Frostburg State (0-0)
vs.
Geneva (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013 - 7:00 pm
Reeves Field
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Frostburg State Notes
Directions to Geneva College
Setting the Scene
The Frostburg State Bobcats open the 2013 season against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes for the fifth-consecutive season. Last season, the Bobcats defeated the Golden Tornadoes for the second-consecutive year with a 56-53 thriller at Mountain Ridge High School.
The Series
Frostburg State will play Geneva for the 23rd time on Saturday with the Golden Tornadoes holding a slim 11-10-1 advantage in the series history. The two teams renewed the rivalry in 2009 after a 16-year hiatus from the series. Geneva won the first three meetings after the series resumed before the Bobcats defeated the Golden Tornadoes 34-21 to open the 2011 season. Last season's touchdown in the final minute gave FSU its second-straight win.
This Week in the Empire 8
Sept. 7
Utica vs. Lewis & Clark 12:00 pm
Buffalo State at Cortland 1:00 pm
Ithaca vs. Moravian 1:00 pm
Hartwick vs. Husson 1:00 pm
St. John Fisher at Otterbein 1:30 pm
Salisbury vs. Christopher Newport 6:00 pm
Frostburg at Geneva 7:00 pm
Coaching the Cats
Tom Rogish is in his sixth season as head coach of the Bobcats. Last season, Rogish guided FSU to a 3-7 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 53rd season of action with an overall record of 234-259-8. 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.
For Openers
The Bobcats have a 23-29-1 overall record on their opening day and are looking to open the 2013 season with a win for the third-straight year. FSU has defeated Geneva in the last two years to open the season. Prior to the 2011 season, Frostburg had suffered five-straight defeats on opening day.
Returning Suitors
The Bobcats return eight starters on offense including four on the offensive line that has arguably been the team's biggest strength for the past two seasons. The foursome has combined to start nearly 80 games over the past few years and paved the way for the Empire 8's fourth best rushing attack last season (150.6).
On defense Frostburg returns five starters from a 2012 unit that had its struggles at different times throughout the year. However, Peter Mayer was named the team's defensive coordinator prior to the start of preseason camp. The defense could be spearheaded by senior Tavis Henry and junior Keith Smith who combined for 123 tackles a year ago.
Speaking of Defense
Just before preseason camp head coach Tom Rogish made the announcement of several changes to his staff for the 2013 season. Mayer switched to defensive coordinator after coaching the quarterbacks in 2012. Mayer coached on the defensive side of the football at Ithaca from 2008 to 2011 and served as defensive assistant at Division I Colgate from 2006 to 2008.
Ben Crowder moves from offense (tight ends) to help out with the linebackers while Chris Ellis joins the staff and will coach the defensive line. Ellis brings several years of NFL playing experience to the Bobcat coaching staff.
Jeff Rogish and JJ Eckles will share duties in coaching the secondary. Rogish coached the wide receivers last fall while Eckles joins the staff for his first year as a graduate assistant.
OOH WEE IWEH
Senior Chuky Iweh (pronounced CHOO-kee EE-wee) enters his senior season as the starting running back and leads all Bobcats with 620 career rushing yards. As a team, FSU posted the league's fourth best rushing attack a year ago (150.6) and Iweh will look to lead the charge and become the school's first 1,000 yard rusher in a season since 2001.
Wood You Rise Up?
Junior Antonio Wood returns for his third season and will look to become FSU's primary target at wide receiver following the graduation of three-time all-conference performer Anthony Young. Entering his third season with the team, Wood has 453 receiving yards and three touchdowns and standing at 6'3 he has all the tools to fill the loss of Young.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 235-259-8
- Give the Bobcats the first three-game winning streak in the 23 year history with the Golden Tornadoes. The Bobcats have won back-to-back games four times during the series but never three in a row.
- Hand Frostburg State its third-straight season opening win.- Give the Bobcats their 24th season opening win.
Last Time Against the Golden Tornadoes (2012)
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.
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.
