Ryan Beach turns upfield, after pulling in a pass from Tyson Begent on Saturday afternoon at Ram Stadium. David Pennock

SHEPHERDSTOWN — It may have been uncomfortable in the chilled temperatures and spiteful wind at Shepherd’s Ram Stadium for the football season’s regular season finale versus luckless Clarion, but many of the over 4,000 spectators had their thoughts already stanced in what was going to happen this Saturday — the first weekend of the NCAA Division II Super Region One playoffs, when seven teams would vie for post-season laurels.

Shepherd came to the Clarion game carrying the Region’s No. 2 rating and needing to focus on its annual Senior Day activities and problems the Golden Eagles might pose.

Its crammed sheet of seniors and graduate students properly served, the Rams then proceeded to stymie the Clarion offense and steamroll to 693 yards of total offense in keeping the Golden Eagles flightless with a 55-0 conference victory that settled their overall record at 10-1. The blustery afternoon’s win was Shepherd’s eighth consecutive success and left the next evening’s NCAA announcement program to become “must watch” viewing for players, coaches and staff alike.

In what had become a highly successful and commonplace statistical overview of most Shepherd games, the Rams showed 34 first downs, 496 passing yards, 82 offensive plays, only 38 yards in penalties, 127 rushing yards and 36 pass completions. Clarion managed only 66 rushing yards, 53 passing yards and seven first downs in falling to 0-10.

After scoring only once in the opening quarter, Shepherd produced 17 additional points before halftime and then had an 18-point third quarter to rollick into the last period with a 42-0 lead.

The Ram defense, anchored here by Malik Holloway (9) and Chrys Lane (10) as the Shepherd defense, held Clarion to 119 total yards at Ram Stadium Saturday afternoon. David Pennock

Ronnie Brown’s first run of the to-be-tolerated afternoon was for 15 yards and Shepherd’s first points. Hayden August-Scriven (made the conference’s Special Teams of the Week) booted a 20-yard field goal and Tyson Bagent threw 39 yards to Brown for a 17-0 cushion. Before halftime, Josh Gontarek took a nine-yard TD pass from Bagent (who was rested after four TD passes and 447 passing yards).

Later in the third period, the Rams scored on two safeties crafted against the Clarion punting unit, Ty Hebron’s short run and Bagent’s 19-yard scoring pass to Ryan Beach.

Alex Wetzel and Malakai Brown registered the last Shepherd scores.

The NCAA show announcing the playoff teams and their seeding had Shepherd gain the No. 2 seed in a field that has Kutztown (No. 1), Notre Dame (Ohio) at No. 3, New Haven at No. 4, Bentley at No. 5, Slippery Rock at No. 6 and Shepherd’s first round opponent Findlay (Ohio) at No. 7.

Findlay offers an 8-3 record and was selected to participate in the playoffs because it won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

Shepherd kicker Hayden August-Scriven is PSAC conference special teams player of the week, after scoring 10 point against Clarion at Ram Stadium Saturday afternoon. David Pennock

Followers of Rams football should remember the Oilers because they bumped Shepherd from the Super Region One playoffs in 2017 in Monte Cater’s final season as head coach of the ultra successful team.

That Shepherd team had an unblemished 10-0 record in the regular season, but was taken out of the playoffs by Findlay, which lost the next week to Assumption.

Shepherd will host tomorrow’s game with what could be an overflow crowd should the weather be in a welcoming mood.

Findlay won at Shepherd four years ago and has an offense that much prefers to use its ground offense to run past its opponents. Bullish Brian Benson had 38 carries for 244 yards and three TDs in last week’s 26-21 win over Tiffin that clinched the conference championship. The Oilers use receiver Mike Rigerman to move through the air.

Large crowd. Capable opponent. An Ohio-based team that knows colder weather. All the ingredients for a tense and close game.

The Ram Band perform “Shep Town Funk,” at Saturday’s game in Ram Stadium. Courtesy photo