FROSTBURG, Md. – For the second-consecutive week, the 16th-ranked Frostburg football team toppled a handful of long-standing program records as the Bobcats rolled to a 62-3 Homecoming win over Montclair, Saturday.
The win pushes FSU to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the NJAC and the victory is the fourth-straight on Homecoming.
The Bobcats scored in all three phases on Saturday on their way to 62 points, the third-highest single game total. The 59-point win is also the largest margin of victory in program history as the previous record was set in 1997 when that Bobcat squad defeated Greensboro 60-3.
It marks just the fourth time that a Bobcat team has scored 60 or more points in a contest. A week ago, Frostburg came up just shy as it defeated William Paterson 59-7.
In the win over the Red Hawks (3-4, 3-3), Frostburg amassed 518 yards in total offense, while the defense allowed just 178 yards and three points. FSU forced Montclair to punt nine times, stopped the Red Hawks on fourth down on their opening drive, picked off a pass midway through the second quarter and returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown to open the second half.
The Bobcat special teams also factored in the scoring when first-year linebacker Jake Broschart blocked a punt and returned it 22 yards for a late first-quarter score. Early in the third, sophomore linebacker Monte Jones sacked John Apicella and the ball came loose. First-year defensive lineman Zach Strand picked up the ball and raced 75 yards for the score and a 41-3 advantage.
The Bobcats made 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage and held Montclair to negative yardage on four drives. Frostburg also sacked the Red Hawks six times and broke up six passes.
For the second consecutive week, the Bobcats finished with eight touchdowns and four of those scoring drives were longer than 70 yards.
The Bobcats passed for 295 yards on just 12 completions and the FSU ground attack rushed for 223 yards on 38 carries.
Junior Connor Cox and sophomore Malik Morris found a pair of early connections for a quick 14-0 lead. On Frostburg's first drive, Cox connected with Morris for a 72-yard touchdown toss, while on the second drive, the duo hooked up for a 46-yard scoring toss. The second drive was the longest of the afternoon for the hosts as it covered 93 yards on just six plays.
Senior Hassan Mostafa hit field goals of 26 ad 27 yards and Cox found junior Sergio Andino for an 18-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left in the second quarter as Frostburg led 34-3 at halftime.
Strand's 75-yard return opened the second half before Cox tossed his fourth touchdown of the afternoon to close the third. He found Andino for the second time with a 17-yard pass for a 48-3 lead.
In the fourth, the Bobcats tacked on a pair of rushing touchdowns. Sophomore Gavin Lavat rumbled his way in from nine yards out and first-year running back Aizsha Horne capped the afternoon with a seven-yard scoring run with 7:01 to play for a 62-3 edge.
Cox finished with all 295 yards through the air and he tossed four touchdowns for the second-straight game. Morris hauled in a career-best 138 yards on four receptions with two scores, while Andino caught three passes for 61 yards and his two scores.
Lavat led the team in rushing for the second time this season as he finished with 101 yards on nine carries, an 11.2 yard per run average. Horne averaged 11.5 yards per carry as he carried the ball twice for 23 yards and a score.
Senior Dante Chinnery and junior Josh Scales each finished with a team-high nine tackles. Chinnery contributed two tackles for loss and two break ups, while Scales added two TFLs. Senior Niles Scott led the way with two sacks.
Notes: DeLane Fitzgerald is now 4-0 in Homecoming games at the helm of the Bobcats … The win is the third against Montclair in the eight-game series … The Bobcats have won eight of their past nine home games.