Bobcats Bewilder Geneva in Season Opener

The Bobcat football team took to the road on Saturday, September 5, heading north for a primetime showdown against the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes. The fury of scoring lead the Bobcats to a 52-51 outcome and 1-0 season start.

Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, greeted the Bobcats with a stormy welcome. However, the storm didn’t come from the Tornadoes on the football field, instead, it would come from a thunderstorm in the area, forcing the game to be postponed until the sky cleared. One player relieved by the delay was freshman running back Gavin Lavat. “I was a bit nervous, and jittery for my first collegiate game,” said Lavat, “The delay actually gave me a chance to calm down and take everything in.”

Before long, the storm had cleared, and it was time to kick off the regular season. After stopping the Golden Tornadoes deep in their own territory on the opening kickoff, the Bobcats notched their first score of the season. Just forty-five seconds into the game, sophomore Niles Scott dropped Geneva running back Dylan Jones in Geneva’s end zone for a defensive score in the form of a two point safety.

The Bobcats would receive the ensuing free kick, and unleashed a storm of scoring on the Tornadoes. Freshman Connor Cox took over on offense for the first time, leading the Bobcats down the field on a three-minute, six-play drive that culminated in a 16 yard pass play. Cox found senior Antonio Wood open in the end zone and launched a precision pass for the touchdown. “Connor [Cox] is a sound quarterback all around.” Says Lavat, “He has the ability to throw long passes as well as run the ball when we need him to.”

The visiting Bobcats continued to soar through the first half; scoring 26 more points in the first two quarters. The defense recorded a second safety, posting an 11-0 total. Freshman quarterback Connor Cox accounted for two additional scores: a one yard rushing score and a second touchdown through the air. Cox found junior wide out Austin Bonsall for a 16-yard touchdown on his second passing score. Freshman running back Gavin Lavat also found the end zone on the ground; a six yard score, and his first touchdown as a Bobcat. After a 33 yard field goal by junior Isaac Robinson, Frostburg’s football team sat perched atop a mountain of first half points, with a 35-0 score.

At the start of the second half, Geneva scored its first points of the game, returning an intercepted pass the length of the field for a touchdown; however Geneva continued to struggle on the offensive side of the ball. The Tornadoes’ lack of efficiency allowed Frostburg to make an impact returning punts. The Bobcats returned two punts for touchdowns in the second half, the latter of which, was a 90 yard return by senior wide receiver Myles Burgess. With the addition of one more Isaac Robinson field goal from 37 yards out, the Bobcats completed their scoring for the day. The final tally for the Bobcats was 52 total points, the second most in school history for a season opener.

Although Geneva was able to score two late touchdowns, the Tornadoes were never able to rebound from their poor first half. Isaac Robinson’s two long field goals and six extra points were enough for the NJAC to name him their Special Teams Player of the Week. With a final score of 52-21, and a record of 1-0, the Frostburg Bobcats now turn their focus back home, where they will host the number 5 ranked Wesley Wolverines. “I think our team has a great chance to beat Wesley this weekend. We have been preparing hard all week and this team is really coming together,” said freshman running back Gavin Lavat. “They put their equipment on just like we do; as long as we play to our fullest potential, we can most certainly leave Saturday with a win.”

The second week contest against Wesley is scheduled for September 12^th 12:00pm at Bobcat Stadium in Frostburg. All are encouraged to attend as the Bobcats hope to knock off their season’s first ranked opponent.