The bloom may be off the rose in Manchester.

Now, the grinding reality of Northeastern's inaugural football season has set in.

If the Bobcats hope to win for a second time in 2008, they'll need better performances than the one served up Friday night against formerly winless YAIAA Division II rival Susquehannock.

The visiting Warriors scored two touchdowns in a 20-second span early in the first quarter to jump all over the Bobcats and win going away, 35-0, in Northeastern's first divisional football clash.

Susquehannock -- 51-point losers at home a week ago -- nearly had as many first downs in the opening half (15) as Northeastern had offensive snaps (19).

It was a struggle for the Bobcats (1-3, 0-1 Div. II ) to move to football all night. Quarterback Roger Eaton got banged up during the first half and completed just 5 of 16 passes, while Northeastern as a whole managed just 58 yards of net offense.

For Warriors head coach Tom Waranavage, getting his squad into the win column was big, no matter who the opponent.

"Our kids needed this win for this, that and the other thing," Waranavage said, "but we've got a lot of work to do. ... it showed that we can do some things. You don't sound real bright when you say this, but we've done some good things against three really good football teams the last three weeks. But it hasn't been enough to beat those teams."

Friday night, the Warriors finally took advantage to full throttle. The game

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opened with an effective eight-play, 66-yard drive capped off by Toby Bonitz's 22-yard rumble around right end for the touchdown.

Then Susquehannock (1-3, 1-0) was the recipient of some good fortune, knocking the football loose on the ensuing kickoff and recovering it at the Bobcat 35. Two quick plays later, quarterback Patrick Miller hooked up with Dakota Heath on a 15-yard strike for a score.

Twenty seconds separated the touchdowns.

"All of a sudden you become shell-shocked on the other sideline," Waranavage said. "Hey, it happened to us last week (in a 61-10 drubbing by William Penn). It's tough to keep your kids in it mentally sometimes. But I really thought the Northeastern kids settled down nicely after that."

Bonitz scored three times -- two on the ground and one through the air, on the final snap of the first half. He finished with 81 yards rushing.

The Bobcats just couldn't move the football with any effectiveness. Four three-and-outs and one possession of seven plays later, the hosts found themselves down 28-0 at the break.

Susquehannock had its best drive of the season to close out the first half -- a massive 18-play, 93-yard march that culminated in Miller finding Bonitz from a yard out with one tick showing on the clock.

 
Susquehannock  21    7    7    0 -- 35
Northeastern    0    0    0    0 --   0

First Quarter
   Sus -- Toby Bonitz 22 run (Micah Collins kick), 9:08
   Sus -- Dakota Heath 15 pass from Patrick Miller (Collins kick), 8:48
   Sus -- Bonitz 27 run (Collins kick), 2:38
Second Quarter
   Sus -- Bonitz 1 pass from Miller (Collins kick), :01
Third Quarter
   Sus -- Miller 7 run (Collins kick), 2:01
 
-- Sus -- Ne
First downs -- 20 -- 5
Rushes-yards -- 49-321 -- 16-14
Passing -- 7-17-0 -- 5-16-0
Passing yards -- 76 -- 44
Total yards -- 397 -- 58
Punts -- 1-40 -- 6-33.3
Fumbles-lost -- 4-3 -- 2-1
Penalties-yards -- 3-20 -- 2-10

 
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
   Rushing -- Susquehannock, Toby Bonitz 13-81, Drew Crane 9-67, Jordan Robinson 11-62, Brad Vecere 9-41, Patrick Miller 4-34, Dakota Heath 1-20, Tyler Ward 1-11, Josh Rakvin 1-5; Northeastern, Justin Michalak 3-17, Juan Martinez 2-6, Shawn Hansel 1-3, Aaron Greene 1-1, Josh Writer 1-(-1), Brian Hunter 3-(-6), Roger Eaton 5-(-6).
   Passing -- Susquehannock, Patrick Miller 7-15-0-76, Matt Olphin 0-2-0-0; Northeastern, Roger Eaton 5-16-0-44, Josh Writer 0-0-0-0.
   Receiving -- Susquehannock, Brandon Jones 2-28, Dakota Heath 2-26, Jordan Robinson 1-12, Brad Vecere 1-9, Toby Bonitz 1-1; Northeastern, Patrick Hilbert 2-33, Dom Kinsler 1-13, Justin Michalak 1-4, Brian Hunter 1-(-6).