UW Eau Claire 28, Hope 6
Appleton North graduate Cory Sartorelli, a junior running back, rumbled for 285 and scored four touchdowns as the Blugolds whipped Hope (Mich.), 28-6, at Carson Park on Saturday.
Sartorelli scored both touchdowns as the hosts took a 14-0 advantage before Hope climbed to within 14-6 at the break. The 6-foot-1-inch, 197-pounder then broke the game open in the fourth quarter.
He broke loose for a 34-yard TD on a fourth-and-1 play to help make it 21-6 and then bolted 91 yards to sew it up, finishing with 8.6 yards for each of his 33 attempts.
The 14th ranked Blugolds (0-1, 2-1) received 12 total tackles, including 11 solo stops, from senior Kyle Meulemans of Wrightstown and six from Alma Center junior Ryan Leis, who also registered a sack.
UW-Oshkosh 17, Ohio Dominican 16
The Titans didn’t blow their second chance, especially kicker James Taraboi.
The junior from Grafton had his 35-yard field-goal attempt blocked with four seconds remaining. However, Dominican, the fifth-ranked team in the NAIA ranks, was whistled for an illegal participation penalty because a player came off the sideline before the play was over.
That allowed Oshkosh another opportunity, and Taraboi drilled the 26-yard attempt with no time left to improve the visitors to 2-0.
Sophomore quarterback Craig McClelland from Union Grove hit Oshkosh North sophomore Juston Wara with a 25-yard touchdown as the Titans overcame a 10-0 deficit to trail 13-7 at the half.
Then they hooked up again in the third quarter to help push Oshkosh ahead 14-13 in the third period, this time from 9 yards out. The drive included McClelland connecting with Madison Edgewood freshman Garrie Fox for 16 yards to convert a third-down play and sophomore Justin Budiac of Mukwonago running for 17 yards.
Oshkosh’s deciding drive featured Wara’s 3-yard catch on fourth and 2, Budiac’s 11-yard run and a 19-yard reception from Sussex Hamilton sophomore Paul Coburn in the final minute to move the Titans into field-goal range.
However, the heroics wouldn’t have been possible without a defensive stand. Junior Chris DeBlois of Kimberly and senior Spencer Schulz of Menomonee Falls stuffed Dominican’s quarterback on a fourth-and-1 keeper at the Oshkosh 39 with three minutes showing.
Northwestern (Minn.) 41, UW-River Falls 34
Two incompletions from the 4-yard line in the final seven seconds prevented the Falcons from forcing overtime as they slipped to 0-2.
Whitewater sophomore Michael Zweifel, a preseason All-America choice, finished with 11 catches for 162 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown. Senior quarterback Storm Harmon of Altoona finished 22 of 33 for 264 yards.
River Falls had leads of 21-19 in the first half and 27-26 after three quarters but couldn’t hold on in the fourth.
Freshman running back Joel Yogerst of Slinger topped River Falls with 96 yards and two scores, while Greg Klingelhutz added 76 yards and two more TDs.
Freshman linebacker Curtis Johnson of Hudson finished with 12 total tackles.
Missouri S&T 31, UW-Stout 24
The Blue Devils fell behind 24-10 in the second quarter a