The Illinois State seniors ended their careers on a winning note Saturday, topping the Indiana State Sycamores in the final game of the season, 38-3 in front of 5,491 at Hancock Stadium.
Senior Ray Robinson ended his Redbird career on a positive note, picking up his 13th sack of the season mid-way through the fourth quarter, breaking the single-season record. Robinson was credited with another sack on an intentional grounding play, giving him two sacks on the day to tie the Redbird career record of 25.
Robinson and the Redbirds end the 2003 campaign with a 6-6 mark, 3-4 in the Gateway, while Indiana State dropped to 3-9, 0-7.
The Redbird offense moved the ball with ease on their first posession, but Mike Souzas pass intended for Mike Larson was intercepted by Rashawn Champion at the goal line, stalling the drive. However, Cerone Colvin came right back and intercepted a Philip Johnson pass, giving the ball back to the Redbirds.
Illinois State settled for a 22-yard field goal by Stephen Carroll.
Dwayne Smith (5 catches, 86 yards, TD) caught a Souza pass late in the first quarter, which officially gave the Illinois transfer a catch in every game of his Redbird career. On that drive, the Redbirds again drove the ball into the red zone, but turnovers killed them again as Souza fumbled the ball away at the Indiana State 20.
Souza and the Redbirds finally got on the board in the second quarter when he hooked up with Smith on a 7-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone, making the score 10-0. Smiths touchdown catch was his sixth of the season and ninth of his career.
A 34-yard field goal by Indiana States Kyle Hooper cut the Sycamore deficit to 10-3.
The Redbirds started off the second half with a bang as Sha-Ron Edwards 13th touchdown of the season came at the end of a nine-play, 73-yard drive that put the Redbirds up 17-3 with 11:32 left in the third quarter. Edwards finished the game with 199 yards rushing on the day.
The Illinois State defense then came up with a big stop as linebacker Cavari Daileys sack at the Redbird 33-yard line stalled the ensuing Indiana State drive, and the Illinois State offense took advantage of the stop. Souza connected with Smith, who made an acrobatic catch for 46 yards down to the Sycamore 25. Three plays later, Edwards rushed it in from 22 yards out, extending the score to 24-3 and giving him 14 touchdowns on the season.
Defensive end Josh Chrestmans sack and forced fumble on Johnson with 25 seconds left in the third quarter resulted in another Redbird touchdown. Linebacker Andrew Papoccia scooped the ball up and ran it in from 18 yards out, the first touchdown of his career, making the the score 31-3.
Larson hauled in his first touchdown catch of the season early in the fourth quarter, taking in a 26-yard pass from Souza. The touchdown pass was the 20th of Souzas career, placing him at No. 7 in the ISU record books for career touchdown passes. Souza finished 17-of-24 for 251 yards and two touchdowns.
Game Notes
Senior Ray Robinson picked up his 13th sack of the season mid-way through the fourth quarter, breaking the single season record set by John Kropke in 1986. Robinson recorded another sack on an intentional grounding play, giving him 25 for his career, tying the schools career record set by Kropke from 1984-87.
Cerone Colvin had his first interception of the season, giving him seven for his career.
Mike Souza went over 600 yards rushing, which puts him at No. 3 in school history for quarterbacks. Souza also had his 20th touchdown pass of his career, placing him at No. 7 all-time for career touchdown passes.
Dwayne Smith has caught a pass in 23 consecutive games. He ends his career with a catch in every game of his ISU career.
Smiths touchdown catch in the second quarter was his sixth of the season, tying him for fifth place for most touchdowns for a receiver in a season. The catch was also the ninth of his career, placing him at No. 5 in ISU history.
Boomer Grigsby now holds the most tackles in a season by a freshman, sophomore, and junior. He passed Galen Scotts junior record of 173 with his 174th tackle in the second quarter.
Sha-Ron Edwards scored his 13th touchdown of the season in the third quarter, placing him in third place for touchdowns by a running back in a season. His 14th touchdown in the third quarter placed him in a tie for second place for most touchdowns by a running back in a season at ISU.
Indiana States Kris Karagorys 26-yard run in the third quarter put him over 100 yards rushing for the first time this season.
Rashawn Champion had two interceptions on the day for the Sycamores.
