Junior running back ShamaJ Williams and the UWSP football team are set to play in their annual Pink Game against 21st-ranked Wabash (Ind.) at Community Stadium at Goerke Field Saturday, Sept. 14. (UWSP Athletics- Kylie Bridenhagen photo)

Portage County Gazette

By John Kemmeter

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) came up short in its upset bid on the road, as it fell to 17th-ranked John Carroll at Don Shula Stadium in University Heights, Ohio, Saturday, Sept. 7.

The Pointers (0-1) used a touchdown early in the third quarter to pull within 14-7, but John Carroll (1-0) returned a punt for a touchdown with 8:50 left in the game and went on to win 21-7 in the season opener for both teams.

UWSP and John Carroll met in the first game of the season for the second year in a row, after John Carroll won 45-21 at Community Stadium at Goerke Field last year, on the way to a 9-1 finish and a trip to the NCAA Division III Playoffs.

On Saturday afternoon, John Carroll missed a 28-yard field goal in the opening quarter, while UWSP sophomore kicker Victor Ponterio missed a 35-yard field goal early in the second quarter, as the game remained tied at 0-0.

John Carroll drove 80 yards on 16 plays on its next possession, and scored on a one-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal to take a 7-0 lead with 4:18 left in the second quarter.

The Pointers moved the ball to the John Carroll 38-yard line on the following possession, where they went for it on fourth down and four with 1:41 to go, when sophomore quarterback Max Herro was sacked for a nine-yard loss.

John Carroll came back with a six-play, 53-yard drive, as they scored on an 18-yard touchdown run with 49 seconds remaining in the second quarter to go up 14-0, which it remained at halftime.

After the UWSP defense forced a punt on John Carroll’s opening possession of the second half, Herro completed 3-of-4 passes for 36 yards and added a 12-yard run on the next drive, and junior running back ShamaJ Williams scored on a one-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal to bring the Pointers within 14-7 with 8:49 left in the third quarter.

UWSP reached the John Carroll 36-yard line on its next possession, but Herro left the game after he was hit on an incomplete pass on third down, and the Pointers turned the ball over on downs after a pass from senior quarterback Matt Urmanski to Williams was short of the first-down marker.

The Pointers were forced to punt from deep inside their own territory on their next two possessions, and John Carroll returned the second punt 49 yards for a touchdown to take a 21-7 lead with 8:50 to play in the fourth quarter.

Looking to battle back, UWSP moved the ball to the John Carroll 32-yard line with under five minutes to play, before it turned the ball over on downs with 4:12 to play, and John Carroll held on to win 21-7.

UWSP was sacked eight times in the loss, as it finished with 77 yards rushing on 37 attempts, while John Carroll rushed for 193 yards on 45 attempts and finished with 302 yards of total offense.

Junior linebacker Kameron Kryzanski had 14 tackles and one-half sack, sophomore defensive lineman Berkley Corvino finished with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery, and sophomore defensive end Malik Smith totaled eight tackles, two-and-a-half tackles for loss and a forced fumble to lead the UWSP defense.

Senior wide receiver Jonte Webb caught four passes for 56 yards, Williams rushed for 34 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries and had five catches for 21 yards, and Urmanski completed 7-of-17 passes for 48 yards, with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions, while Herro rushed for 24 yards on 11 attempts and completed 8-of-14 passes for 110 yards, with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.

UWSP will face another ranked nonconference opponent when its hosts 21st-ranked Wabash (Ind.) in its home opener at Community Stadium at Goerke Field at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, which is also the annual Pink Game.