Rams dispatch Concord, 61-21, at Homecoming
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd counted the Homecoming game’s first three touchdowns . . . and later kept Concord from scoring a touchdown in the second half to down the Mountain Lions, 61-21, before a vocal crowd of 5,231 who enjoyed the sunshine at Ram Stadium.
In between its early dominance and parade of scores in the second half, the Rams had to step aside from a missed extra point, another PAT that was blocked and returned for two Concord points, 115 yards in penalties, an apparent punt-return score that was nullified by one of the 10 penalties, a safety incurred when a snap in punt formation sailed out of the end zone and a shrinking eight-point lead at the half.
And still the Rams won by 40 points!
Dominant early. Even more dominant late when Shepherd scored the game’s last five touchdowns, the last score coming on straight-ahead runs and blocking by a group of reserves.
Shepherd’s third straight win came on a long Thursday-to-Saturday weekend, when conference rivals Fairmont and Charleston lost for the first time this season. Only Notre Dame, which defeated the Rams by two points in the season opener, remains undefeated with a 5-0 league record.
The standing-room-only crowd on the Shepherd side was treated to an opening Shepherd drive that journeyed downfield by converting every third-down situation it saw. Zyan Sturdivant scored from in close.
Ram quarterback Tyson Bagent was getting adequate time to find Ryan Feiss (12 catches and three touchdowns) and DJ Cornish, who was already having his most productive game midway through the first period.
Leading, 27-9, after Feiss’ 14-yard score with a Bagent pass, the Rams bumbled some before the half closed. Concord scored next with a 73-yard pass-run when a Shepherd defender fell in coverage. It was only a 27-19 lead when the Mountain Lions, now 1-4 overall, counted a 33-yard field goal on the half’s final play.
Shepherd literally owned the second half, outscoring the visitors, 34-2, along the way.
Feiss had two more scores and Wanya Allen made a difficult catch as Bagent’s total went to four touchdown passes.
In the end, Concord had scored five different ways, tried a variety of gadget plays, ceded 576 yards of total offense to the Rams, saw Shepherd get 29 first downs and only momentarily threaten to dampen the Homecoming enthusiasm that was apparent.
Shedding Concord’s second-quarter movement, the Rams won by 40, and then prepared for a road date at West Liberty before coming back to Ram Stadium for an Oct. 13 game against once-beaten Fairmont.