FROSTBURG, Md. - Freshman quarterback Phoenix Butler-Poole (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) and senior wideout Makiha Cooper (Baltimore, Md./Forest Park) connected on two fourth quarter touchdowns as the Frostburg State football team rallied from a 20-point deficit and came within six points late in the game before Geneva added a late score to seal a wild 41-28 victory in the season opener for both teams, Saturday evening. 

Boxscore

The Bobcats (0-1) trailed 34-14 heading into the final quarter, but Butler-Poole found Cooper for a five-yard touchdown with 7:32 to play and the duo hooked up again on a seven-yard scoring strike with 5:18 showing to bring the Bobcats to within six points, 34-28. The FSU defense then came up big, holding the Golden Tornadoes (1-0) to five yards and a punt on their ensuing possession.

However, Geneva's punt pinned the Bobcats at their own two-yard line and on the first play, FSU fumbled the ball and Geneva recovered at the eight-yard line. Five plays later, GC quarterback David Girardi scored from two yards out to seal the final score at 41-28.

FSU got on the board first in the opening quarter (12:25) when senior return specialist Avery Willie (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) returned a punt 43 yards for a touchdown as the Bobcats moved ahead 7-0. Geneva tied the ballgame on its next possession when Gerard Muschette scored from three yards out.

Willie scored again early in the second quarter (12:58) when Butler-Poole found him for an 80-yard touchdown reception, the eighth longest in school history, that capped a five-play 96-yard drive that started on the Bobcats' own four-yard line.

Geneva then scored three-straight touchdowns over the next 5:30 to take a 27-14 lead into halftime. Matt Dean found the endzone from two yards out and the Golden Tornadoe defense scored twice, a 23-yard fumble recovery and a 97-yard interception return.

With 11:40 left in the third, AJ Delmonico caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Girardi to give GC a 34-14 lead. Both teams struggled over their next three possessions, until FSU scored with 7:32 left in the fourth.

Butler-Poole finished his collegiate debut with 232 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-33 pass attempts. Cooper led all receivers with seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Wilie finished with 164 all-purpose yards, including two receptions for 86 yards and that 80-yard score in the second. He also finished with 46 punt return yards, aided by the 43-yard touchdown to open the game's scoring.

On defense, sophomore defensive back Jim Lohr (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) led the team with nine tackles followed by junior Michael Joseph (Hyattsville, Md./Northwest) and sophomore Travis Blair (Upper Marlboro, Md./Oxon Hill) with eight stops each.

Girardi led the Geneva offense with 200 yards passing (19-of-32), a touchdown through the air and the two-yard scoring run late in the fourth.

Frostbrug State hosts Washington & Jefferson next Saturday at Bobcat Stadium at 7:00 p.m.