PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – In the 101st Homecoming game, the No. 7 University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team (4-0, 1-0 WIAC) shutout UW-Stevens Point (3-1, 0-1 WIAC) in the conference opener by a score of 52-0 inside Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The shutout is the second of the season for the Pioneers and the first on Homecoming since a 31-0 win over UW-River Falls in 2012. UW-Platteville held the Pointers to just 128 total yards of offense while collecting two sacks and one interception. The secondary limited UW-Stevens Point to just 9-of-26 passing for 61 yards, while the front seven gave up just 2.3 yards per carry to one of the better rushing teams in the conference.

On the offensive side, sophomore quarterback Nathan Uselding finished 31-of-38 passing for 313 yards and four touchdowns against one interception. Sophomores Jake Sullivan and Caden Casimino saw action under center as well, with Sullivan posted 23 yards passing and Casimino throwing a 30-yard score and adding a rushing touchdown.

The favorite target in the passing game was junior Kristian Gavric, who set multiple new bests in a career day. Gavric hauled in 15 passes, tied for sixth-most in a single game in Pioneers history, for 154 yards and a touchdown. He found success at all levels, and his 30-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter from Casimino was the first score in his UW-Platteville career.

Junior William Doetch finished second on the team with 80 yards on five catches, while senior Trevor Syse hauled in a pair of touchdown passes and 63 receiving yards. On the ground, junior Zackary Bothun had a team-leading 70 yards on 12 carries, and sophomore Jack Egan produced 67 yards on just six carries, including a 45-yard touchdown run for the Pioneers final score of the day. Egan also opened the scoring in the game with a two-yard touchdown catch.

After forcing a punt on the Pointers opening possession, the Pioneers went on a 19-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to get the first score of the day. UW-Platteville converted on three fourth down attempts on the drive, including a fourth-and-goal score from the two-yard line when Uselding found Egan on a bootleg to the right.

The Pioneers got the ball back just five plays later after junior Harrison Meyer intercepted a deep pass over the middle of the field on the final play of the first quarter. It only took three plays for UW-Platteville to find the end zone after the turnover as Uselding hit Syse deep for a 51-yard touchdown.

UW-Stevens Point punted the ball back on the ensuing drive, and the Pioneers went on a 14-play scoring drive to add another touchdown to the lead. After converting a short fourth down on a pass to Gavric, Uselding found Syse on a slant over the middle for the score.

After a couple punts, UW-Platteville got the ball back with just over a minute remaining until halftime. Uselding marched the Pioneers into field goal range with passes to Gavric and Doetch, and freshman Brady Mobley knocked through a 41-yard field goal try, increasing the lead to 24-0 at the break.

Uselding and a 22-yard rush by Bothun got the Pioneers inside the five-yard line on the opening possession of the second half, and Casmino capped it off with a two-yard rushing touchdown. Uselding added one more passing touchdown in the closing minutes of the third, as he hit junior Brady Tosterud in the corner of the end zone to make it 38-0.

UW-Platteville wrapped up the game with two final touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the 30-yard pass from Casimino to Gavric and the 45-yard rush by Egan. The Pointers managed just 23 yards of offense in the final frame and turned the ball on downs on one of their three possessions thanks to a fourth-down sack by Meyer.

Meyer and sophomore Donovan Nedelcoff shared the team lead in tackles with five each. Meyer made an impact in a variety of ways, adding a sack, an interception, two pass breakups, and another quarterback hurry. Senior Logan Drone recorded the Pioneers other sack and sophomore Rodney Gavins Jr. broke up two other passes. UW-Platteville finished with seven total pass breakups, and got five tackles for loss, including 1.5 from Nedelcoff.

Mobley finished a perfect 7-of-7 on his extra points attempts while converting the lone field goal try. Junior punter Benjamin Younker kicked just one time in the contest, a 35-yard punt late in the first half.

The Pioneers will travel to No. 11 UW-River Falls to continue WIAC action in a 1 p.m. start. The Falcons fell to 0-1 in conference play after losing 21-17 on a late touchdown against No. 15 UW-Oshkosh on Saturday.

*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a free ice cream cone (with purchase) the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering a free churro (with purchase) the day after each Pioneer win.