Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
The Official Athletic Site of ASU

Football

Titans Run Past Peacocks In Season Opener

Box Score

The UW-Oshkosh football team gained 11 yards rushing on its first offensive play and didn't stop running as the Titans dominated Upper Iowa University, 38-3, in a non-conference game held Saturday (Sept. 6) at Titan Stadium. It was the 2003 season opener for both teams, with UW-Oshkosh winning its inaugural contest for the 21st time in 23 years.

UW-Oshkosh (1-0) racked up 357 yards rushing against its first-time opponent as six different players carried the pigskin. The 357 yards were the most since the Titans compiled 375 yards rushing during a 37-16 win over UW-Superior on Nov. 8, 1986.

A big contributor to the Titans' success on the ground was running back Andrew Stern (So. • Wisconsin Rapids), who rushed 15 times for a career-high 142 yards and one touchdown. Stern had 89 yards rushing in the first quarter, including a 56-yard touchdown run with 1:59 left in the period to give UW-Oshkosh a 14-3 lead. Stern, who had 135 yards rushing at halftime, carried the football only twice in the second half.

In addition to Stern, the Titans also got 69 yards rushing from running back Andy Moriarty (Fr. • Mequon), 59 from running back Chris Kirch (Fr. • Lake Geneva), 54 from quarterback Nick Wara (Jr. • Oshkosh), 31 from full back Aaron Chaltry (Jr. • Peshtigo) and three from full back Ryan Steilen (So. • West Bend). UW-Oshkosh increased its lead to 20-3 on Chaltry's two-yard touchdown run with 5:01 left in the second quarter, 30-3 on Wara's 17-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds left in the third quarter and Steilen's one-yard touchdown run with 6:40 left in the game.

In the air, UW-Oshkosh totaled 115 yards as Wara completed eight of 17 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown. His six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chad Lindsley (Sr. • Oconomowoc) with 8:57 left in the first quarter gave the Titans a 6-0 lead. Lindsley and wide receiver Mike Kinateder (So. • Waukesha) each caught two passes to lead UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Oshkosh's scoring was completed by Kinateder, who made all five extra-point kicks and a 33-yard field goal, with the latter giving UW-Oshkosh a 24-3 lead with 11:24 left in the third quarter. Kinateder missed three field goals in the game, including a 45-yard boot that was wide and a 51-yard effort that hit the crossbar.

Defensively, UW-Oshkosh was led by end Jason Boehlke (Jr. • Germantown), who registered three quarterback sacks and three other tackles for a loss among his eight takedowns. The first-year transfer from the University of Northern Iowa also knocked down two opposing passes. Linebacker Craig Korth (Jr. • Menasha) also had eight tackles in the contest, including two for a loss.

With Boehlke and Korth leading the way, Upper Iowa University was held to just 141 yards of offense. The Peacocks (0-1) totaled a negative-nine yards in the second half on 32 plays, including a negative-46 yards on three errant center snaps from punt formation in the third quarter.

Upper Iowa University rushed the football 47 times for 96 yards, with running back Berkedius Womack gaining a team-high 92 yards on seven attempts. Mike Morrissey, the first of three quarterbacks to play in the game for the Peacocks, competed eight of 16 passes for 37 yards. Upper Iowa University had 45 yards passing for the contest.

Upper Iowa University scored its only points of the game on place-kicker Heath Zuck's 23-yard field goal with 2:19 left in the first quarter.

The Peacocks were led defensively by Calvin Jones and Josh Thomas who totaled a game-best nine tackles each.

UW-Oshkosh, which compiled a 23-9 advantage in first downs, played on a short field throughout the contest as its average starting field position was its own 49-yard line. Upper Iowa University had an average starting field position of its own 28-yard line.