Frostburg State (3-5, 1-4 E8)
vs.
Alfred (4-3, 3-2 E8)
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012
1:00 pm
Merrill Field
FSU Game Notes
Live Video - Empire 8 TV
Setting the Scene
The Bobcats are coming off a tough 21-0 loss to St. John Fisher last week in which Frostburg turned the ball over four times. Senior wide receiver Anthony Young kept his streak alive with a reception late in the fourth quarter to push it to 30 games. Junior Chuky Iweh ran for 68 yards in the loss.
The Saxons enter this week on a two-game losing streak after dropping a 31-7 decision to Empire 8 foe, Utica. Alfred found the end zone just once late in the second quarter when Joe Enslin connected with Jonathan Ruff to cut the Utica lead in half, 14-7. Utica went on to score 17 unanswered points for the victory.
The Series
This is the fourth meeting between the two teams with Frostburg holding a 2-1 all-time series lead. Last time the Bobcats and Saxons faced off, FSU won a thrilling 54-53 double overtime decision on Frostburg's Homecoming.
This Week in the Empire 8
Nov. 3
Utica at Salisbury 12:00 pm
Buffalo State at St. John Fisher 12:00 pm
Frostburg at Alfred 1:00 pm
Hartwick at Ithaca 1:00 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 234-257-8. 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 nine games, dating back to the 2011 season-finale against Salisbury. Last week, Bobcat senior Brendon Blanchette forced a fumble with 6:07 to go in the first quarter on a punt return that was recovered by sophomore Gilbert Kim to give FSU the ball back at the SJF 48.
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 172 receptions and needs just nine 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 (2,135). He has started the last 28 games at wide receiver and has caught a pass in 30-straight games.
Strong D
Senior Brendon Blanchette continues to rack up the tackles with 11 against St. John Fisher last week. Blanchette's season total is now at 85 to lead the Bobcats. He had a team-high 17 against Waynesburg in the beginning of the season.
In his career, Blanchette has 10 double-digit performances and four so far this season.
A trio of sophomores join Blanchette in double-digit tackle performances this season. Keith Smith is the newest Bobcat to join Tavis Henry and Rowan Pinkett. Smith collected 11 tackles against St. John Fisher last week.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 235-257-8
- Hand the Bobcats back-to-back wins over Alfred
- Snap a three-game losing skid for FSU
- Give FSU its second win over a New York school this season
Bobcats Last Week
FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State University football team fell victim to untimely turnovers and St. John Fisher needed just 21 points for a 21-0 shutout victory, Saturday afternoon.
The Bobcats, who fall to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Empire 8, were held out of the end zone despite four trips inside the SJFC 20 yard line. FSU tossed a pair of interceptions in the end zone and fumbled the ball away twice.
Frostburg's final and longest drive of the afternoon covered 11 plays and 74 yards. The Bobcats started on their own 21 and moved down to the Fisher two. Following a timeout, FSU fumbled the ball, but recovered at the five. Junior running back Chuky Iweh pushed his way back to the two on his final carry of the ballgame. On the next play, Sean Preish busted through the Frostburg line and knocked the ball to the ground on a handoff exchange to halt FSU's final scoring attempt.
Frostburg also had a pair of scoring opportunities late in the second and third quarters. However, the hosts tossed two interceptions in the end zone inside the final two minutes of each quarter. Frostburg's first turnover of the afternoon came on its fourth drive of the ball game. FSU maneuvered to the 16 of the Cardinals, before a big hit on the visitor sideline knocked the ball out of the grasp of the FSU ball carrier.
The Cardinals (6-2, 2-3), ranked 24th in the country according to D3football.com, scored a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter and one in the third for all the points they would need.
Cody Miller scored on a 50-yard run at 6:05 in the first and found the end zone from nine yards out with 8:20 showing in the third. Ryan Kramer tossed a 26 yard touchdown late in the first quarter as Fisher led 14-0 after one.
FSU totaled 184 yards on the ground, its second highest total of the season. Iweh led the way with 19 carries for 68 yards, followed by junior Michael Fourth with three rushes for 44 yards. Senior Brendon Blanchette and sophomore Keith Smith each finished with 11 tackles, while Blanchette forced a fumble on a punt return midway through the second quarter.
Miller finished with 104 yards on 15 carries and two scores to lead St. John Fisher as it totaled 336 yards of total offense, including 268 on the ground.
Last Time Against the Saxons
FROSTBURG, Md. – Bobcat Stadium was shaking with a nervous excitement as the Empire 8 showdown between Frostburg State and Alfred went back-and-forth throughout both regulation and two overtimes.
In the end, that nervous excitement was turned to sheer jubilation as sophomore kicker Jonathan Adams drilled home an extra point attempt as Frostburg State celebrated a 54-53 double overtime victory over Alfred in Empire 8 action Saturday on Homecoming and Leadership weekend.
