FROSTBURG, Md. – Junior quarterback Ken Emmons accounted for 521 yards of offense and seven touchdowns, but a pair of fourth quarter fumbles doomed Frostburg State as it fell 59-49 to Waynesburg, Saturday.
Box Score
In a back-and-forth affair, the two teams accounted for 1,165 yards of offense and 14 touchdowns, but the turnovers cost the Bobcats (0-2) the game late in the fourth.
Emmons threw for 384 yards with four scores and ran for 137 yards and three more touchdowns to spark a Frostburg offense that totaled 609 yards, including 225 on the ground. Emmons tossed his fourth touchdown of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter that tied the game for the Bobcats at 42-42.
On the ensuing possession, Waynesburg (2-0) booted a 40 yard field goal for a 45-42 lead. Kyle Richey pushed the Yellow Jacket lead to 52-42, when he recovered the first of two fourth-quarter fumbles by FSU. Emmons completed a pass to freshman Janai Billips before a jarring hit knocked the ball free. Richey scooped up the loose ball and ran 45 yards for the score with 6:46 to play.
Emmons and the Bobcats offense quickly answered moving 65 yards to pull within 52-49. Following a 30 yard kickoff return from sophomore Percy Haskins, Emmons completed a 52 yard pass to junior Antonio Wood down to the Waynesburg eight. Two plays later, Emmons found the endzone from three yards out with 5:14 left in the final stanza.
The Bobcat defense forced a three-and-out and Waynesburg was forced to punt from its 38. However, the punt slipped through the arms of returner Haydan Roberts at the FSU 14 and was recovered by the Yellow Jackets' Willie Leavell. Moments later, Jake Forsythe scored from a yard out to seal a 59-49 win.
After scoring just three points in its season opener a week ago, the Frostburg offense scored quickly and often against Waynesburg. The Bobcats held the ball for just 20:52, but outgained the Yellow Jackets 609-556 in total offense. Of the Bobcats' seven touchdown-scoring drives, six covered 65 yards or more and six drives resulted in a touchdown in less than three minutes of possession.
Frostburg scored four touchdowns on five first half possessions and held a 28-20 lead at halftime. The Bobcats kept the pressure on early in the third as Emmons connected with Wood for a 28 yard touchdown that handed the hosts a 35-20 lead just 1:55 into the third quarter.
Emmons finished the afternoon 24-of-41 for a career-high 384 yards, the fourth best single-game total in program history. On the ground, he ran 16 times for 137 yards, the most rushing yards in a single-game by a quarterback.
Roberts' hauled in a team-high nine passes for 135 yards and one score, while Wood totaled 130 receiving yards on four receptions and one score. Sophomore Myles Burgess was the recipient of two touchdown passes, one in the second quarter and one in the fourth, and he finished with 97 yards on six catches.
Carter Hill powered the Waynesburg offense with 483 yards passing on 38-of-53 attempts with three touchdowns. He connected with Andrew English 13 times for 157 yards and a touchdown, while Bernia Thompson caught 10 passes for 173 yards.
Four Bobcat defenders posted 10 or more tackles on the afternoon. Junior Rowan Pinkett tied for the game-high with 15 tackles that included 1.5 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore Salaman Riddell made 13 solo tackles, tied for fourth all-time in a single-game, including one behind the line of scrimmage. Sophomore Marcus Moody finished with 12 stops, while freshman Adrian Jackson added 10 tackles, one for loss and one pass breakup.
Frostburg State returns to action next Saturday when it hosts Case Western at 1:00 pm.
