SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – If it were baseball, Jackson Sigler might have been credited with a save.
But in football, Sigler was just in the right place at the right time for the Shepherd University football team on Saturday in a suddenly dramatic 26-23 win over East Stroudsburg.
The backup quarterback was pressed into action in the final eight minutes saved the Rams from what could have been an embarrassing loss with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Malakai Brown with 7:29 remaining for a 26-8 lead over the Warriors. Sigler replaces starter Micheal Hardyway.
Those extra points allowed Shepherd hang on for its fourth-straight win after starting the season with four consecutive losses. The win gave the Rams (4-4) a 4-1 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East to tie East Stroudsburg (6-2) for second place in the division.
It was Sigler’s only pass of the game, but it gave Shepherd a big enough margin to with stand two more East Stroudsburg touchdowns in a furious 23-point fourth-quarter rally. After the score, The Rams kept the ball on the ground, using six running plays in their final two drives in an effort to run out the clock.
Shepherd led 12-0 after three quarters and was up 19-0 after scoring on a Jordan Barnett 5-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
East Stroudsburg made a quarterback change of its own, making a final switch from starter Sean McTaggart to Harrison Susi for the final 12 minutes of the game.
Susi rushed for a 5-yard TD and the conversion to move the Knights to within 19-8 with 10:47 to go.
After Sigler connected with Brown on a short pass over the middle for Shepherd’s final score, the Rams were forced to defend the 18-point lead.
Susi hit teamed with Jaylen Andrews on a 26-yard scoring strike with 5:31 left, and Evan Roche scored on a 33-yard scoring pass from Susi with 1:22 left. Susi added the two-point run and suddenly the Warriors were within three points.
The Rams worked the clock with three Barnett runs totaling six yards before Shepherd punter Daishaun Alexander booted the ball from the Warriors 45 for a touchback.
East Stroudsburg had :16 and no timeouts to get a final score. It was enough for Susi to run for 13 yards to the Shepherd 33 to set up not one, but two, short pass and lateral plays to try and reach the goal line.
The first, which reached Shepherd’s 25, was called back by offsetting penalties. The second, an untimed play, was snuffed out by the Rams at Warriors’ 43 to end the game.
The Rams took the game to East Stroudsburg early and pressed the Warriors into a corner.
Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when Hardyway teamed with Brown on an 11-yard scoring pass for the receiver’s first of two touchdowns at the 11:30 mark of the first quarter. Keith Baker added the kick.
The lead held into deep in the second quarter before Baker connected on a 32-yard field goal with 3:58 left in the half to give the Rams a 10-0 advantage at the break.
Shepherd recorded a safety at 5:57 of the third quarter when the Warriors were flagged for holding in the end zone, giving the Rams the 12-0 lead.
Barnett, who rushed for 138 yards on x carries, was featured with fullback Grant Swinehart on a 10-play, 58-yard drive that spilled into the fourth quarter. Barnett ran six plays for 42 yards, including the final five to post Shepherd’s final score.
Hardyway went 15 for 23 passing for 150 yards and a TD before leaving the game. Susi was 6-of-11 for 65 yards and a score for the Warriors in relief of McTaggart.
Brown finished with three catches for 52 yards and the two TDs as Shepherd rolled up 391 yards of total offense. East Stroudsburg totaled 354 yards.
The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Shippensburg at noon.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Shepherd loses to Shippensburg in five sets
SHIPPENSBURG – Outside hitter Ada McCoy led Shepherd University with 14 kills and a pair of aces but the Rams couldn’t turn back Shippensburg in a 25-21, 25-14, 24-26, 16-25, 15-13 a PSAC East match on Friday.
Sophia Ryan had 12 kills and a match-high six blocks (16-6, 5-3), while Amya Davis and Smithsburg graduate Emily Rydereach added eight kills. Davis also had 12 digs.
Gracie Zartman had a team-high 21 digs for Shepherd. Macy Buso posted a team-high 42 assists, six digs and four blocks.
Elise Bragg posted a match-high 15 kills and 18 digs for the Raiders (16-6, 8-0). Gracen Nutt and Hailey Cappleman each added 13 kills.
MEN’S SOCCER
Shepherd falls to East Stroudsburg
EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Josh Petty scored twice for Shepherd University, but the Rams failed to keep a one-goal lead on Saturday in a 3-2 loss to East Stroudsburg in PSAC East match.
East Stroudsburg (8-5-2, 4-2-1) took a 1-0 lead with a tally by Nathan Bradway assisted by AJ Rivera at the 27:10 mark.
Shepherd (5-9, 2-5) tied the game when Petty scored on an assist by goalkeeper Aidan Houck at the 38:12 mark. The Rams took a 2-1 at the 49:12 with Petty’s second goal off an assist by Boonsboro graduate Mac Long.
The Warriors tied the game at 2 at the 54:25 mark on a goal by Jace Seara assisted by Ethan Flickinger. They scored the game winner at the 88:16 mark with a goal by Daryl Longdon assisted by Owen Rennie.
Houck posted seven saves for the Rams. East Stroudsburg had a 17-12 advantage in shots.
COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY
Shepherd men finish 16th, women 19th at PSAC Championship
EDINBORO, Pa. – The Shepherd University cross country teams competed at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship hosted by Edinboro University on Saturday. The men finished 16th in a 16-team field while the women placed 19th in a 19-team field.
The men were led by senior Parker Mackey, who finished 116th with a time of 28:28.4. He was followed by Logan Feeg (124th, 29:07.8), Jackson Fiolek (134th, 30:29.1), Connor Ireland (150th, 33:57.4), Mason Ratke (152nd, 34:08.1) and Nick Yankle (153rd, 34:38.4).
The women were led by junior Riley Staub, who finished 120th with a time of 26:24.6. She was followed by Zoe Boyd (123rd, 26:45.2), Aubrey Fernandez (129th,26:53.1), Ximena Bolanos Tellez (153rd, 29:27.1), Jaclyn Unger (156th, 32:49.2), and Ashley Anderson (157th, 33:55.7).
