Rams rout Yellow Jackets

October 24, 2009

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Nate Hoyte rushed 26 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns to lead Shepherd University to a 55-14 win over West Virginia State in WVIAC football action Saturday at Ram Stadium.

Shepherd (6-3, 4-2) took a 7-0 lead with 12:50 left in the first quarter when Tommy Addison scored on a 15-yard run.

The Yellow Jackets (2-6, 1-5) answered minutes later when Kevin O'Brien teamed with Jermain King on a 15-yard scoring strike to tie the game at 7-7.

The Rams took the lead for good on a 6-yard run by Hoyte with 14:25 left in the second quarter.

Eric Dobratz drilled a 30-yard field goal with 5:48 left in the second quarter to extend the Rams lead to 17-7.

Another 6-yard scamper to the end zone by Hoyte with 3:01 left in the half upped the Rams lead to 24-7.

West Virginia State cut the lead to 24-14 at the break when O'Brien connected with King on a 21-yard scoring pass with 1:04 left in the half.

Dorbratz opened the second half scoring with a 32-yard field goal with 10:44 left in the third quarter.

A 7-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Clancy to tight end John Frick and a 15-yard TD run by Jimmy Sutch in the third quarter increased the Shepherd advantage to 41-14.

The Rams added a pair of scores in the fourth quarter on a 33-yard run by Sutch and a 1-yard plunge by Hoyte to complete the scoring.

Clancy completed 12-of-19 passes for 184 yards, while O'Brien was 14-of-19 for 149 yards to pace State.

Nasser Muhammad had three catches for 55 yards to lead the Rams. King had nine grabs for 101 yards for the Yellow Jackets.

Addison had 13 carries for 103 yards for the Rams, while Sutch rushed 10 times for 96 yards. Fabian Payne had six carries for 36 yards to lead State.

Shepherd amassed 558 yards of total offense with 374 coming on the ground. West Virginia State was held to 239 yards of total offense.

Andrew Eggleton had a game-high 10 tackles to lead West Liberty, while Deante Steele had eight tackles to pace the Rams.

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