FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The UW-Stevens Point football team overcame a 10-point first-quarter deficit, but the Pointers eventually surrendered the lead and the game to No. 9 University of Saint Francis, 39-31, in the 2012 season opener.
Box Score
The Cougars reached the end zone on the game's first possession when Austin Coleman connected with Josh Miller for a 29-yard touchdown pass.
A 19-yard field goal by
Jesse Vervelde (Oostburg, WI/Oostburg) put the Pointers on the board, but Coleman connected with Miller once again, giving the Cougars a 13-3 advantage after a failed PAT.
Ethan Lockhart (Elkhorn, WI/Elkhorn)'s two-yard touchdown run for the Pointers in the second quarter capped off a 13-play, 85-yard drive and cut the Cougar advantage to 13-10.
Just over one minute later, the Cougars botched the snap while punting, and
Joe Dax (Ashwuabenon, WI/Ashwuabenon) recovered the fumble in the end zone to put the Pointers on top 17-13.
Lockhart recorded his second touchdown of the day with a 10-yard scramble late in the second quarter, but the Cougars responded with a 50-yard drive that ended in a touchdown run by Antoin Campbell.
UWSP clung to a 24-19 lead at halftime.
St. Francis regained the lead late in the fourth quarter when a one-yard run by David Yoder put the Cougars on top for good, 25-24.
The Pointers managed just one touchdown in the second half – an eight-yard run by
Theo Maglio (Wautoma, WI/Wautoma) with only 15 seconds remaining in the game.
Pointers quarterback
Mitch Beau (Fond du Lac, WI/St. Mary Springs) led all players with 316 total yards of offense (236 passing, 80 rushing), and
Evan Butts (Oshkosh, WI/North) led all receivers with 100 yards on four receptions.
Defensively,
Cody Seibel (Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum) and brother
Bo Seibel (Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum) each tallied 15 total tackles while Jimmy Sladek finished the day with 11.
Skylar Stecker (Hilbert, WI/Hilbert) also chipped in with six, all solo.
UWSP will take a week off before traveling to Iowa for a match-up against the University of Dubuqe.
