PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The Frostburg State University football team rallied for an early fourth-quarter lead and appeared poised for the upset and one of the largest wins in the program's 52-year history. However, it was No. 19 ranked St. John Fisher that added an eight-yard scoring run midway through the fourth quarter to secure a 38-35 win in the Empire 8 opener for both schools, Saturday.
Box Score
The contest pitted the league's top two offensive squads against one another and the game was far from disappointing. FSU (1-3. 0-1) totaled 453 yards of offense and held St. John Fisher to 349 yards, just over 176 yards below their league-leading average.
The Frostburg/St. John Fisher matchup also featured the Empire 8's top two quarterbacks in terms of total offense. However, it was Tyler Fenti and the Cardinal offense that had the final say in the outcome.
The Bobcats (1-3, 0-1) trailed by 11 points, 31-20, as the game headed for the final stanza. FSU, which is 0-4 against SJFC, quickly dialed up the pressure against the undefeated Cardinals (4-0, 1-0).
Junior quarterback Ken Emmons opened the fourth quarter with a 12-yard touchdown toss to classmate Antonio Wood. Just 1:16 later, junior Mike Fourth found the end zone from six yards out and suddenly an upset seemed very real as FSU grabbed a 35-31 lead.
On the ensuing drive, Ryan Kramer returned the kickoff 38 yards to setup the Cardinal offense at the Bobcats' 41-yard line. Seven plays later, Cody Miller scored from eight yards out to re-capture the lead for good. Fenti rushed for 13 yards on the final drive, including a five-yard scamper to the FSU 17 on third down and two.
Emmons accounted for 361 yards in offense and two scores. He threw for 283 yards (22-of-49 attempts) and one score and added 78 rushing yards. He found the end zone from a yard out on the game's opening drive that handed FSU an early 7-0 lead. Wood finished with 119 receiving yards on seven catches and the fourth-quarter score.
The game featured four lead changes, 802 yards of offense, but it was Frostburg that emerged with a pair of leads in the opening quarter and one early in the fourth. Following Emmons one-yard scoring run, sophomore Percy Haskins scooped up a blocked punt and scored from a yard out as FSU led 13-7 late in the first.
The nationally-ranked Cardinals answered with 17-straight points for a 24-13 lead early in the third. Miller scored his first touchdown of the ballgame and the hosts added a 27-yard field goal for a 17-13 halftime cushion. Miller tacked on an 11-yard touchdown run for the 24-13 lead with 13:07 showing in the third.
On its first drive of the second half, Frostburg needed just 41 yards and 3:00 minutes to answer and narrow the deficit. Freshman running back Janai Billips scored from two yards out as the Bobcats trailed by just four, 24-20.
The hosts extended their lead to 31-20 with their second touchdown of the third quarter. Fenti tossed his only touchdown of the game, a 21-yarder to Nathan Nigolian with 11 seconds left in the third.
The Bobcats didn't back down as they scored two quick touchdowns early in the fourth to take back the lead. Emmons 12 yard pitch-and-catch with Wood opened the fourth quarter and capped the game's longest drive for either team. Frostburg moved 70 yards in nine plays and needed just 2:31 to narrow the gap to 31-28.
Fisher fumbled at its own 41 on the ensuing drive and the Bobcats needed to march just 39 yards for their go ahead touchdown. Emmons tossed a pair of passes to Wood on the drive that totaled 32 yards and setup Fourth's six-yard scoring run.
Miller and the Cardinals kept their unblemished record intact with the game's final touchdown at 7:48.
Defensively, sophomore Marcus Moody made a game-high 14 tackles, including a tackle for loss. Junior Rowan Pinkett added 11 tackles and junior Keith Smith posted 10.
FSU returns home to Bobcat Stadium next Saturday with a Empire 8 matchup against Utica at 1:00 pm.
