Shepherd University’s football team wins its fourth consecutive game during its Homecoming game against East Stroudsburg University on Saturday. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The final score read: Shepherd 26, East Stroudsburg 23. The conference win was Shepherd University’s fourth consecutive success and gave the streaking Rams some impetus to carry toward the season’s last three games against Shippensburg, Lock Haven and Seton Hill, all of which are now burdened with losing records.

In Saturday’s Homecoming win, Shepherd’s defense had actually blanked the Warriors through three quarters, and led into a furious fourth period where East Stroudsburg scored all 23 of its points while Shepherd added 14 of its own.

The near-flawless first half shown the old graduates by the Rams had them ahead 10-0 and playing so crisply on defense that had no penalty yards assessed against them.

Jordan Barnett was punishing the Warriors with his body-blasting runs and Malakai Brown had caught the first of his two touchdown receptions on passes thrown by Thomas Hardyway.

Barnett would complete his punishing afternoon with 27 carries and 138 yards and a score. Brown’s scores were from 11 and 29 yards out and Hardyway went 16-for-24 through the air for 179 yards.

Shepherd’s offensive line was actually the game’s most influential focal point when handing out accolades because its continually handled the Warrior defensive interior and provided Hardyway with ample pass protection. The Shepherd quarterback was never sacked.

East Stroudsburg was blanked through three quarters.

The game’s rhythm and tenure changed completely when Harrison Susi was inserted as the Warrior quarterback. The diminutive left-hander played so skillfully he reminded people of Slippery Rock’s DaOne Owens, another dancing left-hander, who had been a late-game quarterback replacement in The Rock’s overtime win over the Rams earlier in the season.

Susi ran and passed the Warriors to 23 points in the fourth period alone. He would run 12 times for 125 yards and a score and throw for 91 yards and two scores on 7-of-12 pass attempts.

The wildly entertaining fourth quarter featured points coming often enough to account for 37 total points.

Shepherd’s lead had been 26-8 with only seven minutes to play, but Susi had other ideas. He led the Warriors on late-game scoring drives of 62- and 82-yards

as East Stroudsburg rallied. The game ended with the Warriors out of timeouts and forced to try a gimmick play that had multiple laterals after a short pass completion.

Shepherd’s sturdy-for-three-quarters defense saw Makai Young credited with seven tackles and Nathan Muhle six more.

The Rams were penalized only three times for seven yards in the Homecoming success. They had 212 rushing yards and 391 yards of total offense in winning and reaching the break-even mark with a 4-4 overall record.