Pioneers lose OT heartbreaker

UW-River Falls scored on the last play of regulation, then went on to beat visiting UW-Platteville 31-28 in overtime Saturday.

Patrick O'Brien's second one-yard touchdown of the game gave the Pioneers a 28-21 lead with 4:05 to play. After both teams exchanged punts, the Falcons drove 95 yards in the final 1:25, capped by a nine-yard scoring pass from Ryan Luessenheide to Ryan Hansen.

Chad Blair kicked a 30-yard field goal on the Falcons' overtime possession, and the Pioneers were forced to try a 47-yarder on theirs. The kick missed, and the Falcons won for the first time in their third overtime game of the season. Both teams are now 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the WIAC.

Freshman John Kelly, in his first collegiate start, threw two touchdown passes, a six-yarder to Jimmy Spehn that knotted the score at 7-7 in the first half, and a two-yarder to Jake Wiederholt that gave the Pioneers a 21-14 third-quarter lead.

The Falcons' Greg Klingelhultz scored three touchdowns, including a 91-yard kickoff return. His last TD was a 14-yard run that tied the score at 21. The Pioneers then drove 80 yards in 11 plays and 5:21. Joe Burkeland's 15-yard run on a reverse brought the ball to the one, and O'Brien banged in on the next play for the 28-21 lead.

UWRF's final drive covered 95 yards in 15 plays and included a Luessenheide rush for 11 yards on fourth and 10.

Kelly completed 30 of 48 passes for 244 yards, including 9 for 58 to Aunton Terry. Chad Roscoe gained 80 yards on the ground.

Taylor Edwards ran for 102 yards for UWRF, while Lussenheide threw for 146, although he was picked off by both Quincy Hudson and Ross Mueller.