Frostburg State (3-4, 1-4 E8)
vs.
St. John Fisher (5-2, 2-2 E8)
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012 - Noon
Bobcat Stadium
Live Stats
Frostburg Game Notes
Setting the Scene
The Frostburg State football team is coming into this weekend on a two-game losing streak and looks to bounce back from a 22-7 loss to Buffalo State on Homecoming. The Bobcats scored on their final drive to avoid being shutout for the second week in a row. Junior Chuky Iweh ran for 97 yards on 13 carried for FSU while sophomore quarterback Ken Emmons connected with freshman Hayden Roberts for FSU's only score.
St. John Fisher, (24th • d3football.com) comes into Saturday's contest off a 21-17 Empire 8 victory over Ithaca. Junior running back Cody Miller rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns – both career-highs – to lead the Cardinals.
The Series
St. John Fisher holds a 2-0 all time series lead over FSU, winning the last meeting 34-7. The two teams will meet in Frostburg for the first time in the series.
This Week in the Empire 8
Oct. 27
St. John Fisher at Frostburg 12:00 pm
Hartwick at Buffalo State 12:00 pm
Salisbury at Ithaca 12:00 pm
Alfred at Utica 2:00 pm
Coaching the Cats
Tom Rogish is in his fifth season as head coach of the Bobcats. Last season, Rogish guided FSU to a 4-6 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 kick off their 52nd season of action with an overall record of 234-256-8. 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.
I'll Take That
The Frostburg defense has forced a turnover in the last eight games, dating back to the 2011 season-finale against Salisbury. Last week, the Bobcats picked off Buffalo State quarterback early in the second quarter to keep the streak alive.
Young and the Catches
Senior wide receiver Anthony Young is set to rewrite the record books as he enters his final season in a Bobcat uniform.
Young is second in school history with 171 receptions and needs just 10 receptions to tie first, which he should accomplish over the next two weeks after averaging 5.4 catches a game. He is in sole possession of seventh in receiving touchdowns (14) and is third in receiving yards (2,100). He has started the last 27 games at wide receiver and has caught a pass in 29-straight games.
Staying Hot in the Red Zone
Frostburg State is third in the conference in red zone scoring, finding the end zone 16 out of 23 times (70%) with 15 touchdowns. The run game has been the most effective tool for the Bobcats in the red zone with nine of the team's 14 scores coming on the ground, including five in the opening game against Geneva.
Strong D
Senior Brendon Blanchette continues to rack up the tackles with nine against Buffalo State last week. Blanchette's season total is now at 74 to lead the Bobcats. He had a team-high 17 against Waynesburg in the beginning of the season.
Sophomore Tavis Henry and sophomore Rowan Pinkett join Blanchette as the only three Bobcat players with double-digit tackles in a game with 12 two weeks ago Hartwick.
In his career, Blanchette has nine double-digit performances and three so far this season.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 235-256-8
- Hand the Bobcats their first win over St. John Fisher
- Give FSU its second win over a New York school this season
Bobcats Last Week
FROSTBURG, Md. – Frostburg State fell behind by 22 points and couldn't recover before losing 22-7 to Buffalo State in Empire 8 football action, Saturday on Homecoming.
The Bengals (4-4, 2-3 E8) built a 22-0 lead before the Bobcats (3-4, 1-4 E8) found the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Frostburg tied its longest drive of the game, marching 75 yards on 11 plays. Sophomore Ken Emmons capped the drive with a two-yard scoring pass to freshman Haydan Roberts.
Buffalo State scored twice in the first quarter for a 9-0 lead. Nate Benoit booted a 26 yard field goal at 10:25 and Casey Kacz hooked up with Ryan Carney for a 39 yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion try failed and the visitors led 9-0.
Neither team produced any points in the second quarter, but Buffalo State scored on its opening drive of the third quarter. The Bengals collected the longest drive of the afternoon by either team as they drove 77 yards on 12 plays. Backup quarterbacl Ryan Lehotsky tossed a nine yard touchdown to John Beers for a 15-0 edge.
Buffalo State capitalized on a turnover on downs by FSU for its final score of the game. The Bengals needed just 34 yards and Sherman Nelson ran in from 11 yards out for the 22-0 advantage.
The Bobcats took the ensuing kickoff and moved 75 yards for their only score.
Frostburg totaled 272 yards of offense. Junior Chuky Iweh and sophomore JD Hook powered a Bobcat ground attack that ran for 175 yards on 33 rushes. Iweh finished with 97 yards on 13 attempts while Hook carried the ball 14 times for 92 yards.
FSU missed a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half that might have produced a different outcome. The Bobcats drove 75 yards but failed to score on fourth down at the Buffalo State one. Two drives later, Frostburg drove to the Bengal eight, but a 25 yard field goal hit the right upright and bounced back onto the field.
Buffalo State totaled 439 yards of offense, behind 295 through the air. The Bengals also rushed for 144 yards on 31 carries. Lehotsky finished with 158 yards passing on 12-of-24 attempts and one score. Rich Pete led the way with 73 yards on nine carries.
Defensively, senior Brendon Blanchette made nine stops to lead the Bobcats, while sophomore Tavis Henry finished with eight tackles. Both players finished with 0.5 tackles for loss.
Last Time Against the Cardinals
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.
