FROSTBURG, Md. – Sophomore Connor Cox threw for a career-high, sophomore Jamaal Morant ran for two touchdowns and Frostburg shutout William Paterson to the tune of 23-0, Saturday.
The Bobcats improve to 4-1 overall with their third-straight win and more importantly sit at 3-1 in the NJAC and in a five-way tie for first place in the league standings.
The offense and defensive units put up some impressive numbers as Frostburg improved to 3-0 at Bobcat Stadium this season.
The Bobcats totaled 488 yards in offense, the most in a contest since early in the 2013 season and the Bobcat defense posted the program's first shutout since the 2004 season.
And the FSU defense wasn't done there. The Bobcats allowed just 140 yards in total offense to the Pioneers (2-3, 1-3 NJAC), 38 of which came on a pass play late in the fourth quarter. The Pioneers finally cracked the 100-yard mark with a six-yard pass midway through the fourth quarter and WPU ran for just five yards on 28 carries.
In three homes games this season for the Bobcats, they are allowing just 170.6 yards in offense and have racked up 30.0 tackles for loss (128 yds.) with 6.0 sacks (51 yds.).
Against the Pioneers, seniors J.R. Lowery and William Sewell along with junior Niles Scott each registered 2.5 tackles for loss. Lowery led the way with six tackles, a sack and a recovered fumble, while Sewell matched his six tackles and added a sack and fumble that led to Frostburg's first touchdown. Scott finished with a game-high 1.5 sacks.
Meanwhile, the Frostburg offense finished with 488 yards behind a career-high 320 from Cox on 21-of-32 completions and a touchdown. Cox found eight different receivers on the afternoon, but junior Russell Neverdon was his favorite target with 158 yards on eight receptions and one score. Neverdon finished the contest with 247 all-purpose yards as he added 86 return yards.
Morant became Frostburg's first 100 yard rusher of the season with 111 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns.
His first score of the ballgame capped a two-play eight-yard drive for FSU. On third down of WPU's first drive, Sewell sacked and stripped quarterback Isaiah Diaz-Mays of the football and Lowery pounced on it at the William Paterson eight. Two four-yard runs from Morant and Frostburg led 7-0.
On Frostburg's second drive, it marched 94 yards on eight plays for a 13-0 cushion. On the first play of the drive, Cox found senior wideout Austin Bonsall for a 54-yard pitch-and-catch to the WPU 40. Later in the drive, Cox found junior wide receiver Kade Ramm for an 11-yard completion and Cox capped the scoring drive with an eight yard TD toss to Neverdon.
Frostburg added to its lead with 9:28 left in the second quarter. Senior Thomas Moore intercepted a Diaz-Mays pass at Frostburg's 31 and returned it to WPU's 36. Seven plays later, senior kicker Isaac Robinson booted a 27-yard field goal for a 16-0 Bobcat advantage.
On its ensuing possession, Frostburg scored its final points of the ballgame with 2:22 to play until halftime. The Bobcats moved 75 yards and Morant capped the drive with his second score, this time a two-yarder for a 23-0 lead. Cox and Neverdon connected on a 59-yard pass play in the middle of the drive.
Frostburg had two other chances to add to its lead. A goal line interception for William Paterson kept Frostburg from scoring just before the half and a missed field goal late in the fourth kept the final at 23-0.
The Bobcat defense forced the Pioneers to punt nine times, picked off two passes, forced a fumble on the opening series and sacked backup quarterback James Waldron for an eight-yard loss on fourth down with just over five minutes left in the fourth.
Frostburg returns to action next Saturday at TCNJ at 1:00 pm.
Bobcats Roll To Shutout Of William Paterson
/seasons/2016/boxscores/20161008_7gvv.xml
2016
William Paterson
0
Frostburg State
23
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Paterson (2-3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 24 Frostburg State (4-1) | 13 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
Oct 08, 2016