Fans packed Ram Stadium for the 2016 football home opener on Saturday, Sept. 3. The parking lots were full of Ram faithful starting at 10:30 A.M. killing time drinking, grilling, playing corn hole and making a day out of the first football game coming off the National Championship.
Spectators waited patiently in lines that reached the student center minutes before the game. Chatter commenced about who would be the star of the game, if the Rams could really bring it again this year, and making bets on how bad the Rams would beat the Bobcats.
“After last season, I figured this game would be a blow out,” said Shepherd junior Maegan Noffsinger. “I definitely have high expectations for them and am looking forward to seeing how the season unfolds.”
With the first half going rather slow, fans were not as energetic as some may have expected. There was somewhat of a lull in the action on the field as well as in the stands. The bleachers stayed full the whole time, but fan energy was at a low going into halftime.
“We need to hype up the fan section and get these guys pumped up,” said Britt Olson, who has been a fan of the Rams for the past three years. “They need our support.”
The Rams dug deep and proved that they had more in the tank after the first half. An energized team came out of the locker room to start the second half and the fans responded in the same fashion.
Deborah Reighard, mom of quarterback Calvin Reighard, wore her Shepherd colors with pride.
“They started off slow, which they always seem to do. They are a second half team for sure,” she said. “They seemed a little rusty in game one but they have plenty of time to work it out before playoffs.”
The 13 points scored in the second half lit up the stands and fans rose to their feet as the final seconds ran off the clock with a final score of 27-12. Spectators cheered as their Rams put the first win in the books with hope for many more this season.
Allie Holmes is a sports reporter for The Picket and can be reached at aholme07@rams.shepherd.edu.
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