For the Cumberland Times-News
SALISBURY — William Midgette ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns to seal a 34-19 Salisbury win over Frostburg State in the 11th Annual Regents Cup game Saturday afternoon in Salisbury.
FSU finishes the season 1-9 overall and 1-2 in the ACFC while SU evened its record at 5-5 and 2-1 in the conference. It’s the sixth-straight win for the Sea Gulls in the Regents Cup game and Salisbury now leads the all-time series 21-16.
Salisbury’s Randal Smedley took home the Mike McGlinchey Most Outstanding Player honor after running for a game-high 121 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. Smedley’s first touchdown with 3:02 to play in the second quarter gave Salisbury the lead for good at 13-9. Senior defensive lineman Mike Iheakanwa grabbed McGlinchey honors for the Bobcats after making six tackles and returning a fumble 61 yards for another in the third quarter to trim a Salisbury lead to 20-19.
Salisbury racked up 382 yards on 56 rushing attempts and totaled 425 yards. The Sea Gulls entered averaging 234 rushing yards a game and 328.9 yards of offense. Meanwhile, FSU put up 224 yards including 146 through the air.
The game started with a flurry of action as the first three drives resulted in points. The Bobcats took the opening kickoff and marched 67 yards on 15 plays, chewing up nearly nine minutes as freshman Zachary Beukers kicked a 20-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Salisbury scored on its first possession. The Sea Gulls moved 61 yards on eight plays and scored on quarterback Sean Kelly’s 10-yard run.
FSU answered on the game’s third drive. The Bobcats moved 67 yards for a touchdown, this time needing seven plays and 3:04 for a 9-7 lead. Sophomore quarterback Josh Volpe connected with senior wideout Avery Willie, a Salisbury transfer, for a 25-yard touchdown toss.
The Sea Gulls capitalized on an FSU interception at the Salisbury 48-yard line, moving 52 yards on seven plays, capped by Smedley’s 17-yard touchdown run.
Willie gave Frostburg State great field position on the final drive of the first half with a 32-yard kickoff return to Salisbury’s 45. Seven plays later, Beukers kicked his second field goal, a 24 yarder, as Salisbury held a 13-12 lead at halftime.
The two teams traded third quarter touchdowns as FSU trailed 20-19 heading into the fourth.
Salisbury controlled the fourth quarter, holding the ball for 10 minutes and forcing two Bobcat interceptions. Midgette scored the first touchdown at 14:29 and later sealed the victory with a six-yard touchdown run with 2:24 to play.
Sophomore Travis Blair posted a career-high 15 tackles while junior Terryl Monroe made 12 stops.
