STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point football team (2-5, 1-3) had to endure a 30-minute delayed start, but battle tough in a 31-27 defeat to visiting UW-Stout (4-3, 2-2) in the Homecoming Game on Saturday.
 
Senior Christian Almonte (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) turned in another stellar performance for the Pointers.  He returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the second-straight week, this week going for 93 yards.  He also hauled in a 61-yard reception for a touchdown.
 
Freshman quarterback Max Herro (Dousman, Wis./Kettle Moraine) showed more comfort in his second start of the year.  He completed 14 passes for 200 yards in the game. 
 
Sophomore ShamaJ Williams (Racine, Wis./Lutheran) chewed up a team-high 79 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown for UWSP.
 
Defensively, Ryan Strick (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) again led the Pointers in tackles, making 13 on the day.  Kameron Kryzanski (Thorp, Wis./Thorp) had 12 tackles and scooped a fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
 
Snowy conditions and a fierce north wind wreaked havoc on both offenses early.  Following a UWSP turnover on its second possession, the Blue Devils punched in on the short field for a 7-0 lead.
 
Almonte took the ensuing kickoff to the house, a 93-yard return.  It was his second return of a kickoff of more than 90 yards in the last two weeks.
 
After another UWSP turnover on the first possession of the second quarter, UW-Stout drove 39 yards on six plays to take a 13-7 lead.
 
Herro hit Almonte on the first play of the next drive and Almonte strolled to the end zone to give UWSP a 14-13 lead.
 
One play after the kickoff, Kryzanski scooped a Blue Devils' fumble and scored on the 16-yard return to push the lead to 21-13.
 
UW-Stout sustained a 12-play, 75-yard drive and converted the two-point attempt to tie the game at 21-21.  Neither team scored in the third and it remained 21-all headed to the fourth quarter.
 
On the first drive of the final stanza, UW-Stout found the end zone at the end of an 11-play drive.  On its next possession, the Blue Devils kicked a field goal to extend the lead to 31-21.
 
Herro completed four passes and Williams ran the ball five times, including the eight-yard series-ender for a touchdown.  Victor Ponterio's (Melrose, Wis./Melrose-Mindoro) point-after attempt was no good to make it a 31-27 game.
 
The Pointers' defense held UW-Stout to a three-and-out to get the ball back with 1:18 to go.  Herro picked up a first down with his feet, but on third down near midfield, he threw an interception to end the comeback attempt.
 
The Pointers close out the home slate next Saturday (Oct. 27) with a 1:00 p.m. Senior Day kickoff against UW-Oshkosh.