Bobcats

Frostburg State has never made the NCAA Division III football playoffs. But if the second half of the season goes like the first, the Bobcats could make history.Saturday in its homecoming game, Frostburg turned in perhaps its most impressive performance of the fall. Facing a fine Trenton State team that had surrendered barely 200 yards a game, the Bobcats dismantled the Lions with a 27-point first half en route to a 27-16 victory and 5-0 record.Unlike the Bobcats' victory over Salisbury State two weeks ago, in which the offense needed two quarters to get warmed up, they jumped on Trenton State early, scoring on their first two possessions.

The ponytails are saved.Every starter on Bel Air's field hockey team will still sport a ponytail next week, thanks to Wednesday's 1-0victory over archrival C. Milton Wright.Early in the season, Bel Air coach Phyllis Hemmes jokingly gave the Bobcats a little incentive to keep their winning streak alive. TheBobcats have never lost to the Mustangs in the 12-year history of their rivalry."I told the kids they'd all have to get haircuts if they lost to C. Milton Wright. I have the ponytail brigade," said Hemmes, the Bobcats' coach for 20 years.

Bel Air's field hockey team saw enough strange plays Friday against Glenelg to last an entire season.The Bobcats lost a potential goal on an apparently missed call by the officials and gained a goal on a fluke. Some would say they came up even. Others would say they came up one short.Either way, the game ended in a 3-2 victory for Glenelg, ranked No. 10 in The Sun's Top 10 field hockey poll.Unranked Bel Air (1-1) tied the game 1-1 briefly in the second quarter, but the Bobcats never led. Two and a half minutes after the Bobcats pulled even, the Gladiators (2-0)

Bel Air coach Bruce Riley said quarterback Adam Rafalski is a master of improvisation, always able to think on the run. Last night against Edgewood, the young signal-caller showed why he deserves such praise.Despite being sacked four times, Rafalski ran for 66 yards -- including a 24-yard touchdown and two-point conversion -- in leading the No. 6-ranked Bobcats to a 15-0 win over host Edgewood in a Harford County League game."He's great at reading holes. He's good at making cuts and great at making decisions," said Riley.

Coach: Bruce Riley, second season.Assistants: Joe Alex, Ed Herbold.Last year's record: 9-3.Starters lost: 5.Top returnees: Greg Martin, jr., A; Jeff Forbes, sr., A; Justin Zimmerman, sr., M; Jon Snyder, sr., D; Bill Steelman, sr., G; Kent Doyle, A, sr., Kevin Lassahn, sr., M; Tim Walter, sr., M; Adam Milanoski, sr., D.Newcomers: Rob Smallwood, jr., M; Kevin Vail, sr., D; Tom Jones, sr., D; Harry Watson, jr., M; Corey McLaughlin, jr., M.Coach's outlook: We...

Field hockey is not usually a game of inches, but Linganore needed only about two inches to eliminate No. 8 Bel Air from the state playoffs yesterday.Early in the second half, Linganore wing Amethyst Tymoch shot a ball that cleared the goal line by about two inches. That was all the third-seeded Lancers would need for a 1-0 victory in a state Class 3A semifinal at Goucher College."The ball barely went over the line," said Bel Air link Carrie Carpenter. "Our halfback, Renee Polek, stopped it, but it was just over the line.

Phyllis Hemmes sets the same goal for every Bel Air team she coaches: improve last season's record by a single victory.If the Bobcats' field hockey team boosts its record from last year's 12-1-2, it just might win a state title.But the Bobcats say Hemmes does not have to put that kind of pressure on her team. They put it on themselves.After reaching the state Class 3A semifinals last year, the Bobcats know what they want this time around."We want to win every game," said third-year starter Marjie Wasson.

Coach: Gene Blizzard, first year.Assistants: Don Vail, Joe Alex.Last year's record: 3-7.Returnees: Justin Alex (sr., FB, LB),Kier Thompson (jr., RB), Andy Glenn (jr. OT, DT), Matt Dupree (jr., OT, DT), Ryan Rafalski (sr., QB), Jeremy Smith (sr., DB), Tom Rose (TE, DE), Brett Scheideman (sr., OG, DG), Brian Hazlett (sr., C, DG), Dean Emig (sr., OE, DE), Sean Smith (sr., FB, DB), Corey McLaughlin (sr., DB), James Wasilewski (sr., OE, DE), Dan Kolb (sr., QB, DB), SeanMcGraw (sr., OT/G), James Fairall (sr., DB)

SALISBURY -- Coming into yesterday's annual cross-state clash at Salisbury State, Frostburg State packed the credentials of a team that should have won with relative ease.The Sea Gulls, however, weren't buying it. First, they played the bigger, quicker Bobcats to a draw in the first half by attacking them with gang-tackling defense, while the Bobcats compounded their frustration with a rash of penalties. Then, Salisbury State stunned the Bobcats by taking a 14-7 lead early in the third period, when Randall Owens caught a deflected pass from Len Annetta (24-for-48, 252 yards)

During his 31 years of coaching, Bel Air's Bill Jefferson has learned to schedule tough opponents early if his team is to play tougher in November.His strategy paid off with last night's 1-0 victory over visiting Kenwood (11-2-2) for the Class 3A North region title.Joe Matta scored his fifth goal of the year in the 14th minute off an assist from Chris White. White's pass came from along the near-side touchline to Matta at near-post. Keeper Rob Hudnet (eight saves, 10 shutouts) was screened.