Frostburg State University Athletics

WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Football team fell 30-24 in overtime on the road to West Liberty on Saturday afternoon.
 
WLU received the opening kick-off and had a quick first drive, with two runs going for six yards before junior linebacker Kurt Thomas jumped a passing route for an interception to set FSU up in great field position. On the first play, junior Jordan Brooks found classmate Tra'Shaun Timmons for 21 yards down the sideline all the way to the Hilltopper five-yard line. West Liberty's defense was able to hold firm from that point, shutting down a pair of runs and breaking up a would-be touchdown pass, leaving the Bobcats to settle for a 22-yard field goal from sophomore Tyler Cook.
 
Looking to keep up the momentum, WLU took the resulting kick-off back 66 yards all the way down to the Frostburg 34. This time it would be FSU's defense to lock in, allowing just one yard over four plays to force a turnover on downs. Junior KJ Smothers took the first play 17 yards looking to get into Hilltopper territory, however a sack and a holding call meant the drive came to a halt and forced a punt.
 
As West Liberty's resulting drive came to 3^rd-and-8, senior Trevor Watts and freshman Tru Wooten combined on a sack to force a punt, however the Bobcats then had a turnover on downs to get the ball back to the hosts at the end of the first quarter. After WLU gained a pair of first downs, junior Zack Isaac came up with a huge play, getting a strip sack of quarterback Kohl Meisman and recovering the ball himself.
 
FSU earned a first down on a graduate Owen Doyle 10-yard run, however three plays resulted in a yard lost, as Cook's 41-yard attempt was blocked. The Hilltoppers made the most of that momentum, as running back Hunter Patterson broke through for a 30-yard gain before Meisman found Levi Gullion on a screen to the house to take a 7-3 lead.
 
Both teams traded punts in their next chance at offense, with a short WLU kick setting the Bobcats up at their own 43. On the first play, Brooks tossed a screen to the right side for Timmons, who made a man miss and scampered all the way in for a 57-yard score and a 10-7 advantage.
 
After graduate Rainer Halveland recorded a sack and sophomore Jason Adams broke up a pass to force a West Liberty punt, the ball hit a Frostburg player and was recovered by WLU with just 32 seconds left in the half. Unable to get a first down, a false start put them back five yards, which made a difference as Aidan Grella's 49-yard field goal fell just short to allow the Bobcats to hold onto their lead at the half.
 
Frostburg was set to receive the opening kick-off, however the Hilltoppers created some trickery, as Grella got an onside kick into his team's hands. West Liberty wasn't able to take advantage of the free possession, however, as FSU came up with a stop on 3^rd-and-9 for a punt, which was placed all the way down to the four-yard line by Hayden Pack.
 
Smothers helped get the Bobcats some breathing room, as he ran 34 yards through the left side before Brooks found junior Ray Adames for 10 yards to get to midfield. A pair of WLU penalties got FSU all the way into the red zone, where junior Amirr Coles came on an end-around to roll in from five yards out for a 17-7 lead.
 
West Liberty wasted little time getting back into the game, as Patterson took the ball 37 yards on his first carry, with Meisman the finding Gullion for 17 yards and Jaylin Harcum for a four-yard touchdown to get right back within three. Frostburg was forced to punt after getting a first down, giving the Hilltoppers the ball to begin the fourth quarter.
 
The Bobcats looked to get a stop on 3^rd-and-2, however Patterson had other ideas, going 36 yards through the right side and finding pay dirt for a 21-17 advantage. FSU was able to get a chunk play with Brooks finding Timmons for 22 yards, then Smothers converted a 3^rd-and-3 with a 17-yard carry. Having gotten all the way down to the WLU 12-yard line, Frostburg decided to go for it on 4^th-and-3, where Brooks was pressured and his shovel attempt was broken up before reaching junior Max Heineman for a turnover on downs.
 
FSU's defense held firm on the resulting drive, as junior Tristin Forby came up with a huge tackle to stop Patterson for a loss on 3^rd-and-2 for a punt. Neither team could get anything going in back-to-back punts, with Frostburg getting the ball on their own 47. Brooks had passes to sophomore Caleb Barnes and Adames for gains of 11 and 9, respectively, then Smothers took a third down run to the house from 33 yards out for a 24-21 lead.
 
Needing to move the ball quickly, Meisman found Trey Singleton for 19 yards on their first play, then a 19-yard screen pass to Patterson was followed by a personal foul, putting the ball all the way down to the Bobcat nine-yard line. Forby and senior Will Burns came up with a pair of pass break-ups as West Liberty looked to take a late lead, bringing Grella on to knock through from 26 yards and a 24-24 tie at the end of regulation.
 
FSU started overtime on offense, as WLU stood up a pair of runs before coming up with an interception by Seamus Mahon, meaning any score on their offense would give them the win. Patterson's number was called on three consecutive carries, eventually breaking through from 12 yards out to seal the 30-24 victory.
 
Brooks finished 16-of-26 for 181 yards and two touchdowns, as Timmons was his favorite target with five catches for 104 yards and a score. Smothers toted the ball 17 times for 116 yards and a TD, with Doyle adding 47 on the ground. Forby played everywhere on defense, leading the team with eight tackles, including two for loss, while also breaking up a pass.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 1-2 on the year, while West Liberty improves to 3-1. FSU will next return home to face West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, September 26 at 1 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.