Shepherd University Athletics

SHEPHERD GOES TO 3-0 WITH 24-7 WIN AT SLIPPERY ROCK

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Sophomore running back Dervon Wallace (Lusby, Md/Calvert HS/WV State) rushed 19 times for 65 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Shepherd University to a 24-7 win over Slippery Rock University in football action at Slippery Rock on Saturday night.

The Rock opened up the scoring on 45-yard pass from Nate Crookshank to Paul Favers with 13:06 remaining in the first quarter.

Shepherd answered back on a four-yard scamper by Wallace with 5:09 left in the second quarter to knot the game at 7-7.

The Rams took a 14-7 lead into intermission when Wallace dove in from a yard out with three seconds left in the half. The score was set up by 64-yard pass from junior quarterback Dan Chlebowski (Greencastle, PA Greencastle-Antrim HS) to junior wide receiver Rodney Jackson (Severn, MD/Meade HS) that gave Shepherd first-and-goal at the Slippery Rock three-yard line.

Shepherd extended its lead to 17-7 when junior kicker Ricky Schmitt (Virginia Beach, VA/Salem HS) nailed a 21-yard field goal with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter.

The Rams sealed the victory when sophomore defensive back Jerome Quinata (Woodbridge, VA/Hylton HS) picked off a Crookshank pass and raced 36 yards for a score with five minutes left in the game.

Chlebowski completed 17-of-27 passes for 213 yards for the Rams. Crookshank was 8-of-21 for 91 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for The Rock.

Junior running back Bryan Wright (Augusta, WV/Hampshire HS/WVU) rushed for 46 yards on 18 carries for the Rams. Corey Manfull rushed for a game-high 123 yards on 19 carries for Slippery Rock.

Jackson led the Ram receiving corps with six receptions for 11 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Mark Springirth (Germantown, MD/Watkins Mill HS) added three catches for 20 yards. Favers led the Slippery Rock receivers with four receptions for 58 yards.

Senior linebacker Jeremy Bailey (Culpeper, VA/Culpeper HS) led the Rams with nine tackles including five solo stops. Redshirt-freshman inside linebacker Louis Corum (Manassas, VA/Westfield HS) added seven tackles (4 solo) after replacing junior inside linebacker Todd Edmondson (Finksburg, MD/Westminster HS), who left the game with an injury in the first quarter.

Brandon Rakszawski registered a game-high 14 tackles (11 solo) to pace The Rock defense.

Senior return specialist Dustin Dudinski (Sterling, VA/Park View HS) had two kickoff returns for 37 yards and a pair of punt returns for 28 yards.

Box Score