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Offense lacking as Shepherd is beaten by East Stroudsburg

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Nov 15, 2024

Barrick

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Football fever has regained its grip on East Stroudsburg University. Winning its sixth straight game of this one-loss season and beating Shepherd university for the first time since 2002, has the Warriors on the cusp of a second consecutive national playoff berth.

Saturday’s methodical 28-7 win over the Rams extended the Warriors record to 9-1 and hobbled Shepherd with three consecutive losses and stagnate with a 5-5 record with only a season-ending date at Seton Hill (now 3-7) left to complete the season.

The Rams could generate only 215 yards of total offense in their latest loss. Shepherd managed just 2.8 yards per rush and 6.8 yards per pass reception in the PSAC East Division game. The Warriors had 322 yards of total offense and had a 14-0 lead after scoring on early-game drives of 70 and 89 yards.

Individually for the Warriors, receiver Evan Roche had two scoring pass receptions from quarterback Jeff McTaggart. One of Roche’s TD catches was a highlight reel juggling act on the sidelines that had to be reviewed by the officials who eventually overruled the on-field call, which had been that the pass was incomplete.

The Warriors’ early TDs allowed it to carry a 14-0 lead into the halftime intermission where the large and talented East Stroudsburg band entertained the crowd. Shepherd then counted its lone TD of the afternoon, when Barry Hill took a short swing pass in his backfield and carried it in for a score.

Hill

It was still a one-touchdown difference when the third period ended — but not for long.

After a fair catch of a Ryan Barrick punt on their own 22, the Warriors went 78 yards in abrupt order with Roche finally making his acrobatic catch along the sidelines that brought the Warriors a 21-7 lead.

Barrick’s lost fumble when in punt formation at his own 14 led directly to the game’s final points.

Lek Powell’s lost fumble in the game’s waning moments really meant little . . . but could have been the game’s signature picture of how Shepherd had done.

Mason Smith with 12 tackles and Terrell Reynolds, who forced two of Shepherd’s five fumbles and had a sack, were East Stroudsburg’s defensive leaders.

Powell

Shepherd goes to Seton Hill tomorrow trying to avoid its first losing season since back in 2003.

East Stroudsburg finishes at Clarion and then awaits another assignment in the Super Region One playoff fun.