FROSTBURG, Md. – The game started with tears of sadness, but ended with tears of joy as the Frostburg State University football team held off a feisty Hartwick squad for a 35-28 victory in Empire 8 action, Saturday.
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Prior to kickoff, a pair of celebrations brought everyone in the stadium to tears. Nine seniors suited up for their final football game at Bobcat Stadium. FSU then held a brief memorial celebration for former player Derek Sheely as his name was added to the "Rock of Honor" that sits next to the stadium field.
In the end, the Bobcats (4-5, 3-3) racked up 529 yards of offense and held the ball for 36:03. The final drive was key for FSU as it held the ball for the final 8:46 of regulation and kept Hartwick (2-7, 0-6) from attempting to tie the contest.
The Bobcats led in time of possession behind a season-high 280 yards on the ground. Freshman tailback JD Hook ran the ball 28 times for 208 yards and a touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 early in the first quarter. Senior Garfield Lampkin capped his playing career at Bobcat Stadium in fine fashion running for 49 yards (12 carries) and two touchdowns.
The Bobcat aerial attack was just as potent as senior quarterback Josh Volpe completed 25-of-29 attempts for 249 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for the Bobcats' final score early in the fourth quarter. Junior wide receiver Anthony Young led all players with 116 receiving yards on 12 catches.
Hartwick took the early 7-0 lead after scoring on the game's opening possession. The Hawks marched 60 yards on eight plays in just 3:23 and Anthony Casiman ran in from 11 yards out.
The Bobcats surged ahead for a 21-7 lead after finding the endzone on their next three possessions. Hook started things off with a five-yard scoring run that capped a 10-play 77-yard drive. Lampkin gave the hosts a 14-7 lead with a one-yard score early in the second quarter (14:31).
Volpe found freshman Antonio Wood for a nifty pitch and catch in the corner of the endzone for the third touchdown. He squeezed a 12-yard scoring pass between a couple of defenders to cap the third-straight 10-play scoring drive.
Lampkin added a two-yard scoring run early in the third quarter as the Bobcats surged to a 28-7 lead.
Hartwick gathered itself in the second half scoring touchdowns on its only three possessions. Dan Brainard tossed a pair of scoring passes in the third quarter. He found Tom Delahunty for a 60-yard touchdown and Jordan Wilkins for a 27-yard score late in the third as the Hawks closed the gap to 28-21.
Frostburg then collected its longest scoring drive of the afternoon, covering 80 yards in 13 plays in 6:28. Volpe pushed his way into the endzone from a yard out for a 35-21 edge.
The Hawks answered as Brainard tossed his third touchdown of the half, this time a 24 yarder to Chris Hoose to cut the deficit back to seven (35-28).
However, the Bobcats slowly chewed away at the clock as they methodically moved 61 yards on 16 plays covering the final 8:46 of regulation.
Hartwick, which entered the contest with the Empire 8's second-best passing offense, totaled 382 yards of offense, including 275 through the air. Brainard finished with all 275 yards on 20-of-30 attempts and three touchdowns. Anthony Casiman ran for a team-high 93 yards on 13 carries and the game's first touchdown.
Notes:
Hook became the first Bobcat to rush for more than 200 yards since Mike Kitchen ran for 209 at Westminster on Nov. 9, 2003 ... Volpe moved into fourth in career passing yards with 4,556 and needs just 24 yards for third all-time ... Young's 116 yards are his fourth 100-plus game this season ... He moved into fourth all-time in receptions (125) and seventh in yards (1,552) and he needs just 28 more for sixth ... The victory handed the Bobcats their first winning record at home since a 4-0 slate in 2005.
