yards on five attempts. Kupp was 11-of-22 for 97 yards with one interception. Junior
Corey Ester (Lake Orion, Mich.) had a team-best four receptions, while Stinson led the squad with 41 receiving yards.
LEADING THE EAGLES
Vaughn had 21 carries for a game-high 157 yards and two touchdowns. Tarnowski completed 18-of-28 passes for 195 yards. Matthew Wilcox had a team-best five receptions and tied Michael Schweitzer for the squad lead in receiving yards at 59.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will conclude the home portion of its schedule with a noon kickoff on Nov. 4 against Northern Michigan. It was be WSU's annual Salute to the Armed Forces and First Responders game.
