Coming into this season, the Shepherd Rams were fresh off two straight undefeated regular seasons. All hopes of a third consecutive undefeated regular season are gone after a surprising loss to Bellville. However the glass is still half full at the halfway point: In their homecoming game the Rams defeated Charleston to finish the first half 5-1. Had they lost, their chances of making the playoffs would have been slim.
Running back Devan Wallace says that the conference has evened out a lot this season. There isn’t one clear-cut favorite to win it all. He says the Rams need to be better at game preparation. “That loss was tough to swallow,” he said. “It makes you realize that if we don’t prepare for every game like it’s our last game, then [the other team] has a good chance to get the best of us.”
His teammates Devan the heart of this team. He says the team’s defense has held up its end this season, but at times the offense hasn’t been effective enough. But he also says the Rams offensive players now feel confident about each other.
The team speculates that it will have to “win out” the remainder of the season. And they will have to do it without star cornerback Ayo Ejiel, who is no longer on the team or attending Shepherd. He was a leader on defense and the most experienced corner on the Rams roster. While the loss of Ayo is a setback, outside linebacker Joey Hooks says it’s something that every team has to deal with. “It isn’t about one person, it’s about the team,” he said. “And when someone goes down or is lost, we have to move on and count on the next man up. We had some young guys step up and do a good job of filling some big shoes.”
Quarterback Tyler Levin struggled in the begining of this season, his first full season as starter, but had his best game against Charleston. He feels he is finally getting comfortable. “I was going through some growing pains, I guess,” Levin said. “But at this point I feel at ease, and I’m glad that I have Devan and a great group of offensive lineman to lean on.”
Before homecoming the Rams were ranked 11th in the region. After defeating 5th-ranked Charleston they jumped to number four, which would put them in the playoffs if the season ended today. Coach Monte Cater doesn’t have his team ranked so high in his mind. “We swapped places with Charleston, to tell you the truth,” he said. “But we will drop next week whether we win or lose because we are playing a winless Concord team and it’s all about strength of schedule.”
Shepherd may fall in the rankings, but their overall strength-of-schedule rating will rise late in the season when they face West Virginia State and West Liberty. Both teams have only one loss so far. In the Rams’ region the top six teams make the playoffs.
Cater thinks his team must treat every game from now on like a playoff game. “If we can win out, then that will probably give us an opportunity to have a playoff berth. I don’t think very many 9–1 teams will be staying home,” he said.
Cater Inducted into Rams Hall Of Fame
The Shepherd Rams inducted head coach Monte Cater into their hall of fame. In his 20 seasons as their head coach, he has compiled 10 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, 140 wins overall, and six national playoff appearances. He has been selected the conference’s coach of the year eight times. Cater is the only member of Shepherd’s 2007 hall of fame class whose career is still in progress. Cater says it’s humbling. “This is a great honor to be inducted while I’m still coaching,” he said, adding with a smile, “If I don’t keep it up, they might take it back.”
