For the first time in the history of its football program the Shepherd Rams are headed to the Division Two National Championship after a thrilling 34-32 win Saturday over the Grand Valley State University Lakers.
Shepherd will play Northwest Missouri State University Saturday December 19 at 4 p.m. at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Team Captains walking to mid-field for the coin toss.
The Rams lost one of their leaders early in the game when Quarterback Jeff Ziemba went down with an AC joint sprain, giving control of the offense to backup quarterback Connor Jessop who rose to the occasion.
“With injuries playing a major impact in our season we have always preached that you are one snap away from being in the game and I think Connor showed that readiness today,” head coach Monte Cater said after the game.
Connor Jessop, second string quarterback, throwing for a first down.
After receiving the opening kickoff Rams methodically drove 83 yards down the field in just 4:15 minutes capping the drive off with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jessop to wide receiver Billy Brown to put the Rams up 7-0.
The Lakers got on the board their first drive of the game when kicker Joel Schipper put a kick through the uprights from 29 yards out making the score 7-3 midway through the quarter.
Adam Coles intercepts a Grand Valley touchdown pass.
Allen Cross ran for his first of several longs runs on the day with 2:57 minutes left in the first quarter when he bounced off several tackles on his way to a 55-yard touchdown, giving Shepherd a 14-3 that would stand until the third quarter.
“When Jeff went down early I new that I had to step up my game because as a senior I wasn’t ready for this to be my last game,” Cross said in the post-game press conference.
Grand Valley came out of halftime with an energy and fire that was missing in their play throughout the first half.
Jabre Lolley battling for a first down.
The Lakers first drive of the second half resulted in a touchdown pass from quarterback Bart Williams to wide receiver Urston Smith drawing the lead to 14-10 with 10:30 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Just 48 seconds later, Grand Valley stripped receiver Tony Squirewell and returned it for a touchdown giving the Lakers their first lead of the game at 17-14.
The fourth quarter of semi-final game will be a game in which no person who was on hand will ever forget, with six scores, two lead changes, and goal line stand that was truly 15 minutes of football for the history books.
In the opening moments of the quarter Cross broke free for his second touchdown on the day this time from 36 yards out. After the extra point was blocked and returned for a score the Lakers had given up the lead but found themselves only down by 1 at 20-19.
The Rams appeared to be pulling away with the win after two more scores in the fourth, a touchdown pass from Jessop to wide receiver Billy Brown, and interception by CJ Davis returned for a touchdown making the score 34-19, but the Lakers had not thrown in the towel quite yet.
CJ Davis with a first-down stopping tackle.
With four minutes remaining Williams found receiver Terrell Dorsey from three yards out to bring the Lakers to within 8. After a 4 and out by the Rams, Grand Valley drove down the field and found the end zone when Williams found receiver Matt Williams from 35 yards out putting the Lakers within a 2 point conversion of tying the game up late in the fourth quarter. But spectacular coverage by the Rams secondary caused a bad throw that was batted down giving Shepherd a 34-32 win.
In Saturday’s victory wide receiver Billy Brown became the Rams all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
“It’s always nice having a sure handed guy like Billy to throw it up to because you know more times than not he is going to come down with it,” Jessop said in a post-game press conference.