By Brenda June Temple

Youngstown, Ohio — An electric, four-touchdown third-quarter led the Youngstown State football program past Valparaiso, 52-10, in the Penguins’ season-opener at Stambaugh Stadium Thursday evening.

YSU’s 28 third-quarter points matched the Penguins’ record for most points scored in the third quarter of a game. This impressive quarter was fueled by three fumble recoveries that set up scoring drives.

Running back Tyshon King led the Penguins on the ground rushing for 111 yards on 11 carries and finding the endzone twice.

Senior quarterback Mitch Davidson delivered a touchdown both in the air and on the ground and  completed 11-for-19 passes with 130 passing yards.

Senior wide receiver Bryce Oliver led YSU with 65 receiving yards on five catches while C.J. Charleston delivered a touchdown and had 47 receiving yards on four catches.

Linebacker Alex Howard led the Penguins defensively, making nine tackles including three-for-loss. Howard also made an impressive two sacks on the evening. Greg Benton Jr. also delivered a sack and made six tackles.

For the Beacons, running back Ryan Mann rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Mikey Appel passed for 155 yards in the game.

The third-quarter began for the Penguins when Michael Voitus blocked a Valpo punt. Jaylen Castleberry recovered the ball at the Valparaiso seven-yard line and sprinted into the endzone. Castleberry’s score, which gave the Penguins a 24-10 lead, was the first blocked punt returned for a touchdown since 2007.

The first of three third-quarter fumble recoveries came when Devin Johnson came away with the ball to set up a scoring drive for YSU that culminated with a Davidson one-yard rushing touchdown to extend the Penguins’ lead to 31-10.

The second came when the Beacons muffed a punt and Preston Zandier recovered the fumble at Valpo’s seven-yard line. King picked up his second-rushing touchdown of the game on the possession when he rushed for a one-yard score with 5:56 remaining in the quarter to make YSU’s lead 38-10.

Deamontae Diggs delivered a strip-sack on Appel before Dylan Wudke recovered the ball at YSU’s 43-yard line to set up another scoring possession for the Penguins. On the first play of the drive, Da’Shaun Whatley let loose and sprinted 54 yards down the field to bring the Penguins lead to 45-10 headed into the final quarter of play.

COURTESY YOUNGSTOWN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS