FROSTBURG, Md. – Sophomore Ken Emmons and senior Anthony Young connected on a touchdown with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift the Frostburg State University football team to a wild 56-53 victory over Geneva, Saturday afternoon.
Box Score
Photo Gallery
The victory is the second-straight for the Bobcats (1-0) in the series against the Golden Tornadoes (0-1). The two squads have opened their respective seasons against one another for the last four years.
The two teams combined for 109 points, 73 first downs and 1,215 yards in total offense. The two combined for 33 points in the fourth quarter alone, all within the last 7:46.
Frostburg, which held a 34:58-25:02 lead in time of possession, scored three touchdowns in the final quarter for the victory. The Bobcats appeared to take the lead for good at 3:13 when junior tailback Chuky Iweh scored from three yards out for a 49-47 edge.
Geneva had other ideas as it marched 75 yards in nine plays in 1:59 for the go ahead score, 53-49. On second down, Zack Hayward tossed his sixth score of the game, this time a seven yarder that put the visitors ahead with just 1:14 left on the clock.
The FSU offense had just enough left as it maneuvered 70 yards on six plays for the game-winning drive. Emmons and Young connected for 14 yards on the first play to the FSU 44. Emmons then scrambled for 16 yards and received an extra 15 yards when a personal foul was called on the Geneva defense. With first down at the Geneva 25, Emmons scrambled twice for another first down at the 14.
After an incompletion to Young, the duo connected for 14 yards with just 10 seconds left as the stadium erupted with excitement.
Emmons finished with 283 yards on 17-of-31 completions with four scores. He also ran for two scores, the first that opened the first quarter action and the second opened the wild fourth quarter.
Both Young and sophomore Antonio Wood hauled in over 100 yards receiving. Young finished with seven receptions for 118 yards and three scores while Wood caught three passes for 100 yards and one touchdown. Wood closed the third quarter scoring with a 53-yard bomb from Emmons at 10:40.
Hayward finished with 464 yards through the air on 38-of-48 attempts. His six touchdown passes set a school record as he through three in each half, including two in the fourth. His favorite target was Corey O’Patchen who hauled in seven passes for 141 yards and one score.
The tandem of Emmons and Young connected for a pair of second quarter touchdowns as the game was deadlocked at 28-28 at intermission. Young caught a seven yard score to open the second and tie the game at 14-14. On the next FSU drive, Emmons tossed a 25 yard strike to Young that tied everything at 21 apiece.
The Bobcat defense got in on the scoring action on the ensuing Geneva drive as senior defensive back Mike Taylor picked up a fumbled pitch and raced 64 yards to the end zone.
The Golden Tornadoes scored the next three touchdowns to assume a 41-28 advantage with 11:16 left in the third.
Wood’s long touchdown reception with 10:40 left in the third and Emmons one-yard scoring plunge with 7:46 showing in the fourth, set up the dramatic finish.
Frostburg finished with 566 yards of total offense, including 283 on the ground. Chuky Iweh led the way with 140 yards on 25 carries and one score. Emmons finished with 57 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns.
Senior defensive back Brendon Blanchette made 11 stops, including eight solo stops. Sophomore Keith Smith added nine while freshman Salaman Riddell made eight stops.
Geneva totaled 709 yards in offense behind 218 rushing yards. Rocco Colavecchia (77 yards) and Josh Guiser (75 yards) each scored a touchdown on the ground to lead GC. Brett Hutira made a game-high 20 tackles followed by Dillon Goodell with 11.
The Frostburg State football team travels to Waynesburg next Saturday for a 1:00 pm kickoff.
