Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Fort Hays State senior quarterback Anthony Sheppard had 322 yards of total offense to help the Tigers score 20 unanswered points in a 30-23 win over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

This was the 2012 season finale for both clubs. Hays ends at 5-6 (4-6 MIAA) while the Lopers (3-8, 2-8) see a three-game win streak end.

This was the first meeting between the longtime rivals in seven years. UNK still leads serires, 33-25-1.

On a very windy day, UNK raced out to a 20-3 second quarter lead thanks to scoring runs of nine and 71 yards by junior QB Matt Berry (McCook) and a two-yard TD plunge by sophomore back Ricky Trinidad (Trinity, Fla.).

However, Kearney failed to score on its last eight offensive possessions. Meanwhile, the Hays offense warmed up as they had TD drives of 35, 73, 75 and 75 yards after getting down by 17 points.

After serving as the Tigers QB last year, Sheppard played several different positions this fall, including running back. Replacing an injured Tarean Austin, he started the come back with a 55-yard scoring strike to junior receiver Tanner Hageman with 4:30 left in the first half.

The score came on 3rd and 4. Hays went 8 of 18 on third down today, recording several big plays to keep drives alive.

The Lopers added a 44-yard field goal by freshman Drew Farlee (Norfolk) after Hageman's catch. Farlee almost made a 47 yarder on the final play of the half but the ball fell just short.

Hays needed only four plays to cut into the deficit as redshirt freshman running back Shaquille Cooper, a converted defensive back, raced 52 yards for a score on the opening drive of the second half.
Winning the coin toss to start the day was key for Hays as UNK faced a strong wind in the third quarter. That resulted in a short punt, giving Hays the ball back at the Loper 35-yard line with 7:24 to go.   

Two plays later, a scrambling Sheppard tossed a 37 yard TD strike to senior receiver Cornellius Gallon. The ensuing PAT failed, something that happened to UNK in the first half.  

The Lopers responded with its best drive of the second half, a 12 play, 58-yard march. However, Farlee's 35-yard field goal attempt literally hit a wall of find and promptly fell short to keep the game tied.

Junior OLB Jack Douglas (Weeping Water) picked off Sheppard to start the fourth but the Tiger defense stiffened and forced UNK to punt.

Taking over at its own 20-yard line, Sheppard moved the chains with a 34 yard pass to Hageman on 3rd and 11. He then scrambled for 11 yards on 3rd and 10 to move the ball to the Loper 35.

Three plays later, Cooper got free again, racing pacing Loper defenders for an 18-yard TD run.

UNK moved the ball into the Tiger territory on the game's next possession but a 4th and 2 pass fell incomplete. The Lopers got one more chance but Berry was picked off by Hays corner Keke Paul with 44 seconds left at the Tiger 39.

Sheppard finished 19 of 32 for 244 yards, two TD's and one INT. Completing passes to seven receivers, Hageman (five receptions for 119 yards) and Gallon (three receptions for 84 yards) caused the most damage.

On the ground, Cooper had 17 carries for 106 yards and two scores with Sheppard running 19 times for 78 yards. He was sacked five times for a loss of 37 yards.

For a third straight game, Berry went over the Century mark as he had 16 carries for 141 yards. Trinidad had his sixth consecutive 100 yard game as he totaled 134 yards on a game-high 28 carries.

The Florida native ends with 1,037 yards, 12th most in UNK history.

In the pass game, Berry was 14 of 25 for 86 yards. Trinidad had five grabs for 18 yards with junior tight end Brett Klein (Scottsbluff) having three catches for 23 yards.

Finally, senior Tommy Flanagan (Golden, Colo.) brought back three punts for 131 yards with a long effort covering 63 yards.

Defensively, junior ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) had eight tackles, recording two sacks for a loss of 11 yards. Senior ILB Rashard King (Miami Beach, Fla.) had two tackles for a loss of 18 yards with senior end Dex Schwieger (Aurora) and redshirt freshman OLB Dillon Loschen (Columbus) having sacks as well.