No. 8 Pioneers Pick Up Road Win Over UW-Stevens Point

PLATTEVILLE, Wis – The No. 8 nationally ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team (7-1, 4-1 WIAC) picked up a 42-14 win on the road Saturday at UW-Stevens Point (1-7, 0-5 WIAC). The Pioneers took an early 21-0 lead and finished the day with 21 unanswered points at Community Stadium at Goerke Field.

The Pioneers controlled the clock all day, holding possession for 40:21. UW-Platteville put up 493 total yards of offense, rushing for a season-high 250 yards while passing for another 243. The Pioneers held the Pointers' run game to just 61 yards on the day, as UW-Stevens Point passed for 256.

Senior Michael Priami completed 23-of-27 attempts for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Priami targeted junior Garrett Stare the most with six receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Carter Olson and senior Brandt Stare caught the other two touchdown passes from Priami.

Two Pioneers netted at least 100 rushing yards in the victory as freshman Alex Marre had a career-high 150 yards on 17 carries. Junior Zackary Bothun also tallied 17 carries and registered 100 yards and two touchdowns.

 Jake Leair passed for 227 yards and one touchdown as he went 17-of-36 for the Pointers. Miles Gallagher paced UW-Stevens Point with 58 rushing yards on four carries while also clocking a team-high 82 yards on two receptions.

Sophomore Benjamin Younker had a stellar day, averaging 39 yards across three punts while placing all three inside the 20. Sophomore Trevor Schulz was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points.

The Pioneers defense totaled four tackles for a loss of 21 yards, including one sack by senior Aidan Sproule for a loss of 10. Sproule also forced one fumble in the game while junior Logan Drone registered the fumble recovery. Freshman Donovan Nedelcoff had another great game, this time pacing UW-Platteville with a team-high eight tackles. Nedelcoff also registered one of the Pioneers' five pass breakups on the day.

The Pointers defense was led by Zander Popp with 12 tackles while Gavino Lopez was right behind with 11.

UW-Platteville took the lead late in the first quarter and never trailed as an eight-yard pass from Priami to Brandt Stare got the Pioneers on the board.

The Pioneers doubled their lead with another eight-yard touchdown pass from Priami to Olson on the next possession, as UW-Platteville took just 10 plays to go 81 yards.

After forcing a quick three and out, Priami and the offense got back to work, this time taking over seven minutes off the clock on a 14-play, 68-yard drive.  Bothun punched in his first and the team's third touchdown of the day off a three-yard carry to extend the Pioneers lead to 21-0 with just over a minute to go in the half.

A 39-yard pass by the Pointers put UW-Stevens Point at 1^st and goal at the one-yard line, just in time for UW-Stevens Point to get on the board before the break.

The Pointers used another big play, a 36-yard run by Gallagher, to score on their first drive of the second  half, cutting the Pioneers' lead to 21-14.

The close game was short-lived, as Priami connected with Garrett Stare for back-to-back touchdowns on the next two possessions of the game. Four minutes into the fourth quarter, UW-Platteville extended its lead back to 35-14.

The duo of Priami and Garrett Stare teamed up again for a 36-yard competition on the Pioneers' next drive, and Bothun followed the big  pass up with an 11-yard run to the endzone to make it three-straight scoring drives for UW-Platteville.

The Pioneers will return home for the final home game of the season on Saturday, November 9 when they host UW-Eau Claire on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at 1 p.m.

*As 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.