ATHENS, W.Va. – A late touchdown by Shepherd was the difference in Saturday's game as the Concord University football team fell to the number nine nationally-ranked Rams, 35-28.
With the game tied at 28-28 and less than two minutes left in the game, CU failed on a fourth-down attempt at its own 46-yard line. Shepherd took the ball down the field and took a lead of 35-28 with a three-yard run by Jabre Lolley.
Only 41 seconds remained after the SU score and Concord could not find the end zone late in the game as Shepherd left Callaghan Stadium with a narrow seven-point win.
As has been the custom between the Mountain Lions and Rams the last few seasons, Saturday's game was a nail-biter throughout. The game featured five lead changes and two ties.
Concord got on the board first as sophomore wide receiver
TJ Smith hauled in a 27-yard completion for a score. SU rallied with 10 unanswered points to take a 10-7 lead with 11:29 remaining in the first half.
Smith caught his sixth touchdown reception of the season to regain the lead for CU with 7:21 in the second quarter. The Rams added a late first-half field goal, but Concord led 14-13 at intermission.
The Mountain Lions opened the second half with a touchdown on their first drive as senior running back
Calvinaugh Jones broke loose down the far sideline, running over a Rams defender in the process, and scoring from 52-yards out to extend CU's lead to 21-13.
However, Shepherd struck back with two rushing touchdowns from Lolley to retake the lead 25-21.
Concord capped off its ensuing drive as junior quarterback
Brian Novak found senior wide receiver
Tiko Henderson in the back of the end zone. The catch by Henderson was an acrobatic catch as he was being draped over by multiple Shepherd defenders.
After the scoring toss, Concord led 28-25 with 8:46 left in the game.
A Ryan Earls field goal with 5:04 remaining tied the game at 28-28 to set up the game's final sequence.
Jones finished the game with 25 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown while Novak was 18-for-26 for 283 yards and three touchdowns. On the game's final play, a 12-yard completion to Henderson, Novak went over 7,000 passing yards in his career.
Sophomore wide receiver
Jermeil Douse set career-highs in catches (10) and receiving yards (164).
Senior linebacker
Austin Dotson recorded 10 tackles for the second straight game while sophomore defensive back
Jeremiah Johnson had a season-high nine stops.
The CU run defense held Shepherd to 65 yards on the ground, the fourth time Concord has held its opponent to under 100 yards rushing this season.
For Shepherd, quarterback Jeff Ziemba threw for 374 yards and a touchdown while James Gupton had 14 tackles.
The Mountain Lions hit the road for the final time this season next Saturday when they travel to Glenville State for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
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