ADRIAN, Mich. – The UW-Stevens Point football team used a combination of stellar defensive and offensive play to handle Adrian 44-19 on Saturday afternoon at Docking Stadium.
In the last three games, the Pointers have held their opponents to less than 20 points, while stacking points nearly every quarter.
In the first quarter, the Pointers methodically put together a scoring drive in six plays over three minutes. Starting on their own 27-yard line, the drive began with two passes complete for a total of 20 yards. Thereafter, the Pointers rushed the next five plays, ending with a 28-yard run by
Christian Almonte (Menomonee Falls, WI/Menomonee Falls) for the touchdown.
After holding the Bulldogs, the Pointers combined for three first downs and a touchdown. Quarterback,
Kyle Larson (Clayton, WI/Clayton) completed a six-yard pass to Almonte for his second score of the day to put the Pointers up 13-0.
In response, Adrian marched down the field in 15 plays to cut the lead in half. The Pointers helped the Bulldogs with two major penalties leading to a one-yard rush from David Nutter to cut the lead in half.
The two defenses battled it out in the second quarter until the Pointers scored with 2:21 left in the half. Adrian managed to get to the UWSP nine-yard line when Nutter rushed in hopes of finding the end zone, but the ball was stripped by
Tanner Beaman (Phelps, WI/Northland Pines) and recovered by
Kevin Sanchez (Jefferson, WI/Jefferson), who returned it 90 yards for a touchdown. Sanchez's fumble return is the second longest fumble return in Pointer history and UWSP led 20-7 going into the half.
Ryan Swigart (Winnebago, IL/Winnebago) took the snaps behind the center in the second half and led the Pointers to a six play, 50-yard scoring drive. Swigart complete two passes, ending the drive with a 35-yard completion to
Jared Pankow (Mosinee, WI/D.C. Everest) for a touchdown to put UWSP ahead 27-7.
The Pointer defense once again stepped up as the Bulldogs got down to the Pointers 39 after starting on their own drive, but only to be broken up by
Juleyan Givens (Bolingbrook, IL/Plainfield East). Givens intercepted Gage Smith's pass at the UWSP 42 and returned the ball 58 yards for the touchdown.
Kyle Hendzel (Lisle, IL/Lisle)'s extra point went through the uprights and the Pointers had a commanding 34-7 lead. Both teams scored once more throughout the remaining minutes of the game, but UWSP denied any sense of a comeback.
The Pointers will begin WIAC play on Sat., October 1 as they travel to UW-Eau Claire for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
