Frostburg (2-4, 1-2)
vs.
Alfred (4-2, 2-1)
Saturday, October 22, 2011
1:00 pm
Bobcat Stadium
Live Stats
Frostburg State Game Notes
Setting the Scene
The Bobcats enter Homecoming on a three-game losing streak, although last week's 34-7 loss at St. John Fisher was the only conference game of the bunch. At 1-2 in Empire 8 play, Frostburg is just a half game back from third place. Springfield and Alfred, Saturday's opponent, sit at 2-2 in the conference.
Frostburg has been highly successful in Homecoming games in recent history. Including last season's 25-21 win over Apprentice, the Bobcats are 7-4 in their last 11 Homecoming contests with a four-game winning streak from 2004-07.
The Series
This is the third all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Saxons and first at Frostburg. The teams have split the previous two. Alfred won, 49-24, at home last season. Quarterback Geoff Suddath completed 18-of-29 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for an injured Josh Volpe. Receiver Anthony Young made six catches for 66 yards. Frostburg won the first meeting, 33-31, on Sept. 11, 1993.
This Week in the Empire 8
Oct. 22
Salisbury at Hartwick 1:00 pm
Alfred at Frostburg 1:00 pm
Ithaca at Utica 1:00 pm
St. John Fisher at Springfield 2:00 pm
Coaching the Cats
Tom Rogish is in his fourth season as head coach of the Bobcats and has FSU sitting at 2-4 this fall. Last season, Rogish guided FSU to a 2-8 overall record.
Rogish brought over 30 years of coaching experience to Frostburg State including 29 years in the collegiate ranks. He spent the last 22 years at the Division II level at perennial powers Indiana (Pa.) and Shepherd (W.Va.).
Prior to his arrival in Frostburg, Rogish spent two years on the defensive staff at Shepherd College. The Rams made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2007 including a run to the NCAA Division II Northeast Region championship.
Frostburg State Football History
The Bobcats enter their contest with Alfred with an overall record of 229-250-8. The Bobcats have reached the postseason eight times, including a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1993. The school's most recent postseason appearance occurred in 2005 when FSU lost the ECAC Southwest Championship to Moravian, 14-7.
Tonight's Top 10 List
Senior quarterback Josh Volpe jumped in the top ten career rankings in various categories after his performance against Wesley two weeks ago. Volpe jumped into fifth place in career completions and touchdowns and into sixth in career attempts. A good day against the Saxons could move Volpe one notch higher on the completions list. He's 19 completions away from moving into a tie for fourth place with 322.
Junior wide receiver Anthony Young is inching closer to appearing on many of the career receiving lists. Heading into the Alfred contest on Saturday, Young needs just two receptions to crack the career top ten list. He's also just 229 yards and two touchdowns away from breaking onto those charts.
Take Me Home Tonight
The Frostburg State football team has fared very well in recent Homecoming games. The Bobcats are 7-4 in their past 11 contests after defeating Apprentice, 25-21, last season.
In that 2010 Homecoming win over Apprentice, wide receiver Anthony Young set the school record for receiving yards in a game (248) and also set the record for touchdown receptions (3). Young also made 15 receptions. That's third all-time and just one behind a pair of Bobcats tied for first. It's the most receptions in a single game since Greg Cooper made 16 against SUNY Brockport on Oct. 16, 1999.
Those three touchdown passes to Young also put Josh Volpe on that single-game list in a tie for
seventh place.
Bobcats in NCAA Rankings
Frostburg ranks 88th of the 239 Division III schools in passing offense with an average output of 208.2 yards per game. Quarterback Josh Volpe is 78th in the nation in passing efficiency with a 133.99 mark. The Frostburg defense is ranked 82nd against the pass nationally. The Bobcats are allowing 174.5 yards per game through the air.
Hit Squad
Junior Brendon Blanchette and freshman Anthony Chase continue to be the runaway leaders for the Bobcats in tackling. Each had 10 tackles last Saturday at St. John Fisher. Blanchette leads the team with 58 stops, while the freshman Chase is right behind him with 54. Chase added 1.5 tackles for loss against the Cardinals.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 230-250-8 overall since starting football in 1961
- End Frostburg's three-game losing streak
- Give Frostburg a 2-0 home record in conference play
Next Up
Frostburg returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Ithaca for a 1:00 pm showdown. The two teams last met in 2009 with Ithaca claiming a 20-10 victory.
Last Week
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – St. John Fisher scored 24 unanswered points en route to a 34-7 victory over Frostburg State in Empire 8 football action, Saturday.
FSU (2-4, 1-2) trailed 10-0 after the first quarter, but brought it to 10-7 with its only touchdown of the contest. SJFC (5-1, 3-0) then scored the game's next 24 points for the win.
Senior running back Patrick Pinchinat led the Bobcat offense with 142 yards on the ground on 22 carries. FSU amassed just 227 yards of offense but held the ball for 31:58.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals totaled 392 yards, including 277 on the ground. Ryan Kramer ran the ball 15 times for a team-high 121 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 8-of-15 passes for 106 yards. Cody Miller was the second Cardinal to total more than 100 yards on the ground. He finished with 101 yards on 16 carries.
The hosts jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the first quarter of action behind an interception return for a touchdown on the game's first pass attempt.
FSU senior quarterback Josh Volpe cut the deficit to 10-7 early in the second quarter. He found the end zone from five yards out that capped a 15-play 57-yard scoring drive.
St. John Fisher quickly re-captured the momentum when Ryan Francis returned the ensuing kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown. Kramer added a 21-yard scoring run late in the half to give SJFC a 24-7 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Cardinals' Chad Monheim booted a 27-yard field goal, his second of the contest with 9:58 left in the third for a 27-7 edge. Kramer capped the scoring with a three-yard scoring jolt early in the fourth for the 34-7 final.
Defensively, junior Brendon Blanchette and freshman Anthony Chase each made 10 tackles. Chase added 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Bobcats return home next Saturday when they host nationally ranked Alfred for Homecoming & Leadership Weekend at 1:00 p.m.
