University of Wisconsin-Platteville
quarterback John
Kelly threw four touchdown passes and the defense forced eight
turnovers in a 51-7 rout of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
on Senior Day at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium on a special day
for 17 Pioneer seniors.
The Pioneers (7-3, 5-2 WIAC) reach
the seven-win mark overall and five-win mark in conference play for
the first time since 1990 with the win. It was the first time that
UW-Platteville rang up 50-plus points on the scoreboard since the
regular season finale in 1980 and the most in the series between
the two teams since 1972. The win also gives UW-Platteville a share
of second-place honors in the WIAC.
The Pointers (4-5, 2-4 WIAC) were
held to a season-low 219 yards of total offense in the loss by a
suffocating UW-Platteville defense.
After taking a 7-0 lead in the
first quarter when Kelly found Ryley Bailey for a
13-yard touchdown pass, the Pioneers put on the board 20 points in
the second quarter. In the second quarter, the Pioneers forced
three fumbles as well as picked off two UW-Stevens Point
passes.
To start the quarter, Pioneer
freshman Jaylan Bailey
ended an attempt by the Pointers to tie it when he intercepted a
pass at the one-yard line. Later in the quarter, after both teams
exchanged turnovers, UW-Platteville went ahead 13-0 on a 1-yard
touchdown plunge by Lee Vlasak. The
Pioneers added to their lead after forcing a fumble on the ensuing
kickoff. Working with a short field, Kelly and Bailey connected for
their second touchdown of the day to put the Pioneers up 20-0.
The Pioneer defense continued to
cause havoc as they sacked UW-Stevens Point quarterback Mitch Beau
twice to force a punt. Then, UW-Platteville marched down the field
in the final 1:38 of the half. Kelly found Bailey for a 20 and
18-yard reception, respectively and Vlasak ran it down to the
six-yard line on a 21-yard rush. Next, Kelly found senior Jake Wiederholt
for a touchdown with 33 seconds left in the first half, putting the
Pioneers ahead 27-0 at the intermission.
To start the second half, the
Pioneer defense forced another turnover when Ryan McWethy tipped
a pass and an alert Jacob Zilbar picked
up his second interception of the season. UW-Platteville added to
its lead when Zach Litchfield
made a 44-yard field goal, which ties the fourth-longest in school
history, giving the Pioneers a 30-0 lead.
Later in the quarter, UW-Stevens
Point got on the board with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Beau to
Alex Wallace to trim the UW-Platteville advantage to 30-7. On the
Pioneers, next drive, they took advantage of two 15-yard penalties
by UW-Stevens Point. UW-Platteville stretched the lead to 37-7 when
Kelly found Paul
Reit for a 12-yard reception.
Towards the end of the quarter, senior Connor Wilson
intercepted his first of two passes for the Pioneers. The
interception set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Chad Roscoe early in
the fourth quarter to put UW-Platteville ahead 44-7 with 14:35 left
to play. Four plays later, facing a 4th and 1, Wilson
was around the ball, again. This time, he picked off his second
pass of the day and ran it in from 40 yards out for the final
margin.
