NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College football team evened its record to 4-4 on the season with a 34-30 non-conference home win over Frostburg State (2-6) Saturday at Harold Burry Stadium.
Westminster scored touchdowns on its first five possessions, while the Bobcats reached pay dirt on their first three drives.
Sophomore tailback Nick McKolosky (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) set a new career high with 156 rushing yards and tied his career high with 28 carries. McKolosky also scored the first two Westminster touchdowns in the first quarter, the first on a 4-yard run and the second on a 15-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Kevin Franz (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson).
Franz completed 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He also threw a pair of touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Brett Ziegler (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) on a 36-yarder in the second quarter and a 28-yard reception in the third quarter, which gave the Titans a 34-23 lead.
Ziegler, who caught five passes for 99 yards, is now ranked third all-time in school history with 126 career receptions. Ziegler is 14 receptions away from the record with two games remaining in the season.
Freshman fullback Jacob Shaffer (Elmora, Pa./Cambria Heights) scored the other Westminster touchdown, giving the Titans a 27-20 lead just before halftime.
Frostburg State (2-6) nearly rallied back from the 11-point third quarter deficit when Derek Saunders scored on a 52-yard interception return, but with the Bobcats, facing a four-point spread, then fumbled, punted and turned the ball over on down for their final three possessions.
The Titan defense keyed in stopping the Bobcats, as junior linebacker Scott Brucker (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) forced a fumble that was recovered by freshman linebacker Adam Falkowski (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) in the fourth quarter with the Bobcats driving on the Titan 29-yard line. Falkowski, who finished the game with eight tackles, also stopped quarterback Andre Dixon on fourth down short of the first-down mark on the Bobcat 34-yard line during Frostburg's final drive in the fourth quarter with one minute remaining.
Westminster out-gained the Bobcats in total yards, 402-319. Wade Anton led the Bobcats with 80 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Dixon completed 14 of 27 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior defensive lineman Matt Jaworski (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) led the Titans with nine tackles, while senior cornerback Eric Brown (Youngstown, Ohio/Rayen) made five tackles and led the Titans with two pass break-ups.
Westminster returns to conference play when they host their final home game of the season against Thiel Saturday, Nov. 3, at 1:30 p.m.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 366 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."
Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.
