SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – It took two extra possessions, but the Bloomsburg football team went to Shepherdstown, W. Va. and defeated the Rams on the road for the first time since 2006. The Huskies defeated Shepherd 27-21 in double overtime, Saturday afternoon behind a career passing day from junior quarterback, KJ Riley (Danville, Pa./Danville Area).
 
Both teams scored on their first possession of overtime to force a second round. Bloomsburg got the ball first in the second OT period and Riley immediately connected with junior Jerry Griffen-Batchler (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy) for a 25-yard touchdown and the 27-21 lead. By nature of the college overtime rules, the Huskies had to try for two and Riley's pass was intercepted and the ball went back to Shepherd.
 
Shepherd got a first down after two plays to get down to the nine-yard line and set up 1^st-and-goal. The Rams got four yards on their first play and one more on their next run but did not advance the ball past the four-yard line. After a Husky timeout, Lek Powell's pass sailed out of the back of the endzone on 3^rd-and-goal and forced Sheperd to use its time out to set up their final play of the game. Powell's pass went over Jeremia Taylor's head with Devin Fleming (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) in coverage to end the game and give the Huskies the 27-21 win.
 
The Huskies wasted no time to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The Rams won the coin toss and Bloomsburg got the ball to start. After a two-yard catch for Griffen-Batchler and a one-yard run for Riley Parker (Canton, Pa./Canton) got Bloomsburg to the Huskies 28-yard line. Riley hit junior Peyton Persing (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) on the side line in stride and he scampered down 72 yards to get into the endzone and give Bloomsburg a 6-0 lead. Riley hit the extra point for the 7-0 lead with 13:32 to play in the first quarter.
 
Both teams were kept out of the endzone through the rest of the first and most of the second until the Rams got into endzone after a nine-play, 79-yard drive that took 4:59. The Rams tied the game 7-7 with 6:13 to play in the second.
 
The two teams went through another long scoring drought until the Huskies regained the lead, 14-7, with 4:55 to play in the third. Riley found Griffen-Batchler for his first touchdown of the game, an 18-yard pass, to cap the 11-play, 80-yard drive. Riley had two different passes of 18 and 16 yards to Griffen-Batchler to keep moving the chains and Nick Ryan (Shenandoah, Pa./Shenandoah Valley) caught a 13 yard pass from Riley. On 1^st-and-10 from the Shepherd-28, Hunter Lino (Howell, N.J./Howell) ran for eight yards to get to the 20 and Parker took it two for another Husky first down. Riley connected with Griffen-Batchler from the 18 for the touchdown and converted the extra point to give Bloomsburg a 14-7 lead.
 
The Rams tied the game with 6:55 to play in the fourth after a 15-play, 58-yard drive ended with a two-yard run from Gran Swinehart.

Shepherd got the ball back with 1:51 to play in the fourth and the Huskies defense stood tall to force a 3-and-out and a Rams' punt. Powell's pass on 3^rd-and-1 from the 29-yard line was batted out of the air by Giovanni Cancro (Pequannock, N.J./Pequannock Township) to bring up fourth down. The Huskies were unable to get in the endzone on their final drive and the game headed into overtime.
 
The Rams started with the ball and immediately scored as Powell and Taylor connected for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The Huskies first overtime drive was full of drama as Bloomsburg got to the seven-yard line thanks to an 11-yard catch by Griffen-Batchler. Owen Anderson (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) caught a two-yard pass from Riley to move down to the five on 3^rd-and-goal. A Shepherd holding call got a new set of downs for the Huskies. The Huskies then faced a 3^rd-and-goal again, but Anderson grabbed a slant from Riley and just broke the plane of the endzone for the touchdown. Riley converted the extra point once again to tie the game and send it to the second overtime.
 
Riley had another career day for the Huskies as he went 22-for-26 with 302 yards and four touchdown passes. Griffen-Batchler caught 11 of the passes for 157 yards and two touchdown passes. Persing had three catches for 86 yards and TD and Anderson had six catches for 30 yards and a score.
 
Lino ran the ball nine times for 32 yards.

Defensively, the Huskies were led by Ryan D'Ambra (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) with 12 tackles while Ron Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) had nine tackles, including 0.5 TFL for one yard and a pass break up. Ryan Woertz (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) had nine tackles as well. Devin Fleming (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) had five total tackles, 2.0 TFL (13 yards) and 1.0 sack for 10 yards.
 
The Huskies had 346 total yards of offense ion 68 plays and averaged 5.1 yards per play.
 
Bloomsburg returns home next Saturday for the final game at Redman Stadium for the Huskies' seniors. The Huskies host Millersville at 12:00 p.m. in Bloomsburg and will honor the graduating class prior to the game. The game also serves as the Huskies' Military Appreciation Game and all active and retired military will receive free admission with their ID.