Shepherd rallies past Findlay to open Division II football playoffs
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Ty Hebron's 15-yard touchdown run gave Shepherd University the lead in the fourth quarter, and Tyson Bagent's 31-yard scoring pass to Greg Leonard with 3:59 left secured the Rams' 38-31 victory over Findlay in the first round of the NCAA Division II football tournament Saturday at Ram Stadium.
Shepherd (11-1), a No. 2 seed, will host No. 3-seed Notre Dame of Ohio on Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.
Hebron ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries for Shepherd. His 3-yard score in the second quarter tied the game at 7.
Bagent completed 22 of 34 passes for 288 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Rams. His other scoring pass was a 57-yarder to Ronnie Brown early in the third quarter, giving Shepherd a 21-14 lead.
Chantz Swartz scored on a 14-yard run midway through the second quarter for Shepherd, which had a 200-80 edge in rushing.
Josh Gontarek had seven catches for 77 yards and Jonathan Moss added four catches for 55 yards for the Rams.
Matt Winzeler completed 16 of 31 passes for 398 yards with four touchdowns and an interception for Findlay (8-4). Mike Rigerman (eight catches, 178 yards) Marlin Richardson (three catches, 101 yards), Tann Schroeder (two catches, 80 yards) and Garret Clark had a touchdown reception each.
Two of Winzeler's touchdown throws went for long yardage — a 78-yarder to Richardson that tied the game at 14 two minutes before halftime, and a 66-yarder to Schroeder that tied the game at 21 in the third quarter.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Shepherd rallies past Findlay to open Division II football playoffs
