Flashes Take Back the Wagon Wheel with Homecoming Victory over Rival Zips
10/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Postgame Notes
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KENT, Ohio -- It was a perfect day at Dix Stadium.
A beautiful fall afternoon with temperatures in the 70s with the celebration of Kent State University's Homecoming weekend serving as the backdrop. Only one more ingredient could make it perfect: a football victory over crosstown rival Akron.
The Golden Flashes (2-3, 1-1 MAC) delivered in front of the third-largest crowd in Dix Stadium history, rolling to a 28-17 triumph over the Zips to return the Wagon Wheel to Kent after a four-year absence.Â
Freshman safety Luke Wollet (Poland, Ohio) came up with a huge first quarter interception return for the touchdown as the stingy KSU defense forced three picks and limited the Akron offense to just 62 rushing yards. Fifth-year senior linebacker Cobrani Mixon (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the way with nine tackles and a half a sack. Junior defensive back Norman Wolfe (Akron, Ohio) tallied eight stops and came up with an interception in the late going of the fourth quarter to help seal the win.
Redshirt junior wide receiver Sam Kirkland (Chesapeake, Va.) hauled in five receptions for 105 yards, and sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) threw for 186 yards and a score.
The Zips landed the first punch with a touchdown run at the 8:38 mark in the first to go up 7-0.  A critical personal foul on third down kept the Zips' drive going at midfield.Â
Akron forced Kent State to punt on the following drive, and junior punter Matt Rinehart (Dover, Ohio) booted the 64 yards to pin the Zips at their own two yard line. The KSU defense stuffed Akron on two straight rushing attempts, and back-to-back false start penalties put Akron in a third-and-11 situation. That set the stage for Wollet to step in front of a pass by Akron quarterback Patrick Nicely and scampered 12 yards for tie the contest at seven-all with 3:46 to play in the first.
Keith manufactured a nine-play, 63-yard drive, connecting with Kirkland on passes of eight, 32 and six yards to set up a first-and-goal from the Akron eight. Sophomore Tyshon Goode (Syracuse, N.Y.) made an over-the-shoulder grab from Keith in the right corner of the endzone to put the Flashes up 14-7 with 8:39. Kent State extended its advantage to two touchdowns as junior running back Jacquise Terry (Phenix City, Ala.) capped a 12-play, 90-yard drive that covered 4:45 by plunging in from the six.
The Zips shaved KSU's lead to 21-10 with a field goal just before the end of the half, then made it a four-point contest with a touchdown run with 5:47 to play in the third.
After a battle of field position dominated the next 18 minutes of play, the Kent State defense came up big again to seal the deal. With the Zips once again backed up in the shadow of their own endzone, freshman defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) sacked Nicely in the endzone and forced a fumble that sophomore linebacker Luke Batton (Macedonia, Ohio) fell on for the touchdown.
Akron returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to their own 45. After moving the ball to the KSU 40, Nicely went for it all with a heave to the endzone. Wolfe was there waiting, hauling in the pick to secure Kent State's first win over Akron since 2006.
The Flashes travel to Toledo for an interdivision showdown against the Rockets next Saturday (Oct. 16) at 7 p.m.
