UW-Stevens Point upended the thirteenth-ranked UW-Whitewater football team 17-14 Saturday at Community Stadium in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The loss is the second in a row for the Warhawks who have not lost consecutive games since 2001. UW-W is now 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while the Pointers improve to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the WIAC.
Neither team could get anything going offensively in the first quarter. On the first two possessions of the game the teams traded punts. The third drive of the game belonged to the Pointers who marched down to the Whitewater three yard line but missed a 20-yard field goal.
It wasn't until midway through the second quarter that the scoreless tie was broken. The Pointers picked off Whitewater quarterback Matt Behrendt (Westchester, IL/Nazareth) and returned it for a touchdown to make it 6-0, and with the extra point 7-0.
On the ensuing drive the Warhawks covered 39 yards before punting the ball back to the Pointers. On 3rd and thirteen Stevens Point quarterback Mitch Beau found Theo Maglio for an 84-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 in favor of the host.
The Pointers carried their two touchdown lead into the half.
The Warhawks started the second half with the ball and marched 70 yards in ten plays capped off with a 23-yard field goal by Eric Kindler(Germantown/Germantown) to narrow the margin to 14-3.
On the Pointers' next drive they were forced to punt and the Warhawks took over at their own 32. On the very next play the Warhawks fumbled and Stevens Point recovered on the Warhawk 15 yard line. The Warhawk defense stiffened and held the Pointers to just a field goal to make it 17-3.
The Warhawks used Kindler's foot again for three more points on their next drive to make it 17-6. UW-W used seven plays to get down to the Pointer 24, lining Kindler up for a successful 41-yard field goal.
After the Warhawk defense forced the Pointers to punt on their next possession UW-W put together a thirteen play drive that had them knocking on the doorstep of the end zone. After a couple of miscues the Warhawks came away with no points.
The Warhawk defense did their job again on the next Pointer drive and forced them into a three and out. This time the Warhawks capitalized finishing a four play, 56-yard drive off with a one yard rushing touchdown by Nick Patterson (Sussex/Sussex). UW-W successfully completed a 2-point conversion and the score was 17-14. Behrendt had two big passes on the drive, one to Zach Howard (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park, IL) for 27 yards, and the other to Bernie Tamsett (Waterford/Waterford) for 24 yards.
Needing a stop to get another chance on offense the Warhawk defense came up big and forced the Pointers to punt with 4:53 remaining in the game. Starting on their own 21-yard line after the punt, the UW-W offense was stifled and forced to punt the ball back to the Pointers with 3:45 remaining.
The drama continued to build as the Warhawks forced another three and out to give their team another chance to tie or win the game. UW-W took over at their own 28 with 2:44 left in the game. The Warhawks covered 42 yards in nine plays highlighted by a 24-yard completion to Zach Howard (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park, IL) on a third and twenty to set up Kindler for a game tying 47-yard field goal attempt. The Pointers got a hand on the kick and the ball fell short. Stevens Point took over at their own 30 and ran the clock out to preserve the win.
Behrendt went 23-for-37 for 243 yards in his first start this season. Desmin Ward (Milwaukee/Hamilton) led the Warhawk running attack rushing 21 times for 133 yards and Zach Howard (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park, IL) caught eight passes for 117 yards.
UW-W returns home on November 3 for their final home game against UW-Eau Claire at 3:00 pm at Perkins Stadium in Whitewater.