UWSP junior running back ShamaJ Williams runs to the outside during the Pointers’ 30-16 win over UW-River Falls at Community Stadium at Goerke Field Saturday, Oct. 5. (UWSP Athletics – Kylie Bridenhagen photo)

Portage County Gazette

By John Kemmeter

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) football team opened play in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with a win over UW-River Falls at Community Stadium at Goerke Field Saturday, Oct. 5.

The Pointers (2-2, 1-0) racked up 411 yards of total offense, while their defense intercepted four passes, to lead to a 30-16 win.

After River Falls (1-3, 0-1) had its first drive of the game end with an interception in the end zone, it recovered a fumble at the UWSP five-yard line on the Pointers’ first play from scrimmage, and scored on a four-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead with 10:30 to go in the first quarter.

Later in the first quarter, UWSP senior quarterback Matt Urmanski completed a 24-yard pass to senior wide receiver Jonte Webb to the River Falls seven-yard line on fourth down and 10, and Urmanski capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:27 left after the extra-point kick from sophomore Victor Ponterio.

Uramanski connected with Webb on a 60-yard touchdown pass with 10:55 to play in the second quarter to give the Pointers a 14-7 lead, while River Falls had a punt snap go over its punter’s head and out of the end zone for a safety with 4:01 remaining in the second quarter, and UWSP went into halftime with a 16-7 lead.

On the first play of the second half, junior running back ShamaJ Williams broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run with 14:45 to go in the third quarter to push the lead to 23-7, while River Falls scored on a three-yard touchdown run on the next possession to close within 23-13 with 10:41 left in the third.

Urmanski added a six-yard touchdown run with 1:35 to play in the third quarter to increase the lead to 30-13, and River Falls kicked a 23-yard field goal with 14:11 remaining in the fourth quarter to make it 30-16.

River Falls drove into Pointer territory later in the fourth, but sophomore defensive back Felix King came up with an interception at the UWSP 16-yard line with 1:43 remaining in the game, and the Pointers went on to close out a 30-16 win.

Williams rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries, Webb caught five passes for 143 yards and one touchdown, and Urmanski completed 16-of-31 passes for 245 yards, with one touchdown and zero interceptions, to lead the offense for UWSP.

Sophomore defensive lineman Berkley Corvino totaled 10 tackles and two sacks for the Pointers’ defense, junior linebacker Kameron Kryzanski had an interception to go along eight tackles and one sack, King finished with an interception and nine tackles, junior defensive back Donovan Lucas had one interception and five pass breakups, and sophomore defensive back Jawahn Downing added an interception.

UWSP will hit the road next to play at UW-Oshkosh (3-1, 1-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, after the Pointers won 27-21 at home last year over then 10th-ranked Oshkosh.