Box Score
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore running back Allen Cross (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) rushed 20 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns to lead Shepherd University to a 57-17 win over Notre Dame College in MEC football action at Ram Stadium on Saturday.
Shepherd took a 3-0 lead on a 23-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Ryan Earls (Stevensville, MD/Kent Island) with 1:51 left in the first quarter.
Redshirt-freshman running back Jabre Lolley (Wilmington, Del./St. Marks) scored on a 10-yard jaunt with 14:55 left in the second quarter to give the Rams a 10-0 lead.
The Falcons cut the lead to 10-3 when Kyle Kaplan connected on a 31-yard field goal with 8:38 left in the second quarter.
Notre Dame tied the game at 10-all after Mo May returned a fumble 74 yards for a touchdown with 3:56 left in the second quarter.
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Jeff Ziemba (Newark,Del./St. Marks), who made his first career start, fired a 10-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Robert Byrd (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) and a 13-yard scoring pass to junior wide receiver William McKenzie (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglass) in the final minutes of the first half to give the Rams a 24-10 lead at the break.
Cross scored on a one-yard run with 9:20 left in the third quarter to open the second half scoring.
Redshirt-freshman CJ Davis (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) returned a punt 66 yards for a touchdown with minutes later to give the Rams a 38-10 advantage. Davis had four punt returns for 136 yards and a pair of kickoff returns for 113 yards on the day.
Ray Russ teamed with Mitchell Shegos on a 10-yard scoring strike to cut the lead to 38-17 with 4:22 left in the third quarter, but the Falcons would get no closer.
Shepherd added a two-yard scoring run by Cross, a 25-yard field goal by Earls, a safety, and a 31-yard touchdown scamper from senior running back Jihad Rasheed (Detroit, Mich./Southeastern/Michigan) to complete the scoring.
Ziemba connected on 16-of-24 passes for 126 yards for the Rams. Russ completed 21-of-40 passes for 175 yards for the Falcons.
Lolley added 87 yards on 16 carries for the Rams, while Rasheed had three carries for 59 yards. Pedro Powell had 18 carries for 74 yards to lead the Falcons.
McKenzie had five receptions for 35 yards to pace the Rams, while Shegos had 11 catches for 92 yards to pace Notre Dame.
Shepherd gained 372 yards of total offense, while Notre Dame College had 236. Shepherd limited the Falcons to 61 rushing yards.
Junior outside linebacker De'Ontre Johnson (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr, Henry A. Wise) recorded 11 tackles to lead the Rams. Hayden Davis had 15 tackles to lead the Falcons.
Shepherd improves to 7-0, 6-0 in MEC action, while Notre Dame College falls to 3-4, 2-3. The Rams return to action on November 2 when they travel to Glenville State for a noon conference matchup.
Robert Byrd scores for the Rams.
Mike Haynes on the reception.
William McKenzie scores for the Rams.
