NOT-SO-THRILLING RIDE

MOUNTAIN LIONS DROP WILD GAME AT SHEPHERD

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In the end, Concord's WIVAC football game at Shepherd Saturday afternoon was like going to an amusement park, filling up on cotton candy, and riding the Tilt-A-Whirl.

It was a rush, but the ride had enough twists, turns, rises, falls, thrills, dips and spins to leave the riders queasy and a little out of sorts.

The Mountain Lions overcame a 14-0 1st quarter deficit to lead 35-28 in the 3rd quarter, but gave up three unanswered touchdowns in a 49-35 setback to Shepherd in front of a near-capacity crowd on a near-perfect autumn day at Ram Stadium in Shepherdstown, WV.

The 21st-ranked Rams improved to 6-0, 4-0. Concord left the Eastern Panhandle at 4-2, 2-2, having suffered a second frustrating road loss to a WVIAC contender.  (CU dropped a 20-17 game at Virginia Wesleyan on September 18.)

Shepherd went into Saturday's game leading the WVIAC in rushing, and piled up 307 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries. QB Kevin Clancy complemented the ground game by going 26-41 for 288 yards and three TDs.

Concord ran 71 plays for 480 yards against SU's league-leading defense. But the Rams kept Concord's defense on the field for 35:01, running 83 plays for 595 yards – 180 yards above their season average.

SU's Tommy Addison rushed 23 times for 232 yards, including two 75-yard touchdown runs. Nate Hoyte backed him up with 64 yards and a TD on 14 carries. Eight different Rams caught passes, led by Robert Byrd's seven receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Concord's All-American WR Thomas Mayo battled through leg cramps in the 2nd half to finish with 13 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown. Rashid Baker hauled in six catches for 63 yards and a TD. QB Zack Grossi went 28-42 for 319 yards and three TDs, but threw three interceptions, including one returned for a score. Brian Kennedy rushed for 103 yards and a TD on 15 carries.

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Concord had a chance to take the game's first lead, after Josh Miler forced and recovered a fumble by Addison at the Ram 17 with 5:20 left in the 1st quarter. But two plays later, Dominique Dixon forced a fumble by Kennedy and recovered it at the SU 15.

Shepherd then embarked on a 13-play, 85-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard TD pass from Clancy to Nik Norrell and a 7-0 lead with 3:23 left.

On Concord's next snap, Dixon struck again, intercepting a Grossi pass and returning it 32 yards for a TD and a 14-0 Shepherd advantage just :17 later.

The Mountain Lions would spin the game back in their favor with two big plays before the quarter ended.

On a 4th and 10 at the SU 46, Concord blocked Eric Dobratz's punt, with Delque Chalk scooping up the loose ball at the 32 and returning it for a touchdown. Shepherd blocked Brandon Strupp's extra point kick, but CU was within 14-6 with :29 left.

Two snaps later, Larez Harper intercepted Clancy at the Shepherd 32. On the next play, Grossi lobbed a jump-ball into the end zone, and Mayo leapt above two Ram defenders to snare the pass for a touchdown that pulled CU within 14-13 with :03 remaining.

Shepherd thrilled its home crowd on the second play of its next possession, with Addison breaking free for the first of his 75-yard TD runs and a 21-13 lead on the second play of the 2nd quarter.

CU got back within 21-20 on Kennedy's 11-yard run with 4:28 left in the half. But Shepherd countered with a 12-play, 63-yard drive that culminated on a questionable 16-yard TD pass from Clancy to Dom Jones with :35 before the break.

Concord stormed into the 3rd quarter with a rally that left the Rams' fans dizzy.

The Mountain Lions opened the quarter with a 12-play, 70-yard, 4:48 drive capped off by Grossi's two-yard TD throw to Gary Roach that pulled CU within 28-27. On the ensuing kickoff, Ethan Perry forced Deante Steele to fumble and recovered at the SU 27. Three plays later, Grossi found Baker over the middle for a touchdown.

The Mountain Lions ran a trick play on the point after -- backup QB Evin Dusold pitched to Kennedy, who ran around the right corner for a two-point conversion. Concord took its first lead at 35-28 with 8:55 left in the 3rd quarter.

Unrattled, Shepherd found its bearings. On the sixth play of the following possession, Clancy lofted a long ball to Byrd, who hauled it in for a 53-yard touchdown that tied the game at 35-35.

But the biggest stomach-dropping twist was yet to come.

On 2nd & 8 at the Concord 37, Kennedy burst into the clear for what appeared to be a 63-yard scoring run. But Kennedy, playing through knee and shoulder injuries, couldn't outrun Keon Robinson. Robinson knocked the ball out of Kennedy's grasp at the 1, then recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback.

Sure enough, Shepherd embarked on a 10-play, 80-yard, 4:00 drive completed by Hoyte's 13-yard TD run as the 3rd quarter clock expired. Instead of leading 42-35, Concord trailed by that same score.

The Mountain Lions punted on their next two possessions. Shepherd closed out the scoring on Addison's second 75-yard scamper with 6:23 left in the game.
CU's next two drives ended, respectively, on a missed 4th-down conversion try and Grossi's third interception of the day.


BOXSCORE/STATISTICS/PLAY-BY-PLAY:  www.shepherdrams.com/content/file/10910cuf.htm


Concord now looks forward to Homecoming Week, and a WVIAC matchup against Glenville State (3-3, 2-1) on Saturday, October 16. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm at Callaghan Stadium.

Live streaming video will be available at www.concord.edu/mltv starting at kickoff. 
Live Stats will be provided at www.sidearmstats.com/concord/football/index.htm.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN 102.3 The Ticket (WMTD, Hinton/Princeton/Bekcley), starting with “The Mountain Lion Preview” at 2:30. Kyle Cooper and Dominic Jackson will have the call, with the webcast at www.theticket102.com/.

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