Kelly tosses 6 TDs as #11 Pioneers cruise past host Blue Devils 55–27

The 11th-ranked UW–Platteville Pioneers bounced back from a frustrating loss at UW–Oshkosh a week ago with a 55–27 victory at UW–Stout Saturday afternoon.

Coach Mike Emendorfer's Pioneers used a 20-point second-quarter explosion to build a 27–3 halftime advantage before coasting to the conference win.

Senior quarterback Tom Kelly completed 24 of 34 passes for 374 yards and six touchdowns in the game.

UW–Platteville improved to 6–2 on the season and 3–2 in the WIAC. UW–Stout fell to 3–5 and 1–4 in the conference.

The Blue Devils scored the game's first points on a 48-yard field goal by Drew Pearson just four minutes into the contest.

But the next two quarters were all UW–Platteville, as the Pioneers scored five straight possessions to take a commanding 34–3 lead.

Junior linebacker Chandler Crary forced a Stout fumble and sophomore corner back Josh Mackie recovered deep in Blue Devils' territory.

On the very next play, senior Patrick Sheehan caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to put the Pioneers on the board with 3:19 left in the opening quarter. Sophomore running back Sean Studer scored from two yards out early in the second quarter to make it 13–3.

The Pioneers' senior defensive lineman Steve Hawley recovered another Stout fumble on the ensuing drive at the Blue Devil 27 and a few plays later Kelly connected with senior wideout Dan Arnold for 30-yard TD strike and a 20–3 lead.

Senior Dillon Villhauer added a 14-yard touchdown catch late in the first half to make it 27–3 at the break.

Kelly continued his near perfect afternoon with three more touchdown passes in the third quarter. He connected on a 27-yard pass with senior Quinn Buschbacher a minute into the second half. Later threw a 40-yard TD pass to Vilhauer and closed out the quarter with a 46-yard bomb to Arnold.

Sophomore Wyatt Thompson added a seven-yard run for the Pioneers midway throught the fourth quarter to make it 55–20.

Arnold finished the game with six catches for 137 yards and two TDs. Villhauer added five catches for 87 yards and a pair of scores and Buschbacher finished with a team-high 10 catches for 86 yards. Studer posted his second-straight 100-yard game rushing, with 102 yards on 15 carries.

Crary led the defensive effort with a season-high 14 tackles, including three for loss. Senior Colin Griffin added 12 stops.

The Pioneers return home next Saturday when they welcome UW–Eau Claire. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The Blugolds (2–6, 1–4) are coming off a 48–6 loss to second-ranked UW–Whitewater (8–0, 5–0).

By Jason Nihles, Sports Information Assistant