WIAC football highlights
UW-Stout
The Blue Devils’ defense held Menlo College (Calif.) after the hosts had driven to a first-and-goal from the 3 on the first drive of overtime, leaving Stout a 10-7 deficit.
The visitors responded when freshman Craig Warminski of Stanley-Boyd, who carried the last four plays for 19 yards and a 2-yard decider for a 13-10 victory.
Stout gained 324 yards, 154 rushing and 170 passing, but couldn’t capitalize.
The Blue Devils got six tackles and an interception from senior defensive back Jake Pomputis of Owen-Withee.
UW-Whitewater
The Warhawks defeated St. Xavier, 24-9, and maintained their No. 2 ranking in the D3football.com charts. So, what else is new?
The defending NCAA Division III champions received four votes and the team they defeated, Mount Union of Ohio, got 20 top nods and sits in the No. 1 spot after beating 13th-ranked St. John Fisher, 33-3.
Junior Jeff Donovan of Wauwatosa East tossed two touchdown passes, the first a 1-yarder to senior tight end Nick Slupski of Greenfield to open the scoring.
Donovan finished 15 of 26 for 157 yards. Meanwhile, the defense picked off three passes, including one from senior linebacker Jace Rindahl of Cambridge, who led the Warhawks with nine tackles. Junior defensive back Troney Shumpert of Milwaukee Bay View also recorded an interception and had eight stops.
UW-Eau Claire
The Blugolds moved up two spots to No. 12 after knocking off Bethel (Tenn.), 11-6, on the road in their season opener.
Defense dictated the action as Eau Claire sacked the sixth-ranked NAIA school’s quarterback, Dallas Dixon, on the first two drives for a 4-0 advantage.
The visitors scored what became the deciding touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Amery junior Kyle Paulson to Neenah freshman David Goodman in the third quarter.
Paulson finished 13 of 26 fo4 116 yards, while Goodman led the team with four catches for 44 yards. They got help from the ground game that featured junior Cory Sartorelli of Appleton North, who gained 101 yards on 24 carries.
Linebacker Ryan Leis of Alma Center led Eau Claire’s defensive charge with seven tackles, while defensive lineman Doug Below of Antigo and safety Dave Wicklund of Kewaskum added six apiece.
The tempo kicks up a notch this week as the Blugolds host UW-Whitewater in a nonconference game the teams agreed to play to fill in the schedule.
UW-Platteville
The Pioneers had little to be excited about until the fourth quarter as they stunned host Buena Vista (Iowa) for three touchdowns and a 21-14 victory.
All three scores came from the combination of senior quarterback John Akim of Chetek and sophomore wide receiver Aunton Terry of Waukesha North, who collaborated on scores of 19 and 25 yards before the latter turned a 10-yard pass into a 70-yard TD with 1:48 remaining for the deciding points.
Akim threw four interceptions but finished 20 of 47 for 308 yards, including 196 in the final quarter. Terry ended up with 11 receptions for 213 yards, the first Platteville pass catcher to surpass 200 yards since 2002.
UW-Oshkosh
UW-Oshkosh won its season opener for the 26th time in 28 years, 14-13, against Ripon College, and it included a dramatic finish as junior linebacker Kevin Bahl of Muskego stopped Red Hawks’ quarterback Tygh Walters on a two-point conversion attempt with 44 seconds left.
Titans’ sophomore quarterback Craig McClelland of Union Grove scored on a 5-yard run to open the scoring and converted consecutive third-down passes to set up Scott Perkins’ 1-yard TD for a 14-7 lead.
Senior Steve Lenovich of Kenosha Tremper topped UW-O with 21 carries for 97 yards, while the defense registered three interceptions and recovered a fumble.
Walters, a senior from West Bend West, finished 3 of 10 throwing with the three picks but rushed for 164 yards on 30 attempts and scored once.
UW-Stevens Point
The Pointers won a wild finish as both teams scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter with the hosts hanging on for a 23-21 victory over Webber International (Fla.)
Stevens Point took a 9-7 lead into the fourth quarter on three field goals from Ryan Graboski and took a two-TD lead on runs from junior transfer Jared Beckwith of Baraboo and sophomore T.C. Farber of Waunakee.
Beckwith finished 18 for 30 for 154 yards, while senior defensive back Tyler Florczak of Chetek led the defense with 11 tackles with junior linebacker Brandon Stremkowski of Stevens Point and senior defensive lineman Charlie Dercks of Little Chute added 10 and 9, respectively.
UW-La Crosse
The Eagles hope to bounce back this week after suffering a heartbreaking, 24-23, decision to Hardin-Simmons on a last-second field goal at their home away from home this season, Winona State, while construction continues at Veterans Memorial Field.
La Crosse bolted to a 21-0 advantage on the strength of three rushing TDs from senior halfback Eric Donoval of Sheboygan South: 48-, 1- and 3-yard bursts. The hosts then recorded a safety to grab a 23-21 margin with 3:49 left but couldn’t hold the Cowboys.
The Eagles face an even bigger test this week in traveling to Grand Forks to face Division I-AA North Dakota.
Donoval finished with 166 yards on 23 carries and led the team with six catches for 26 yards. Senior quarterback Griffin Moe of Waupaca completed 15 of 23 attempts for 109 yards but was intercepted twice.
Senior linebacker Drew Kiefer of Abbotsford registered 12 tackles, including two for losses, while senior defensive end Mitch Dougherty of West Bend East had nine.
UW-River Falls
The Falcons open their season this Saturday at St. John’s (Minn.), a series that the Johnnies lead 4-1.