Falcons Nip Titans

The UW-River Falls football team scored 13 unanswered points in the last seven minutes of Saturday's game against UW-Oshkosh to claim the team's first WIAC victory, 13-12, at Ramer Field.

Trailing 12-0 in the final quarter, John Peterlik sparked the Falcon comeback, taking a pitch straight to the sideline and then turning the corner. He evaded three tackles in pursuit and dashed 42 yards for the score. Adam Bergdahl's extra point was good and would prove critical.

The Titans then fumbled two plays later and Falcon captain Luke Miska recovered. However, the UW-RF offense went three-and-out and punted with 4:24 to go.

On third and five from his own 12-yard line, Titan quarterback Nick Wara's pass over the middle was picked off by Kyle Hoegh at the 19, and Hoegh returned it all the way through a number of Titans to the end zone, giving the Falcons a 13-12 lead with 3:25 remaining. Dustin Vogelgesang's two-point pass attempt was broken up.

Oshkosh got the ball back and drove to the Falcon 45, where it faced fourth down and two yards with just over a minute and a half left. Nick Kilton took the handoff and bounced to the outside left, where Miska met him and drove him a couple yards horizontally before taking him down. Despite reaching for the first down, Kilton's attempt came up less than half a foot short, and the Falcons took the final possession.

Peterlik broke away on third down but then slid to the ground after 30 yards to run the clock out for the win.

The Falcons controlled the clock with 32:45; Oshkosh had 27:15. The Falcons out-rushed the Titans 225 yards to 195. UW-O passed for 110 yards; the Falcons had 46. Oshkosh lost one of three fumbles; the Falcons recovered both of their two. Both teams threw one interception.

UW-RF was 3-of-15 on third down. UW-O converted six of 17.

Peterlik led all rushers with 11 carries for 113 yards. UW-O's Andy Stern was next with 18 rushes for 103 yards.

Vogelgesang rushed 24 times for 79 yards and completed 2-of-8 passes for 46 yards with one interception.

Wara rushed 17 times for 65 yards for the Titans and completed 11-of-21 passes for 110 yards with one interception.

Bryon Grossenbacher led Falcon receivers with a catch for 32 yards. The other pass went to Mitch Johnson for 14 yards.

Titan Jeremy James led UW-O receivers with four catches for 34 yards. Kris Johnson caught twice for 48 yards.

Both teams missed field goals in the contest. UW-O missed a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter, and Bergdahl missed a 32-yarder in the third quarter.

The Falcons had four sacks on Wara. Jeff Horton added two to his league-leading eight. Ben Gillett, Josh Meyer, Nate Hendrickson and Aaron Retzlaff contributed to the others.

Gillett led UW-RF tacklers with 11, while Hoegh had 10 and the big interception for a touchdown.