Local players flock to Shepherd

By HUGH CONRAD
FOR THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT

November 19, 2005 12:18 am

— When Dan Peters was recruited to play football by Shepherd (W.Va.) University while he was a senior at Penn Cambria High School, one of the main selling points was that the Rams had advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1998 and 1999.
While the Rams strived to reach that goal the past three years, the team did not reach that pinnacle until this season, and the Rams accomplished it in an impressive way.
Shepherd finished its regular season undefeated (11-0) for the first time in 50 years. That performance earned it the top seed and a first-round bye in the Northeast Region playoffs.
Peters, a redshirt junior defensive back, and redshirt freshman wide receiver Craig Tremel, also a Penn Cambria grad, have experienced outstanding seasons thus far. Peters established a new school record for interceptions with 12, returning them for 171 yards, and he has recorded 351⁄2 tackles.
Despite his individual play, the team accomplishment means much more to him now.
“When we were getting recruited, all they talked about were the 1998 and 1999 teams that won the WVIAC (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) title and got into the (national) playoffs,” Peters said. “We have been here three years, and what we have wanted to do was return to the playoffs. To finally accomplish that has made everyone on the team proud. It has been really great.”
The Rams are ranked eighth nationally in the D-II poll by the American Football Coaches Association. Shepherd captured the WVIAC title the past two seasons, winning seven consecutive conference games in 2004 after losing its first three non-conference games.
Monte Cater is the head coach for the Rams, and this season he became the winningest coach in WVIAC history. In his 19th season at Shepherd, he has a record of 129-67-1 (65 percent).
One player who was redshirted last year and watched from the sidelines was Tremel.
The wide receiver scored two touchdowns in last week’s 51-10 victory over West Virginia State. For the season, Tremel has 29 catches for 334 yards and four touchdowns. He has also carried the ball twice for 18 yards and one touchdown.
He has exceeded his own expectations this season.
“When I came into camp (in August), I just expected to play a lot of special teams,” Tremel said. “But during camp, they let me play offense.”
Peters was named to the first team all-WVIAC last year after recording 57 tackles and six interceptions. He intercepted four passes against West Liberty on Oct. 29, giving him 12 for the season and breaking a record that had stood for 23 years.
Despite that record, Peters credits his teammates for helping him reach the record.
“Our defense has 11 guys on the field, and all 11 can play,” Peters said. “Our team is really good against the run, and that forces teams to throw the ball. The more passes that teams throw, that gives me an edge in getting the interceptions.”
In the D-II Northeast Region playoffs, Shepherd will host C.W. Post today at noon at Ram Stadium. In the other bracket, second-seeded Bloomsburg will play East Stroudsburg.
Tremel said that the Rams feel a little bit like the late Rodney Dangerfield. “Everybody is really excited,” Tremel said, “but we do not feel like we’re getting any respect. Everybody thinks that the Pennsylvania schools (PSAC members) will go far in the playoffs. We want to prove everybody wrong.”
The Shepherd offense is led by quarterback Dan Chlebowski, who has completed 134 of 211 passes for 1,518 yards and 12 touchdowns. Running back Dervon Wallace has been the key for the ground attack, rushing for 1,376 yards on 225 carries.
Peters has one year of eligibility left after this season, while Tremel has three.