FROSTBURG, Md. - Gerard Muschette ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns to power Geneva to a 32-27 victory over Frostburg State in the season opener for both schools, Saturday evening at a chilly Bobcat Stadium.

Box Score

The Golden Tornadoes (1-0) overcame five turnovers, including three fumbles, with 398 yards of total offense behind 234 on the ground. Muschette scored on runs of two, seven and 12 yards to account for three of Geneva's four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats (0-1) capitalized on two of the five turnovers, but just ran out of time in the end. FSU narrowed the score to 32-27 with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter but an onside kick was recovered by Geneva.

Senior Anthony King (Germantown, Md./Northwest) ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 65 yards for the Bobcats. Junior signal caller Josh Volpe (Germantown, Md./Northwest) completed 13-of-24 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown through the air and one on the ground.

Muschette scored from 12 yards out with 2:58 left in the first quarter for the game's first touchdown as Geneva led 7-0 after the first. The Bobcats got on the board on their first drive of the second quarter. FSU recovered a fumbled punt return at Geneva's 18-yard line and five plays later, Volpe tossed a five-yard touchdown to sophomore Anthony Young (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) to tie the game at 7-7.

The Golden Tornadoes scored on their next two possessions. Nick DiPietro knocked home a 28-yard field goal midway through the second and Muschette found the back of the endzone with 3:22 left in the half as Geneva extended its lead to 17-7.

However, Frostburg State wasn't done for the half as it marched 58 yards on six plays in a little over two minutes and King found the endzone from six yards out as FSU trailed by just three, 17-14, at the break.

Geneva's Pat Matty added a one-yard touchdown at 8:52 in the third quarter as the visitors surged ahead 24-14. The big play of the drive came on a 59-yard pass from David Girardi to Corey O'Patchen that set up GC at the Bobcat five-yard line.

Two drives later, FSU again capitalized on a Geneva turnover. Bobcat sophomore linebacker Dwayne Washington (Germantown, Md./Bowie State) stripped the football from Geneva's Alex Mack and recovered it at the GC 42. Volpe and King connected on a 29-yard pass play down to the Geneva three yard line and three plays later, King scored from a yard out to cut the deficit to 24-20. The extra point try was blocked and returned for two points by the Golden Tornadoes for a 26-20 lead.

Geneva used most of the fourth quarter clock to tack on its final touchdown of the contest. The Golden Tornadoes were pinned at their five yard line after an FSU punt was downed deep inside their territory. GC then marched 95 yards on 10 plays using 10:47 and Muschette found the endzone for the third time as Geneva led 32-20 with just 4:43 to play.

The Bobcats again answered with a touchdown of their own with just 1:50 to play in the final quarter. Volpe completed three passes of 15 yards or more and was hit late as he was running out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty, that set Frostburg State up at the Geneva two yard line. Volpe later scored on a bootleg to his left that cut the deficit to 32-27.

FSU tried an onside kick, but Geneva recovered and ran out the final 1:49 on the clock to earn the win.

Junior linebacker Michael Ezeani (Glenn Dale, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) made a game-high 9.5 tackles while junior Travis Blair (Upper Marlboro, Md./Oxon Hill) posted eight stops.

FSU returns to the field next Saturday as it hosts No. 3 ranked Wesley (D3football.com) at Bobcat Stadium at noon.