Kapp, McElroy spark Kutztown U to breakthrough win over Shepherd

Eric Nickel completed 20-of-28 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Jerry Kapp, as Kutztown University topped 10th-ranked Shepherd 37-29 Saturday in the PSAC East opener for both at Ram Stadium.

The defending champion Golden Bears clinched it on Darryl Davis-McNeil’s 11-yard run with 2:54 left that pushed their lead to 37-21.

Kapp, a Boyertown grad, caught a 72-yard TD to give the Golden Bears (1-0, 3-1) the lead for good at 10-7 with 4:12 remaining in the first period.

Wilson grad Mason McElroy had a team-high six receptions, for 71 yards.

The victory was KU’s first regular season triumph over a Top 10 nationally-ranked team. The Bears’ previous highest-ranked regular season win came over No. 12 Bloomsburg in the 2011 PSAC championship season (though Kutztown did go on to defeat No. 6 Concord in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship).

Kutztown entered the game with one of the top defenses, not only in the PSAC but in NCAA Division II, while the Rams, led by Harlon Hill hopeful quarterback Tyson Bagent, featured the top passing offense in DII and one of the nation’s most proficient offenses overall at 509.0 yards per game.

Bagent had a huge day for the Rams (0-1, 3-1), setting a school record for completions in a game by hitting 42-of-51 passes for 398 yards and four TDs, with one interception.

The Golden Bears controlled the ground game, rushing for 231 yards while holding the Rams to 69. They out-gained Shepherd 481-467 in total yards.

Kutztown converted 9-of-15 third-down conversions and its only fourth-down conversion, and scored on each of its four trips to the red zone.

Shepherd closed within eight on a Bagent 2-yard TD pass to Jonathan Moss with 1:14 to go, but  McElroy smothered August-Scriven’s onside kick attempt and Kutztown ran out the clock.

Shawn Turber-Ortiz had a team-high eight tackles for the Golden Bears. Lloyd, Justin Harris, Kam Wolfe of Gov. Mifflin and Tyler Whary each had six tackles.

With Saturday’s win, Kutztown has now delivered Shepherd each of its last two defeats at Ram Stadium. The Bears emerged with a 34-27 victory back in 2019 on their way to the PSAC East title.

Kutztown will look to extend its PSAC East winning streak to nine games next Saturday when it welcomes East Stroudsburg to Andre Reed Stadium for a 12:05 kickoff.

Kutztown was picked to finish third in the East in a preseason poll, behind both Shepherd and West Chester.