SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Senior quarterback Tyson Bagent (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg) completed 23-of-36 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead #4/5 Shepherd (7-0, 4-0 PSAC East) to a 55-17 win over Millersville (2-5, 2-2 PSAC East) in PSAC East football action at Ram Stadium on Saturday.
Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when Bagent connected with junior wide receiver Marlon Cook (Forestville, Md./Potomac) on a 10-yard scoring pass with 10:24 remaining in the first quarter. Redshirt-sophomore kicker Jacob Haynie (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) added the extra point.
Bagent teamed with freshman wide receiver Kenny Edelin (Middletown, Del./Middletown/West Chester) on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 6:09 left in the first quarter to give the Rams a 14-0 lead.
Christian Makanoeich connected on a 27-yard field goal for the Marauders to cut the lead to 14-3.
Freshman defensive back Donte Harrison (Washington, D.C./Archbishop Carroll) returned a fumble 60 yards for a score with 2:50 left in the second quarter to up the Shepherd lead to 21-3.
Robert Footman Jr. fired a 17-yard scoring pass to Jaheim Morris for Millersville to make it 21-10 with 46 seconds left in the second half.
Steve Sweeney returned a fumble 12 yards for a score on a kickoff with 34 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 21-17.
Bagent scored on a four-yard run with 6:11 left in the third quarter to give the Rams a 27-17 lead.
Harrison picked off a Millersville and raced 29 yards for a score with 6:01 left in the third quarter to increase the lead to 34-17.
Junior running back Ronnie Brown (Baltimore, Md./Dundalk) raced 76 yards for a score with 3:15 left in the third quarter to give the Rams a 41-17 advantage.
Redshirt-freshman running back Blake Hartman (Inwood, W.Va./Musselman/Lehigh) scored on a one-yard plunge with 7:12 left.
Sophomore running back Avaughn Holley (Pomfret, Md./McDonough) ran 53 yards for a score with 2:10 remaining to complete the scoring.
Footman completed 12-of-24 passes for 144 yards and a score for the Marauders.
Brown had 18 carries for 133 yards to lead the Shepherd ground game. Jaheim Morris had 13 carries for 59 yards for Millersville.
Cook had five receptions for 50 yards and senior tight end Brian Walker (Clarksburg, Md./Clarksburg) added four catches for 51 yards to lead the Shepherd receivers. Hakim Melvin had five catches for 72 yards for Millersville.
Shepherd had 522 yards of total offense, while Millersville totaled 224 yards.
Junior linebacker Dewayne Grantham (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg/Lackawanna) and redshirt-freshman Enelio Pena (Moorestown, N.J./Woodrow Wilson/Camden CC) each had six tackles to pace the Shepherd defense. Isaiah Onuschak had seven tackles to lead the Marauders.
The Rams return to action on Saturday when they travel to West Chester for a noon contest.
Tyson Bagent threw for a pair of scores and ran for another.
Ronnie Brown had 18 carries for 133 yards and a score.
Marlon Cook had five catches for 50 yards on the day.
Donte Harrison had a pair of defensive touchdowns on the day.
Kenny Edelin makes the touchdown grab.