Box Score Taking on the highly respected Shepherd football team Saturday afternoon at Dickerson Stadium did not prove to be as daunting a task for the Yellow Jackets as it might have seemed on paper.
In the end the #17 Rams, who came into the day scoring an average of 42.3 points a game, had to be happy with holding on for a 24-10 win.
"We came out and did some really good things today," Yellow Jacket Head Coach
Jon Anderson said. "I'm really happy with the effort our kids put out."
WVSU took a 7-0 lead with 6:58 remaining in the opening quarter when quarterback
Matt Kinnick hit Quinton Grey with a 24 yard scoring strike midway through the first quarter to cap a 91-yard drive.
Shepherd tied the game just before the end of the quarter on a 10-yard pass and took a 10-7 lead on a 34-yard field goal with 6:06 to play before halftime.
The Yellow Jackets pulled even on a
Cory Broughton 23-yard field goal less than two minutes later.
"Broughton has really come on the last two games," Anderson said. "He's been perfect on extra points and field goals."
The Rams took a 17-10 lead into the lockerroom at halftime after scoring on a 25 yard pass with 54 seconds remaining in the second period.
They would add the final score of the day with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter on a 61-yard drive as the defenses slugged it out for most of the second half.
"They're a good football team and I'm happy with the way our team competed," Anderson said. "It shows a lot of character on this team."
WVSU held a 239-to-227 advantage in passing yards on the day but Shepherd outgained the Yellow Jackets 317-23 on the ground which helped them to a 38:43 to 21:17 advantage in time of possession.
Kinnick completed 21-of-40 pass attempts for 239 yards. Senior Shannin Bennefield caught five of those for 107 yards, including one that went for 74 yards and set up Broughton's field goal.
Trent Williamson had 10 tackles to pace the defense.
The Yellow Jackets wind up their 2014 campaign at Glenville State on Saturday.
