Pioneers grind out win over UW-Stevens Point

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -The University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team secured its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory of the season Saturday with a 31-3 win over UW-Stevens Point. 

The Pioneers (2-3 overall, 1-1 WIAC) stacked up a 21-0 lead courtesy of a fast breakaway in the first quarter, tallying 132 total yards to the Pointers' (1-4 overall, 0-2 WIAC) 19 yards. UW-Platteville combined a pair of first quarter touchdowns with another trip to the endzone in the second before UW-Stevens Point got on the board following a 44-yard field goal with 00:24 left in the half. The Pioneers added seven more and a 45-yard field goal following a third quarter interception to secure the 31-3 win. 

Finding stride on the ground, UW-Platteville piled on 376 yards total offense with 259 net rushing yards. The defense held the Pointers to just 118 yards total offense. It was the first time since September's 49-12 win over Lakeland University in 2018 that the Pioneers as a team totaled 259 rushing yards or more. 

In his first career start, Braeden Katcher completed 16 of 27 attempts for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Katcher added 84 rushing yards off 11 carries with the run into the endzone in the first half. 

Will Lawrence totaled a career-high 87 yards off 12 carries while Bryan Smith rushed 14 times for 65 yards. 

Garrett Stare also had a career-best 52 yards off six receptions while Jimmy Durocher tallied 42 yards off five catches. 

Samuel Tausz picked off UW-Stevens Point and led the Pioneers with six tackles. Tyler Bacon recorded five tackles and was in on two sacks for a loss of 12 yards and four tackles for loss of 18. The defense totaled seven tackles for a loss of 37 yards with three sacks for a loss of 16 yards. 

The Pioneers set the pace early, scoring on their first drive of the game off a 25-yard touchdown from Katcher to Durocher with 9:46 on the clock. 

The Pointers' next drive was cut short when the Pioneers recovered a fumble on third down. UW-Platteville was unable to cash in on the turnover, falling short on a fourth and four attempt,  but Katcher rushed 22 yards in for a touchdown on the next possession to double the lead to 14-0 with 3:37 left in the first quarter.

UW-Stevens Point entered the second quarter still in search of a first down, and another punt set the Pioneers up to march 70 yards in 10 plays. Katcher found John Goomey for an eight-yard pass to extend the lead to 21-0 with 11:12 left in the half. UW-Platteville had a chance to extend the lead again the next possession, but Katcher was intercepted in the back of the endzone. 

The Pioneers added to their lead once more to start of the second half when Katcher hit Goomey again for the pair's second touchdown of the day with 5:36 on the board. 

Two snaps later, Samuel Tausz intercepted UW-Stevens Point's Schroeder and returned it 20 yards to the Pointer's 23-yard line. The Pioneers made use of the turnover and Andrew Schweigert drilled in a 45-yard kick to bring the lead to 31-2 with 3:40 left in the third quarter. 

The UW-Platteville defense closed out the day ending each of the Pointers' next drives with sacks for a loss of four and seven yards. 

Next up, UW-Platteville will return to action and Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 15 when they take on No. 17 ranked UW-River Falls at 1 p.m. in the University's 2022 Homecoming game. 

* With every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a $3 Pioneer burger the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.