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Another Nail-Biter
Goes Pointers' Way
Box Score
UW-Stevens Point pulled out its third straight
down-to-the-wire victory and maintained its success against UW-Platteville
as the Pointers moved into a third place tie in the Wisconsin
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 31-28 victory on Saturday at
Goerke Field.
It marked the third consecutive game the Pointers
have won by a field goal after claiming overtime wins the past two weeks.
The win also pushed the Pointers to 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the WIAC,
matching UW-Platteville�s record as the teams sit deadlocked entering the
final week of league play.
UW-Stevens Point led 24-7 midway through the third
quarter and then held off a UW-Platteville rally for its 16th straight win
in the series. The Pioneers amassed 476 total yards and 399 yards passing,
but the Pointers came up with three turnovers, including an interception by
Brett Hirsch with 36 seconds left after the Pioneers had driven to the
UW-Stevens Point 36-yard line.
The game featured 921 yards of total offense and
plenty of big plays, including one on the fifth play of the game as Luke
Gunderson caught a pass on a third-and-10 play and broke free 54 yards down
the sideline as the Pointers took a 7-0 lead.
UW-Platteville tied the game on a one-yard run by
Mike Genslinger and the Pointers answered with a second quarter touchdown
from Gunderson, who made a leaping grab at the one-yard line and dragged the
ball over the pylon while falling out of bounds for a 26-yard score. Ryan
Graboski added a 27-yard field goal with 25 seconds left in the half as the
Pointers led 17-7 at intermission.
UW-Stevens Point went ahead 24-7 on a nine-yard
run by Cody Childs early in the third quarter before the Pioneers began
their rally. Joe Danielson, who had a huge day with nine catches for 162
yards, broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown on a screen play that countered a
Pointers� blitz.
After the Pointers punted, Danielson caught his
second touchdown on a five-yard pass from Brent Nelson with 2:09 left in the
third quarter to pull UW-Platteville to within 24-21.
The teams traded punts and UW-Stevens Point went
on a 10-play, 66-yard drive to extend its lead. Childs scored a two-yard
touchdown following a hard-nosed play by quarterback Brett Borchart, who
scrambled 14 yards on a third-and-13 play and went airborne, diving
head-first for the first down.
UW-Platteville drove 71 yards in 10 plays and
scored on a two-yard reverse by Dan Schwartz to pull to within 31-28.
UW-Stevens Point picked up one first down on its possession, but then punted
with 1:06 remaining.
The Pioneers, who totaled 293 yards in the second
half alone, started their final drive at their own 36-yard line. Nelson hit
Derek Hoff for a 15-yard pass on the first play and connected with Danielson
for a 13-yard pass to the Pointers� 36-yard line. He then lofted a pass
downfield that was tipped and intercepted by Hirsch at the 12-yard line to
end the rally.
Hirsch also had an interception on a �Hail Mary�
try at the end of the first half and finished with eight tackles. Brandon
Czys had 12 tackles and recovered a fumble for the Pointers.
Both quarterbacks had solid performances as Nelson
was 31-for-49 passing for 399 yards and Borchart was 21-for-36 for 292
yards. Borchart also rushed for 56 yards on eight carries. Childs had 93
yards rushing on 26 carries and scored twice to move with two touchdowns of
Jimmy Henderson�s school record with 37 for his career. Mike Genslinger, who
rushed for a UW-Platteville record 285 yards last week, was held to 45 yards
rushing on 14 carries. |
