STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Senior linebacker
Joe Berens (Wausau, Wis./West) had career-best of 3.0 sacks and 14 tackles as the UW-Stevens Point football team (3-2, 0-2) fell to No. 10/12 UW-Whitewater (4-1, 1-1) by a 48-14 final.
Berens led all players with 14 tackles. Six of his tackles were solo. He had 3.0 sacks, two solo and two shared. He totaled 3.5 tackles for loss on the day.
Quarterback
Charlie Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) completed 12 passes and connected for two touchdowns.
Brayden Wiczek (Minocqua, Wis./Lakeland Union) had a TD catch among his four receptions.
Lucas Milz (South Wayne, Wis./Black Hawk) had the other touchdown reception.
Peyton Schwann blocked a field goal and had a shared sack with Berens.
Brodie Overbeck (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) also had a sack and recovered a fumble.
UWSP forced a three-and-out on the first UWW possession of the game. The Pointers drove into UWW territory on their opening possession, but a turnover halted the promising drive.
The Warhawks scored on the next possession to put UWSP down, 7-0. On the ensuing kickoff, UWW forced and recovered a fumble. The Warhawks scored on the next play for a 14-0 lead.
The Pointers' defense held the Warhawks to a field goal on the opening drive of the second quarter. Just before halftime, UWW scored a touchdown to put UWSP in a 24-0 hole at the break.
The Warhawks pushed the deficit to 31-0 midway through the third quarter. On the next UWW possession,
Tanner Mrotek (Manitowoc, Wis./Lincoln) forced a fumble and Overbeck pounced on it.
Smith went 3-for-3 through the air and gained eight yards on the ground with a 30-yard connection to Wiczek getting the Pointers on the board.
Late in the third quarter, UWSP again held the Warhawks to a field goal attempt. Schwann blocked the kick to keep UWSP within 31-7.
On UWSP's second possession of the fourth quarter, Smith completed four passes and the Pointers were aided by a pair of pass interference calls. Smith and Milz connected for a two-yard touchdown.
UWW scored on its first and last possessions of the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
The Pointers host UW-River Falls on Saturday (Oct. 18) for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.