Pointers Edge Titans

The series between UW-Stevens Point and UW-Oshkosh hasn't been known for tight finishes, but in the 100th meeting between the two schools, the old rivals battled to the final play with UW-Stevens Point claiming a 12-10 victory in the closest game in the series since a 7-7 tie in 1959.

Pointer freshman cornerbacks Chase Kostichka and Jared Flesch each knocked down UW-Oshkosh passes at the goal line in the closing seconds to seal the game for the Pointers, who improved to 53-38-8 in the all-time series that is the longest in the NCAA Division III between two non-private schools.

Both teams moved the ball effectively down the field for spurts, but were unable to mount long drives in treacherous, muddy field conditions. UW-Stevens Point scored both of its touchdowns on big plays as Scott Krause hit Tony Romano with a 67-yard touchdown and Kurt Kielblock with a 65-yard scoring pass in the third quarter.

After a scoreless first half that saw neither team get inside the other's 15-yard line and the only true scoring opportunity come by the Pointer defense when it had the Titans backed up on their own 1-yard line, all of the scoring came in the third quarter.

The Pointers scored with 11:55 left in the quarter when Krause lofted a pass down the sideline to Romano on a fly pattern. He broke one tackle and sprinted 67 yards for the score. Romano finished with six catches for a career-high 111 yards and Krause was 11-for-20 passing for 179 yards.

UW-Oshkosh cut the lead to 6-3 on a 31-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald with 8:49 left and took the lead at 10-6 with 41 seconds left in the quarter on a 20-yard pass from Mike Budziszewski to Steve Wagner on a third-and-7 play.

UW-Stevens Point scored on its next play after the Titans kickoff went out-of-bounds. Krause was flushed from the pocket and found an open Kurt Kieblock, who caught a pass and raced down the sideline 65 yards for the lead. All five of the Pointers wins this season have come with comebacks in the final 15:30 of the game. The touchdown was the Pointers seventh this season from 65 yards or more.

The Titans had the ball inside the Pointers' 40-yard line three times in the final seven minutes, but punted the first time and then Kostichka had an interception at the 11-yard line the second time. Krause was sacked on third down and Dillon Maney had to punt out of the end zone, but blasted a 53-yard kick to the Titans 43-yard line.

UW-Oshkosh again drove deep into Pointer territory and had a second-and-1 play from the Pointers' 20-yard line with 40 seconds left. Budziszewski dropped back to pass and Nick Haffele recorded a 10-yard sack for his 15th tackle of the game.

Kostichka broke up the third-down pass at the goal line down the left sideline and Flesch knocked down the fourth-down pass on the right sideline to seal the victory.

Andy Stern rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries and Wagner caught eight passes for 83 yards to lead the Titans. Kielblock had 53 yards on 10 carries to lead UW-Stevens Point.

The two-point game was one of only four games in the 100-game history of the series decided by two points or less, excluding the eight ties.