MENOMONIE (October 14, 2017) - With UW-River Falls driving with just over two minutes left in the game, UW-Stout's Jed Schlegel intercepted River Falls quarterback Travon Hearns in the end zone. River Falls, using timeouts, was able to force Stout to punt, but the Falcons got called for roughing the kicker and Stout was able to run the clock out to hold on for a 21-16 Homecoming win on a rainy Saturday at Don and Nona Williams Stadium.
The Blue Devils (3-2, 1-2 WIAC) built up a 21-3 lead well into the third period, but the Falcons would score the final 13 points of the game to make the wet day a tenuous win for Stout.
River Falls (3-3, 1-2 WIAC) would take advantage of short field late in the third quarter, going 49 yards in seven plays, capped off by a one yard TD run by Falcons' workhorse Michael Diggins. After the two-point conversion failed, the Blue Devils held a 21-9 lead at 1:32 of the third.
The teams traded three-and-out series through the early part of the fourth quarter before Stout coughed up the ball deep in their own territory and Joey Leonard recovered the ball on the Stout 22. Two 11 yard rushes later, and Diggins found the end zone to make it 21-16.
Stout picked up a first down on the next play on a 26-yard reception by Jaavion Bradley, but three plays later were forced to punt. The Falcons drove - three rushes by Diggins and a 36 yard pass from Hearns to B. McCarthy - and the Falcons were sitting in Stout territory at the 34. But Schlegel stepped in front of Hearns' pass down the middle, just inside the end zone, with exactly two minutes remaining.
But it still wasn't over as the Falcons had their full slate of timeouts and used them, stopping Stout and forcing the punt. But the roughing the kicker penalty took the air out of the Falcons and Stout ran out the clock.
The Falcons opened up the scoring in the first quarter, driving to the Stout 7, but the Blue Devils forced incomplete passes on second and third downs to force a 25-yard field goal by Angel Bautista.
Stout answered back on the ensuing drive and it was Rayshawn Graham that did most of the damage on the 70 yard drive. Making his first start of the season, Graham carried the ball on five straight attempts - including a 34-yard romp. to the River Falls 4. After Graham was stopped for a three-yard loss on first down,quarterback Jay Alston found Brian Sandifer in the end zone for a 7-yard score at 5:33 of the first period.
Stout would get on the board again in the second period when Alston found Kevion McDonald for a 36-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute left in the half.
The Blue Devils stopped the Falcons deep in their own territory in the third period and Heaven Hunt returned a punt 11 yards to the River Falls 35. Alston hit Bradley for 27 yards and two plays later, Alston connected with Sandifer for an eight yard TD.
The Falcons and the Blue Devils came into the game as the No. 2 and 3 defense in the WIAC, and the statistics reveal that. Stout held River Falls to 220 total yards, 153 rushing, 67 passing, while the Falcons held Stout to 249 total yards, 53 rushing, 196 passing.
Graham had his second 100-yard game of the season, carrying the ball 19 times for 100 yards. But the Blue Devils lost 47 rushing yards, much of that coming on Stout's final series as they ran out the clock.
Alston was 10-of-21 for 183 yards. McDonald hauled in four passes for 66 yards. Sandifer had three catches for 55 yards and Bradley two catches for 53 yards.
Diggins accounted for more than half of River Falls' yardage. The conference's leading rusher, Diggins carried the ball 30 times for 158 yards and caught five passes for 13 yards, rolling up a total of 171 yards. Hearns completed 8-of-26 passes for 66 yards.tackles
Senior linebacker Nick Schulenburg finished with 11 tackles, five solo, to pace Stout. Josh Johnson and Troy Rudesill each had eight tackles. Iyen Ogbomoh recorded a sack.
Stout stays home for the second consecutive week when they host UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m.
UW-Stout holds off late charge by UW-River Falls
/seasons/2017/boxscores/20171014_doyx.xml
2017
UW-River Falls
16
UW-Stout
21
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UW-River Falls (3-3) | 3 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| UW-Stout (3-2) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Oct 14, 2017