Clark's 100-yard kickoff return ends Kent State's 21-game losing streak, 21-17 over Merrimack

KENT, Ohio (AP) — Da'Realyst Clark returned a kickoff 100-yard for a touchdown to lift Kent State to a 21-17 win over Merrimack on Saturday, ending the Golden Flashes' 21-game losing streak in interim coach Mark Carney's first game.

The Warriors took their only lead on a 45-yard field goal by Carlton Thai with 5:40 to play. A turnover set up the score.

Clark then fielded the ensuing kickoff a couple yards deep in the end zone and burst up the right hash marks. He bounced off a couple of players just past the 30, kept his balance and raced to the end zone.

The last win for the Golden Flashes was a 38-10 decision over Central Connecticut, three games into the 2023 season.

A pair of touchdown receptions by Cade Wolford — from C.J. Montes for 30 yards in the second quarter and from Dru DeShields covering 79 yards early in the third — staked the Golden Flashes to a 14-3 lead.

Merrimack then scored on three of four possessions. Ayden Pereira found Seth Sweitzer behind the defense for 36 yards and then hit Aveon Smith for the 2-point conversion that made it 14-14.

The Warriors covered 34 yards in 11 plays before turning the ball over on downs at the Kent State 41 with 1:42 to play.

Wolford had the two catches for 109 yards for Kent State. Merrimack's Pereira threw for 176 yards and ran for 103.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football