With a 35-27 win, the Shepherd Rams have started their season on the winning track and are one step closer to their goal this season to win back the WVIAC (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
Though the Shippensburg Red Raiders are a non-conference opponent, they tested the Rams on Saturday and showed Shepherd some of their own strength and weaknesses.
One of those strengths is the Rams' offense, which found several different ways to score on the sunny afternoon in Pennsylvania.
"It makes the day a lot easier, takes the pressure off me," senior quarterback Kevin Clancy said, who threw for two touchdowns on the day.
The Rams put together a sustained drive to start the first quarter and capped it off with junior wide receiver Nikkolai Norrell catching a 17 yard pass to give the Rams a seven point lead early.
Shepherd tacked on another seven points with Nate Hoyte breaking off a 46 yard run to give the Rams a 14-0 lead to end the first quarter.
"I think we're more balanced this year, so hopefully we'll present some problems to some defenses," Shepherd Coach Monte Cater said, who won his sixth straight Great Valley Classic with Saturday's win.
The Rams did get beat deep on defense, but Shepherd kept the ball in front of them for most the game, limiting the Red Raiders to 87 yards on the ground.
Some of the Red Raider's pass offense came off of plays where a scrambling Steven Adams was forced to improvise and try to throw the ball as far down field, hoping his receivers caught up to it.
Shippensburg's first touchdown was set up by a Clancy interception, putting the Red Raiders on the Rams' 33 yard line to start the drive, quickly scoring with running back Roshaan McCain to cut the Shepherd lead to seven.
The Red Raiders tied the game before the half when Adams was forced out of the pocket and threw the ball deep down the field to wide receiver Bryan Barley who dove to make the catch in the endzone.
Shepherd had dictated most the action in the first half, but a few bad decisions and penalties by the Rams allowed the Red Raiders to keep in the game.
The Rams took back the lead for good in the third quarter when Clancy found junior wide receiver Robert Byrd down the sideline for a 33 yard strike.
Shippensburg countered with a passing play of their own, this time giving Adams time in the pocket to find wide receiver Taimur Harris on a one play, 50 yard drive, but a blocked extra point left the score with the Rams in the lead, 21-20.
The fourth quarter was senior fullbacks Bobby Humpries showcase, taking two carries for a combined 90 yards and two touchdowns.
"I don't really get the ball much, so I have to do it, when I get it, I got to go all out," Humpries said.
The first was a bruising 20 yard run, bowling over Red Raiders defenders, while the second he showed some speed with a 66 yard run to put the Rams up 35-20.
The Red Raiders would strike one more time in the air, once again from Adams to Barley, but the Rams held on to win 35-27.
Though the Rams one, the players felt their was room for improvement.
"We should have had this game won a long time ago," Norrell said, referring to the penalties and mistakes the slowed down the Rams though out the game.
"We hurt ourselves," Clancy said, "Some mistakes we don't need to force, especially me."
Shepherd will have a bye week to fix those problems and will have their home opener on Sept. 11, against St. Joseph's (IN) at noon.
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