Box Score

RIVER FALLS - UW-Stevens Point had their best day through the air so far this season, passing for 234 yards and two touchdowns, but the Pointer offense managed just 70 yards on the ground and the defense allowed 610 all-purpose yards as the Falcons of UW-River Falls handed the Pointers their first loss of the season, 36-30, in the WIAC opener for both teams.

Down 6-0 after a Falcon touchdown and failed extra point, Ryan Graboski (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) (Woodbury, Minn.) capped a nine play, 34 yard drive for the Pointers with a 24 yard field goal, putting the Pointers on the board 6-3. 

Falcons' kick returner Greg Klingelhutz then returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, answering right back, and after a blocked extra point, the Falcons held a 12-3 lead. 

Graboski added a 25 yard field goal and Charlie Dercks (Little Chute/Little Chute) (Chetek) fell on a fumble in the Falcon's end zone, as the Pointers took their only lead of the day, 13-12 with 12:50 remaining in the second quarter. 

The Falcons tacked on another touchdown, this time a 17 yard touchdown pass to Michael Zweifel, to take the 20-13 lead seven minutes later.The Pointers answered, knotting the score at 20 when Jared Jenkins (Milwaukee/Rufus King) (Milwaukee) hauled in his first touchdown of 2008, a five yard pass from Beckwith with 2:30 remaining in the first half, to again tie the score at 20.

With time running out in the first half, the Falcons capitalized on a Jared Beckwith (Baraboo/Baraboo) (Baraboo) interception, deep in Pointer territory, to tack on an extra touchdown before the half as Storm Harmon connected with Patrick Houlton on two straight 19 yard passes, the second good for six points and a 27-20 Falcon advantage.  

In the second half, neither team's offense, after cruising up and down the field in the first half, could put much together, as the Pointers tacked on a 32 yard Graboski field goal to cut the deficit to four, 27-23, but Zweifel struck again for the Falcons, hauling in an 18 yard pass from Harmon, pushing the lead to 34-23 heading into the fourth quarter.

After a safety pushed the score to 36-23, the Pointers capitalized on a Falcon miscue, getting the ball back at the 11 yard line, and with time winding down, Beckwith found Jenkins for his second score of the day, cutting the deficit to six with 4:49 remaining. 

The Falcons then strung together a seven play, 30 yard drive together that ate 2:42 away from the clock, and with the Pointers pressing in the game's final minutes, forced a Beckwith interception that sealed the victory for River Falls.

For the Pointers, Beckwith was 21-for-38 for 234 yards and threw two touchdowns and three interceptions. Jenkins led the way receiving, posting 97 yards on 11 catches and had both receiving touchdowns. Jack Marx (Scandinavia/Iola-Scandinavia) (Scandinavia) was the leading rusher on the day for UWSP, as he carried the ball 18 times for 62 yards, an average of 3.4 yards per rush. 

Defensively, John Jones (Oregon/Oregon) (Oregon) led the way, posting 11 tackles, including a half tackle for loss and also posted a half sack. Brandon Stremkowski (Stevens Point/SPASH) (Stevens Point) added nine and blocked pass while Brad Vickroy (Wisconsin Rapids/Lincoln) (Wisconsin Rapids) added three tackles, one for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery. 

UW-Stevens Point returns home to the friendly confines of Community Stadium to face UW-Platteville in the annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Community Stadium at Goerke Park.