FROSTBURG — After two lightning delays and about five hours from opening kickoff to final whistle, Frostburg State left Bobcat Stadium with a 54-21 victory over Concord on Saturday.
The Bobcats (3-0, 2-0 Mountain East Conference) played arguably its most complete game of the season.
“Football’s a 60-minute game, you were disappointed in how we played for five minutes,” FSU head coach Eric Wagoner said.
The story of the game for Frostburg was the success of its defense, especially the front seven.
The Bobcats held the Mountain Lions (0-3, 0-1 MEC) to 17 yards in the first quarter.
Frostburg recorded three sacks in the quarter and held Concord to minus 17 rushing yards.
“We knew they wanted to run the ball, we kind of took that away,” Wagoner said. “We had nine sacks, that’ll take your rushing yards way back.”
After punting on its first drive, the Bobcats drove 61 yards in six plays.
The majority came on a first down play when Myles Fulton rolled right and went deep to Jordan Marucci for a 44-yard completion down to Concord’s three.
Owen Doyle punched it in on the next play. FSU then lined up in a muddle huddle where the holder Sam Dominguez flipped the ball to defensive end Yasir Holmes.
Holmes tried to pass, but it fell incomplete to keep the score 6-0.
Late in the first quarter, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a punt on the Mountain Lions gave the Bobcats possession at Concord’s 29.
A completion from Fulton to Amari N’namdi-Hall ended the quarter with FSU facing first and goal at the five.
Two plays into the second quarter, Sean Aaron scored from the two.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jeremiah Valdrey returned it 92 yards for a score.
“I probably won’t sleep tonight knowing we gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown,” Wagoner said. “I thought we had enough team speed.”
After a quick FSU drive, the Mountain Lions drove down to the Bobcat 12 after a late hit out of bounds by Frostburg.
Blayne Ferguson found Jake Roberts in the left corner of the end zone to give the Mountain Lions a 14-13 lead.
Concord went for a surprise onside kick and recovered, but another defensive stop gave the Bobcats the football.
Taking over midway through the second, FSU capped off a 12-play, 80-yard drive.
Fort Hill graduate Blake White caught a four-yard pass from Fulton in the flat to give Frostburg a 20-14 halftime lead.
“It’s something we put in this week,” White said. “Out of the same formation I had a touchdown called back in week one. So we knew getting down there, they’d probably be in cover zero. Knew that if the protection held up, it was gonna be a touchdown.”
It was White’s first collegiate touchdown after he switched from linebacker to running back before the season.
In White’s senior year as a Sentinel, he was the area Player of the Year after scoring 22 touchdowns with 1,390 yards of offense.
At halftime, the Bobcat defense held Concord to 54 total yards with minus two rushing.
FSU’s offense combined for 202 yards with 122 through the air.
Just before the start of the second half, a lightning delay lasted about 45 minutes.
Once play resumed, the Bobcats added 17 points in the third quarter.
Doyle scored from five yards out less than two minutes in.
Midway through, Fulton connected with Trashaun Timmons on a 16-yard pass.
Late in the quarter, Brandon Keen knocked through a 42-yard field goal.
After Keen’s field goal, another lightning delay lasted nearly an hour.
In the fourth quarter, leading 37-14, FSU ran a fake punt with safety Wylan Harich getting a direct snap.
“I didn’t wanna give the ball back to them,” Wagoner said. “Didn’t want them to go down and get a little momentum going. We had the look, we talked to Wylan, if we got this look, we know we got it.”
He took off for 50 yards down to the Mountain Lion five, setting up Doyle’s third touchdown of the game.
Doyle led the Bobcats with 99 yards on 19 carries and three scores.
“He’s hard to tackle, things with backs is, one will get hot, one will be cold,” Wagoner said. “Owen’s ran the ball well, but we know we got guys like Sean and Andre Smith waiting in the wings.”
About four minutes later, Concord lined up to punt.
The snap went under the punter’s legs and scooted across the turf about 40 yards backwards.
Kisaye Barnes was there for a scoop-and-score from five yards out.
Midway through, a wide receiver screen from Kameron Howard to JQ Brown went for 55 yards and a Concord touchdown.
Keen ended the scoring with a 36-yard field goal with about two minutes left.
Frostburg combined for 393 yards of offense including 205 on the ground.
It’s the fifth-most in a single game, and the most since 2002.
The Bobcat defense finished with nine sacks, tied for second-best in a single game, that lost 87 yards.
Seven players were credited with at least one full sack, while three others were given a half sack.
Leonard Scott led Frostburg with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
He was one of seven Bobcats with a full tackle for loss, on a unit who combined for 12 tackles for loss.
FSU held Concord to 155 total yards including minus 62 on the ground.
“We just had a great week of practice,” Scott said. “We emphasized getting to the ball. Just bringing effort every single play, that was about it.”
Three other area players also got playing time. Jeffrey McKenzie (Mountain Ridge) recorded four tackles and recovered a fumble.
William Barbe (Keyser) and Zach Michael (Allegany) also made their collegiate debuts.
Michael was a unanimous first-team All-Area selection last fall, leading the area with 10 touchdown receptions.
Barbe earned first-team All-Potomac Valley conference honors in 2022.
Frostburg heads to Mercyhurst, Pennsylvania, on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Lakers (1-3) went from Division II to the FCS this season.
It will be the first Division I opponent for the Bobcats since 2007.
White will be among several Bobcats playing their first Division I foe, he began his college career at Towson, but didn’t play due to a shoulder injury.
“I’m excited to play that level of competition again,” White said. “Unfortunately, things didn’t work out down there. But I’m happy with my choice to come back here. I don’t think I would’ve been happier anywhere else.”