After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams erupted for 107 points, including 40 in just the second quarter alone. It is the most combined points scored in a game which Frostburg has participated in and is the first overtime contest at Bobcat Stadium since 2005.
The two teams combined for 14 touchdowns, four field goals, 58 first downs and 1,002 yards of offense while keeping the fans on the edge of their seats the entire time.
The Bobcats (3-4, 2-2) and Saxons (4-3, 2-2) scored on the game's final six possessions. Alfred appeared to have control of the game late in the fourth quarter as it intercepted an FSU pass and maneuvered down to the FSU 25. Eric Rockwood knocked home a booming 42-yard field goal with just 30 seconds left to give the visitors a 40-37 lead.
That was the perfect amount of time for senior quarterback Josh Volpe and the Bobcats to answer. He completed two passes, including a 30-yarder to junior wideout Anthony Young as FSU moved to the Alfred 25-yard line. This time, it was Adams' turn to play the role of the hero. He calmly kicked a 42-yard field goal of his own as time expired to knot the game at 40-40.
The duo of Volpe and Young, which gave Alfred trouble the entire game, connected for a 35-yard touchdown on third and 20 in the first overtime for a 47-40 edge. Alfred answered with a game-tying touchdown on its first play of the first overtime. T.J. Kilcarr found Justin Oliver with a 25-yard scoring toss to even the score at 47-47.
Alfred received the ball first in the second overtime and scored another touchdown. Austin Dwyer carried the ball twice, including a 15-yard scoring run into the corner of the end zone for a 53-47 lead. However, Rockwood missed the extra point attempt and Alfred clung to just a six-point lead.
Frostburg took advantage of the miscue as it moved inside Alfred's five-yard line for a first-and-goal situation. After sputtering on the first three plays, Volpe found a wide open Adam Tuzikow on the Bobcats' last chance of the afternoon. The two connected for a four-yard score to tie the ballgame at 53 apiece.
The weight of the game then fell back on Adams' shoulders. After an Alfred timeout, he booted the extra point through the uprights as Bobcat Stadium erupted in celebration.
Frostburg turned out 556 yards of total offense, the most since a 634-yard effort in a 42-6 win over Apprentice in 2002. The tandem of Volpe and Young turned in record-setting performances. Volpe completed 33-of-59 attempts and finished with 441 yards passing, a career-high and second-best individual effort in school history. He accounted for seven touchdowns, including a school record six through the air. He ran for an 11-yard score in the fourth quarter that gave FSU a 37-30 lead. He tossed at least one touchdown to five different receivers.
Young turned in his second-consecutive record-setting performance on Homecoming. He tied a school record with 16 receptions for 214 yards and two touchdowns. A year ago, Young set a school record with 248 yards receiving against Apprentice while making 15 receptions.
Junior tight end Cory Shank hauled in six receptions for 102 yards and a score while classmate Lucas Adolph caught four passes for 41 yards and a score.
On the ground, freshman tailback JD Hook ran for 83 yards on 20 carries and caught two passes for 39 yards.
Despite the flurry of action late in the game, the second quarter provided an early glimpse of what was to come.
Alfred opened early 13-0 and 20-7 leads, but the Bobcats stormed back to tie the contest at 20 at intermission. Volpe tossed first-half touchdowns to Adolph, Shank and freshman wideout Antonio Wood.
The teams exchanged field goals and Josh Phillips caught a 17-yard scoring toss from Kilcarr for the lead with just two minutes left in the third to put the Saxons ahead 30-23.
Frostburg tied the contest again early in the fourth quarter. Volpe and Young connected on a 14-yard touchdown with 12:08 to play that capped an 11-play 78-yard yard drive, the longest by either team on the afternoon.
After the Bobcat defense forced a fumble on the third play of Alfred's next drive, FSU grabbed its first lead of the game. On third and five, Hook darted for 11 yards to the Alfred 11-yard line and Volpe weaved his way through traffic on the next play for an 11–yard score a 37-30 lead.
Alfred evened the score at 37-37 with 4:35 to play in the fourth quarter. After the FSU defense forced the Saxons to a 4-and-10 situation, the ensuing Alfred punt was deflected, then hit an FSU player down field and the Saxons pounced on the loose ball. Five plays later, Kilcarr hit Adam Shutz for a game-tying 20-yard touchdown.
The Saxons finished with 446 yards of offense behind 212 on the ground. Dwyer ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns, including the game's first score with 13:32 showing in the second quarter. Kilcarr tossed four scores and threw for 243 yards. His favorite target was Shutz who finished with five catches for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Drew Rudisill paced the FSU defense with 11 total tackles, including 0.5 TFL. Junior Brendon Blanchette made nine stops, with one pass breakup, a forced and recovered fumble.
