WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The Frostburg State Football team endured an early road test to begin their 2023 season, taking down New Haven 27-24 in overtime on Thursday night.
 
NHU showed early why they were an NCAA Tournament team last season, thrilling the home crowd with a 52-yard return on the opening kick-off. A couple of quick passing plays resulted in a 25-yard score from Daelen Menard to Dev Holmes for a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes.
 
The sides traded possessions with defense the name of the game early on, as FSU converted a key third down on an eight-yard completion from senior QB Graham Walker to redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Gibson. On the very next play to start the second quarter, the same pairing connected on a 39-yard strike to the house, with senior Dayne Koontz tying the score 7-7 on the extra point.
 
New Haven used a couple of chunk plays to quickly get into the Bobcat red zone on their next possession, but FSU's defense held firm and limited the Chargers to a field goal, retaking the lead 10-7. NHU thought they had some more momentum, as a blocked punt gave them great field position, eventually driving all the way to the Frostburg 26. Redshirt junior Colby Street wiped that momentum away with a fantastic diving interception, pulling in a deflection from the line of scrimmage.
 
The Chargers repaid the favor on the very next play, with Giye Jenkins jumping an intended wide receiver screen and taking it to the house for a 17-7 advantage. Frostburg ended the half on a high note, churning five and a half minutes of clock before sophomore Sean Aaron pounded the rock in from four yards out for a 17-14 New Haven lead at halftime.
 
Neither team made anything of their first possessions of the second half, but the Chargers again capitalized on good field position at the 7:34 mark. Menard found Holmes for an important 12-yard pass on a third-and-eight, with the two later connecting for a seven-yard score to go up 24-14.
 
FSU and Walker passed their way up the field on the ensuing drive, the highlight being a 37-yard strike down the middle of the field from Walker to graduate Justin Brown. Walker then found junior Max Davis on a smooth play action route to get in the NHU red zone. Aaron once again bruised his way through for a two-yard score to bring the Bobcats within 24-21.
 
Frostburg's defense locked in at the start of the fourth quarter, holding New Haven to a pair of three-and-outs. When FSU got the ball back, the pairing of Aaron and sophomore Owen Doyle left their respective marks on the Charger defense. The former broke through on a fourth-and-six for 23 yards to keep the drive alive, while the latter had 28 yards of rushing on his own. As the Bobcats knocked on New Haven's end zone door, the hosts shut up shop, forcing Koontz to his first field goal make of the season, tying things at 24-24.
 
FSU would have a chance to win in the final minute, as Menard couldn't find his intended target Holmes on a fourth-and-five gave the ball to the Bobcats. A laser down the sideline from Walker was hauled in by Gibson to set Frostburg up inside Charger territory. As time ticked down, Koontz aimed for the win with his leg, but the effort from 40 yards out drifted agonizingly wide left, taking the contest to overtime.
 
The Bobcats started with the ball, getting to the NHU six-yard line, and this time Koontz knocked through the 23-yard chip shot to hand FSU their first lead of the night at 27-24. New Haven started with a three-yard run, followed by back-to-back incompletions, the latter of which was knocked down at the line by junior Leonard Scott, putting the Chargers in a fourth-and-seven situation. An offside flag gave NHU five more yards, but rather than try to tie with a field goal, decided to go for it. The pass was swung out to Christopher Ais in the flat, as sophomore Anthony Smith made a huge open-field tackle one yard shy of the first down marker, sealing the Bobcat victory.
 
Walker was 20-of-32 on the night for 256 yards and a touchdown, while Aaron led FSU's 173 total rushing yards with a team-high 71. Gibson and Brown combined for 187 yards receiving on nine catches, with Gibson getting the TD catch. Street flew around the field, making a team-high seven tackles to go with his interception, while Scott had Frostburg's lone sack, as well as another tackle for loss.
 
With the win, FSU starts the year 1-0, while New Haven begins 0-1. The Bobcats stay on the road for their MEC opener against Wheeling on Saturday, September 9 at 1 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.