SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - - Three Shepherd receivers had over 100 receiving yards as a trio of Rams quarterbacks passed for 516 yards and five touchdowns in a 64-13 Mountain East Conference victory over UVa-Wise at Ram Stadium Saturday.
No. 4 Shepherd (3-0, 3-0 MEC) wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. On the team's third offensive play of the day, Jeff Ziemba found C.J. Davis for a 36-yard touchdown pass to put the hosts up 6-0. The point after attempt was blocked leaving the score 6-0.
After UVa-Wise (1-2, 0-2 MEC) failed to generate any offense, Davis was in the end zone again, this time on a 19-yard connection. Zach Wise's conversion kick left the score 13-0 late in the first quarter.
The Rams scored a third opening quarter touchdown when tailback Deonte Glover raced 67 yards for a score. Zachary Blair would block the PAT giving him five in his career to set a new school record.
Down 19-0, the Cavaliers put together their best drive of the day to start the second period. Junior tailback Javonte Latney would account for 26 yards, all on the ground, in a 12-play 61-yard drive that was finished off by a 21-yard field goal by Trent Martin.
The remainder of the contest belonged to the Rams. Ziemba fired two more first half touchdown passes, both to All-American Billy Brown as Shepherd built a 33-3 lead with 8:08 to play in the half. Monte Cater's squad would then force a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set the Rams up for another score.
Brandon Hlavach would cap the 3-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Wise's extra point attempt left the score 40-3 with 5:47 to play in the half.
The Cavs would score their lone touchdown of the day on the following possession. After moving the ball to the Rams' 17, UVa-Wise was in a third down and eight situation. Freshman quarterback Brycen Lee would go for the end zone on the play, hooking up with Corey Hillberath for the score. Martin's extra point cut the deficit to 30 at 40-10.
Wise would add a 31-yard field goal on the opening possession of the second half before backup quarterback Connor Jessup darted in from three yards out to make it a 50-10 game with 8:13 to play in the third period.
Jessup would then throw a touchdown pass as the Virginia Tech transfer found Dakwon Foreman for a 22-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Rams would add a final touchdown when third string quarterback Nic Hammer scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.
The only points by UVa-Wise in the second half would come with 4:54 to play when Martin booted a 35-yard field to complete a 10-play, 35-yard drive.
Brown finished with nine catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns, Davis added 154 yards on six receptions to go with his two scores and Ryan Feiss caught six balls for 113 yards in the win.
In total, eight different Rams caught at least one pass as the hosts tallied 649 yards of total offense. Ziemba passed for 355 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters of action.
Lee and Jeremy Eubank combined to complete 32 of 45 pass attempts for 159 yards, the Cavs rushed for 159 yards in the game as a team.
Marquis Braimer registered five solo tackles and six total stops in his collegiate debut while Zachary Blair had a team-high seven tackles for UVa-Wise.
Next week, Shepherd visits Notre Dame College while UVa-Wise entertains Glenville State College in its 2016 Homecoming Game.
