September 15, 2018
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point jumped to a 21-0 lead over Dakota State (S.D.) after the first quarter Saturday evening at Community Stadium at Goerke Park. The Trojans mounted a furious comeback by trimming the Pointers' lead down to three points after the third quarter, but UWSP outscored DSU 20-0 in the final 15 minutes for a 51-28 non-conference victory in the 'Spud Bowl' game.
Dakota State finished their non-conference schedule with 1-3 record, dropping the last three games. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), earned their first win of the season and improved to 1-2 overall record.
It was the first-ever meeting between DSU and UWSP.
FIRST QUARTER
Dakota State was forced to punt on their first possession of the game. Wisconsin-Stevens Point earned the first point of the game after a 43-yard opening play rushing touchdown by Zach Bosek. Victor Ponterio's PAT extra point kick was good to put the Pointers up 7-0 with 12 minutes, 42 seconds on the clock in the first quarter.
Jared Richardson opened up with a 41-yard pass to Mitchell Galloway from DSU's 25-yard line to UWSP's 34-yard line on the ensuing possession. The Pointers halted the Trojans' drive on UWSP's 25-yard line, turning the ball on downs with less than 11 minutes to go in the opening quarter.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point quickly scored another touchdown on their next drive, using four plays for 75 yards in 1:26. Matt Urmanski threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to Steve Herra with 9:33 on the clock. Ponterio's PAT extra-point was added to extend the Pointers' lead to 14-0.
Starting on DSU's 25-yard line on the next possession, Mason Leighton caught a 35-yard pass from Richardson to UWSP's 40-yard line. Richardson's pass was intercepted by James Fay on the next play on UWSP's 32-yard line with less than nine minutes on the clock.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point answered with a touchdown after DSU's turnover. The Pointers used 8 plays for 68 yards in 3:13 as ShamaJ Williams rushed for a 2-yard touchdown. Ponterio followed up with a successful PAT extra-point kick as UWSP's lead grew to 21-0 with 5:49 left in first.
The Pointers scored on their first three possession in the first quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
Dakota State snapped their scoring drought as they kicked off the second quarter with a touchdown. On DSU's 6-yard line, Brodie Frederiksen rushed for 44 yards to the 50-yard line for a first-down. Torren Devericks threw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a 48-yard pass to Leighton to put points on the scoreboard for the Trojans. Casey Bourque added a successful PAT extra-point kick as DSU trailed 21-7 with 14 minutes to go in the quarter.
The Trojans registered four plays for 87 yards in 1:27 in the scoring drive.
Devericks threw another touchdown pass to Leighton for the second time in the second quarter. Devericks connected for 43 yards to Leighton, followed by Bourque's PAT successful kick as DSU cut UWSP's lead to 21-14 with 3:31 left in the quarter.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point used 10 plays for 70 yards in 2:11 on the following possession as Ponterio hit a 19-yard field goal, extending their lead to 24-14 with 1:29 left before halftime.
DSU went three-and-out on the next drive, while UWSP marched down the field just before halftime. The Pointers used 5 plays for 53 yards in 30 seconds, but the Trojans halted UWSP from scoring as Urmanski's pass was incomplete in the end zone with no time left in the first-half.
Dakota State outscored Wisconsin-Stevens Point 14-3 in the second quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
The Pointers went three-and-out to start the third quarter, the Trojans committed a turnover on their first drive of the second half. Frederiksen fumbled the ball on DSU's 14-yard line and was recovered by the Pointers with 12:32 on the clock.
Urmanski threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jahi Stigall on the next play, followed by Ponterio's PAT extra-point kick as UWSP expanded their lead to 31-14 with 12:22 left in third.
On DSU's 24-yard line with 8:36 on the clock, Devericks opened up with a 48-yard pass to Mitchell Galloway to UWSP's 28-yard line. Devericks followed up with a 24-yard pass to Leighton to the Pointers' 4-yard line.
Facing third-and-goal situation on UWSP's 9-yard line, Leighton threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to David Bond with less than seven minutes to go in the third quarter. Bourque's PAT extra-point kick was good as DSU trimmed Wisconsin-Stevens Point's lead to 31-21.
