FROSTBURG, MD - Visiting Hartwick put up a late rally but it fell just short as the Hawks were defeated by host Frostburg State 35-28 on Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Stadium. The Bobcats improve to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the Empire 8 while Hartwick falls to 2-7 overall and 0-6 in the Empire 8.
Senior quarterback Dan Brainard (Owego, NY/Owego) completed 20 passes out of 30 attempts for 275 yards and three touchdowns for Hartwick. Senior wide receiver Jordan Wilkins (Portsmouth, NH/Hyde School) made five catches for 109 yards with one touchdown and sophomore receiver Chris Hoose (Leeds, NY/Cairo-Durham) made four catches for 40 yards and one touchdown. Senior running back Anthony Casimano (Gansevoort, NY/Schuylerville) ran for 93 yards on 13 attempts with one score.
For Frostburg, quarterback Josh Volpe was 25 for 29 passing for 249 yards and one TD. He also rushed for a touchdown. JD Hook ran for 208 yards and one score and Garfield Lampkin had 12 rushes for 51 yards and two touchdowns. On the receiving end, Anthony Young caught 12 balls for 116 yards and Antonio Wood had five catches for 38 yards and one score.
It was Hartwick who struck first in the game as they scored on their opening possession on an eight play, 60 yard drive capped by Casimano's 11 yard scamper into the end zone. Brainard completed three of four passes on the drive and also rushed for nine yards to lead the Hawks to the opening score.
The Bobcats would answer back on their first drive on a 10 play, 77 yard drive that was capped by Hook's five yard touchdown run that evened the score at 7-7. Hook had a big third down conversion when he broke a 29 yard run to move into Hartwick territory.
The game would remain tied going into the second quarter and Frostburg began the quarter with the ball on Hartwick's 17 yard line and cashed in for the score on Lampkin's one yard run to take the 14-7 lead.
After the Hawks punted on their next possession, the Bobcats responded with another touchdown as Volpe found Wood in the corner of the end zone to increase Frostburg's lead to 21-7.
The Hawks took the ensuing kickoff and drove inside Frostburg territory with a 10 play 69 yard drive that was highlighted by Brainerd's 41-yard completion to Wilkins to the Bobcat's 13-yard line. The drive was for naught, however, as sophomore Alex Tesoriero's (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) 28-yard field goal was blocked and recovered by Frostburg's Paul Johnson. The Bobcats looked to increase their lead as they drove all the way to Hartwick's 24 yard line but Jonathan Adams' 41 yard field goal attempt with time expiring missed wide left.
The Bobcats started the second half with possession on their own 28 yard line and drove 72 yards that ended with Lampkin's two yard rush to pay dirt and with the extra point, Frostburg took a 28-7 lead.
Hartwick would respond immediately on the ensuing possession as Brainard hit freshman Trevor Ellam (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) with a huge 60 yard touchdown pass to close the gap to 28-14.
Frostburg again pushed possession into Hartwick territory and were looking to put the game away but receiver Cory Shank was stripped of the ball by Hartwick's Clyde Miller (Rochester, NY/Glenville) and it was recovered by Dexter Lawrence (Yonkers, NY/Cardinal Spellman) to give the Hawks the ball back. Hartwick capitalized on the turnover as Brainerd hit Wilkins for a 27 yard score to put the Hawks to within one touchdown of tying the game at 28-21.
After Frostburg answered with Volpe's one yard touchdown to go up by two scores, Brainard would lead the Hawks back as he threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time a 24 yard strike to Hoose to make the game 35-28 with 8:51 left in the game.
The Bobcats received the ensuing kickoff and made five first downs to run out the clock and hang on for the victory.
Junior Bryan Schweitzer (Babylon, NY/Babylon) made a game high 15 tackles for Hartwick. Miller added 13 tackles and also forced a fumble. Anthony Chase and Marcus Willson both had eight tackles to lead Frostburg.
The Hawks return home for their final game of the season next Saturday as they will host St. John Fisher at 4 p.m.
Hawks Rally But Fall at Frostburg
/seasons/2011/boxscores/20111105_eksf.xml
2011
Hartwick
28
Frostburg State
35
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartwick (2-7) | 7 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
| Frostburg State (4-5) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
Nov 05, 2011