SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Graduate student quarterback
Michael Hardyway (Winchester, Cal./Oceanside/Bucknell) completed 30-of-41 passes for 408 yards and five touchdowns to lead Shepherd University to a 45-28 win over Gannon in football action at Ram Stadium on Saturday,
Gannon took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Ty Hurst fired a seven-yard scoring pass to Donell Mason with 13:56 left in the first quarter.
The Rams answered back on a 24-yard scoring strike from Hardyway to senior wide receiver
Daryl Harper (Frederick, Md./Northwest) with 9:55 left in the quarter.
Gannon retook the lead as NaSean Hill scored on a two-yard run with 7:36 left in the first quarter.
Shepherd tallied 17 unanswered points on a 19-yard pass from Hardyway to sophormore wide receiver
Derrell Pierson (Baltimore, Md. /Milford Mill Academy), a five-yard scoring toss from Hardyway to sophomore tight end
Troy Woolaston (Bunker Hill, W.Va./Musselman/Morehead State), and a 30-yard field goal by junior kicker
Max Barba (Rock Hall, Md./Kent Island/McPherson College).
Gannon got a 75-yard scoring pass from Hurst to Donnell Mason with 17 seconds left in the half to cut the deficit to 31-21 at the break.
Keoke Turner returned a fumble 100 yards for a score for the Golden Knights with 10:32 left in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 31-28.
Shepherd closed the scoring with five-yard scoring pass from Hardyway to Harper and a 40-yard pick-six by sophomore defensive back
D'Myo Hunter (Culpeper, Va./Blue Ridge School).
Hurst connected on 12-of-20 passes for 209 yards for the Golden Knights.
Senior wide receiver
Carrington Nickens-Yzer (Clifton, Va./Centreville) had 10 catches for 136 yards for the Rams. Harper added eight grabs for 110 yards. Mason had three receptions for 94 yards to pace the Golden Knights.
Redshirt freshman running back
Ian Mauldin (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) had 16 carries for 80 yards. Sophomore running back
Jabril Daniels (Cumberland, Md./Fort Hill) added 17 carries for 79 yards. Hill had 12 carries for 36 yards for the Golden Knights.
Shepherd amassed 563 yards of total offense while limiting Gannon to 251 yards.
Sophomore defensive back
Tyrin Chinn-Thompson (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) paced the Rams with six tackles. Kadeem McKnight had 11 tackles (eight solos) to lead Gannon.
The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host California (Pa.) at noon for Hall of Fame Weekend.