The Pointers were forced to punt on the ensuing possession, setting up another scoring drive for the Trojans.
DSU registered 9 plays for 75 yards in 2:41 as Devericks threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time a 12-yard pass to Bond. Bourque hit the PAT extra-point kick as the Trojans trailed 31-28 with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter. Devericks' 38-yard pass to Frederiksen and 47-yard pass to Galloway highlighted the scoring drive for Dakota State.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point used 7 plays for 69 yards in 2:40 on the next possession. The Trojans stopped the Pointers from scoring as Wyatt Sanford intercepted Urmasnki's pass in the end zone with no time left in the third quarter.
The Trojans outscored the Pointers 28-10 in the second and third quarters.
FOURTH QUARTER
Despite starting on their own 1-yard line to start the fourth quarter, DSU was forced to punt. The Pointers started on DSU's 26-yard line after the punt with 13 minutes to go in the game.
UWSP extended their lead to 38-28 with 11:42 left as Stigall rushed for a 9-yard touchdown (Ponterio's PAT kick was good).
The Pointers added a touchdown with 3:53 remaining as Urmanski threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Alex Adams, extending their lead to 44-28. UWSP's 2-point PAT conversion failed.
Omarri Johnson recorded a 'pick six', returning a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. Ponterio's PAT extra-point kick was good as the Pointers' lead expanded to 51-28 with 3:09 left.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point outscored Dakota State 20-0 in the final 15 minutes of the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Devericks finished the game by going 23-of-43 with 381 yards in the air for Dakota State. He had three touchdowns and three interceptions. Richardson also went 4-of-6 for 92 yards and interception.
Galloway collected game-highs nine catches for 181 yards (career high) for DSU. Leighton added six receptions for 160 yards with two touchdowns. He also had a passing touchdown of nine yards. Trever Listman had five catches for 30 yards. Bond had a pair of receptions for a total of 21 yards and two touchdowns. Connor Teel had a reception of 25 yards.
Frederiksen rushed 17 times for 99 yards for the Trojans. He also had two receptions for 42 yards.
Caleb Nielsen recorded seven punts for a total of 297 yards, averaging 42.4 yards per punt. He had a game-high 63 yards punt.
Curt Boeke paced the Trojans' defense with 15 tackles, with 12 being solo tackles. He also had a quarterback sack and three tackles-for-loss of seven yards. Jeb Sanford tallied seven tackles. Karson Lindblad, Marcus Vanden Bosch and Riley Janke each registered four tackles. Wyatt Sanford had an interception. Vanden Bosch and Michael Cleveland each had two broken-up passes.
Urmanski went 15-of-28 for 263 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Pointers. Bosek rushed 14 times for 150 yards and a touchdown. Williams added eight rushes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Herra caught seven passes for 145 yards and a touchdown for Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Adams added three catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. Stigall had three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Strick tallied eight tackles for UWSP. He also had an interception. Johnson added six solo tackles and two interceptions with 37 total yards return. Juleyan Givens, Boyd Delebreau, Joel Rufino and Sean Kuhn each had a sack. James Fay had an interception.
TEAM COMPARISONS
Dakota State outgained Wisconsin-Stevens Point 556-522 in total offensive yards. The Trojans recorded 482 passing yards compared to the Pointers' 268 passing yards. UWSP outrushed DSU 268-74.
DSU's 482 passing yards is a new team single-game school record, breaking the previous record of 452 passing yards versus Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Aug. 24, 2017.
The Pointers recorded 22 first-downs compared to the Trojans' 19 first-downs.
Dakota State committed five turnovers in the game, while Wisconsin-Stevens Point had one turnover.
The Trojans maintained a time possession of 31 minutes, 30 seconds. The Pointers had the ball for 28 minutes and 30 seconds.
DSU converted 3-of-14 on third-down situations, while UWSP was 3-of-12 third-downs.
UP NEXT
Dakota State remains on the road next Saturday. The Trojans open up their seven-game North Star Athletic Association conference schedule next Saturday (Sept. 22), visiting Waldorf (Iowa). Kick-off is slated for 4 p.m. at Bolstorff Field in Forest City, Iowa.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
