Box Score STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Trevor Whitehead caught a touchdown pass from John Kelly with 56 seconds left and the ensuing extra point was good as No. 7 UW-Platteville came away with a 24-23 win over the UW-Stevens Point football team in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) action on Saturday at Community Stadium at Goerke Park.

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Whitehead's second scoring reception of the game came on a screen pass and capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive by the Pioneers (6-0, 3-0 WIAC). The Pointers (4-2, 2-1 WIAC) got the ball back needing a field goal to win but Mitch Beau (Fond du Lac, WI/St. Mary Springs)'s third-down pass was intercepted by Jacob Zilbar and UW-Platteville took a knee to seal their fourth consecutive win in the series.

UW-Stevens Point trailed 17-10 through three quarters but scored a pair of touchdowns to lead until the final minute. The Pointers knotted the score at 17-17 with 10:59 to play on a four-yard pass from Mitch Beau (Fond du Lac, WI/St. Mary Springs) to Luke Neubauer (Shawano, WI/Shawano). Just over two minutes later, Beau scored on a two-yard quarterback sneak after connecting with Neubauer on a 54-yard pass. Jesse Vervelde (Oostburg, WI/Oostburg)'s extra point hit the right upright to leave the Pointers with just a six-point lead. Neubauer had five receptions for 75 yards and a score.

The Pioneers high-scoring offense got the scoring started only three minutes into the contest with an eight-play, 75-yard drive. The drive was capped by a 30-yard pass from Kelly to Whitehead. Kelly finished 22-for-33 for 239 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Whitehead was his favorite target with 11 receptions for 161 yards and both touchdowns.

The teams then traded field goals to leave UW-Platteville ahead 10-3 at the half. Early in the third quarter, Bo Seibel (Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum) intercepted a Kelly pass deep in Pioneers territory, which set up a five-yard touchdown strike from Beau to Matt Sosinsky (Princeton, WI/Princeton). For the game, Beau was 23-for-47 for 251 yards with two touchdowns and the late interception. 

Lee Vlasak's seven-yard scoring run gave UW-Platteville the lead heading to the fourth at 17-10. Vlasak was the leading rusher for the Pioneers with 54 yards on 14 carries, as the Pointers defense continued to be stout against the run. Adam Vesterfelt (Janesville, WI/Parker) led UWSP with 95 yards on 26 rushes.

Entering the game, UW-Platteville had not allowed a sack all season but the Pointers got to Kelly three times. Dan Brown (Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee) had 1.5 sacks for UWSP. Cody Seibel (Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum) had nine tackles and a sack, while Matt Gaffney (Menasha, WI/Menasha) and Bo Seibel (Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum) each recorded interceptions.

The Pointers held the Pioneers high-octane offense in check for the most part. UW-Platteville entered the game averaging over 48 points and over 550 yards per game but UW-Stevens Point held them to 378 yards, while gaining 338 yards themselves. 

UWSP looks to rebound next Saturday at UW-La Crosse (1-5, 1-2 WIAC) at 1 pm.