September 17th, 2023 by WCBC Radio
Frostburg State Football team remained undefeated after taking care of West Liberty in their home opener, defeating the Hilltoppers 37-7 on Saturday afternoon.
Frostburg received the ball first, with senior Graham Walker completing three passes down the stretch, leading to a four yard rush up the middle by redshirt freshman Owen Doyle that would put the Bobcats on the board on their first drive. Senior Dayne Koontz started his day off strong, knocking the extra point through the uprights for an early 7-0 FSU lead less than five minutes into the game.
FSU's defense came ready to play in their first action of the day, causing West Liberty to go three and out on their first drive. Frostburg put up three more points on their next possession, as Koontz kicked a 30-yard field goal, making the game 10-0. The Bobcats defense continued to deny WLU, as junior Jeremiah Baxter broke up a pass and completed a tackle, followed by graduate Michael Morgan and junior Delonta Butler combining for a sack that caused the Hilltoppers to move back six yards. Junior Leonard Scott continued the pressure, hurrying WLU's QB Rudy Garcia and causing an incomplete pass. Morgan then teamed up with junior Rashaan Simpson for another sack, causing the Hilltoppers to lose nine yards and turn the ball over to the Bobcats, to keep the score 10-0 heading into the second.
With their first possession of the second quarter, Walker completed a short pass to sophomore Jeremiah Gibson for a quick seven yards. After a pass interference call gave FSU better field position, Walker was able to run the ball 11 yards into the endzone for another Frostburg touchdown, setting Koontz up for a kick and a 17-0 score. The Bobcat defense stepped up again, as freshman Will Burns intercepted a pass, giving FSU back the ball with 11:12 left to go in the half. Frostburg was unable to capitalize on the turnover, however, giving the ball back to West Liberty. After a quick drive from the Hilltoppers, FSU regained possession, which after a couple of short-yardage plays, Doyle sprinted 35 yards up the field for another Frostburg touchdown. Koontz again tacked on the extra point, as the Bobcats took a 24-0 lead with just over six minutes left in the half.
On the Hilltoppers next drive, junior Colby Street showed his hands on defense, breaking up a pass, as Butler, Scott, and junior Vincent Nwachi were all credited with quarterback hurries, keeping the game 24-0 in favor of FSU at the break.
West Liberty started the third quarter with possession, as the aggressive defensive momentum continued for the Bobcats, with Scott forcing a fumble that ended up in the hands of Baxter, giving FSU the ball. After just two plays, Walker threw an interception into the hands of a WLU defensive lineman, giving the ball right back to the visitors. West Liberty was able to capitalize and score their first touchdown of the game to bring the game to 24-7.
FSU took over heading into the fourth, as Walker found sophomore Amari N'namdi-Hall for a key third down pass of 18 yards, putting the Bobcats on West Liberty's 48. Doyle proceeded to rush for 18 yards, setting up sophomore Sean Aaron for a 12 yard rush down the middle and into the endzone for another Frostburg touchdown, bringing the game to 30-7. Once again, the defense of FSU stepped up, as Street picked off a pass on the Hilltoppers' next drive. The Bobcats kept their foot on the gas, as junior Devin Thompson was sent for a 20-yard rush into the endzone, setting Koontz up for another successful extra point, all for a score of 37-7 with 8:36 left to go.
FSU did not back down on defense with time winding down, as they continued to apply pressure to the West Liberty offense and earn a fourth-down stop on their own one-yard line. With just over four minutes left in regulation, FSU was able to seal the 37-7 victory by running out the clock and maintain their perfect season record.
Frostburg racked up a total of 323 yards on offense, with Walker completing 16-of-25 passes for 155 yards. The Bobcats totaled 168 yards on the ground, with Doyle leading the way on 81 yards and two touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, Baxter and Morgan each finished with four tackles, with Morgan also being credited with a sack and a half. Scott added two tackles of his own, along with a sack and a total of four quarterback hurries.
With the win, FSU improves to 3-0 on the season, while West Liberty drops to 0-3. The Bobcats are off for a week due to a gap in the schedule, as they will return to host Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday, September 30 at 1 PM. For more information, please visit forstburgsports.com.
