Pointers Trip Titans In Overtime

In a football contest that featured one big performance after another, it was UW-Stevens Point's Chase Kostichka who had the game-ending play in the Pointers' 22-16 overtime victory over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (Oct. 23) in Stevens Point.

UW-Stevens Point scored on the first possession of overtime when Brett Borchart hit Tony Romano on a short slant pattern on a third-and-four play. Romano weaved through the Titans' defense for a 19-yard touchdown, but the extra point missed and gave UW-Oshkosh an opportunity.

The Titans gained one yard on their first two plays and on third-and-nine, Nick Wara (Sr. • Oshkosh) was pressured and forced to heave a pass toward the end zone that Kostichka picked off at the one-yard line to end the game.

In addition to overtime, the day was made longer when, with 4:13 left in the first quarter and UW-Stevens Point holding a 3-0 lead, the game was delayed 37 minutes as a severe thunderstorm roared over the stadium. Lightning and heavy rains forced the teams to the locker rooms and made the field slick for the remainder of the contest.
UW-Stevens Point expanded the lead to 10-0 with 10:09 left in the second quarter when Borchart leaped into the end zone from four yards out to cap a 10-play, 64-yard drive.

UW-Oshkosh totaled just 81 yards in the first half, but got its offense on track on the opening drive of the second half, traveling 64 yards in six plays and scoring on a 17-yard pass across the middle from Wara to Joe Patek (Fr. • Cedarburg).

The Titans' defense also stood tough, forcing UW-Stevens Point to punt on all four third quarter possessions. After a punt with 1:54 left in the quarter gave the Titans the ball on the Pointers' 42-yard line, Wara went deep to Chad LaLuzerne (So. • Algoma), who made a diving catch in the end zone. UW-Oshkosh missed the extra point to hold a 13-10 lead.

The Pointers were stopped on downs at the UW-Oshkosh 15-yard line early in the fourth quarter and forced to punt on their next two drives. However, after holding UW-Oshkosh to a three-and-out with 3:47 left, the Pointers drove 63 yards in eight plays and scored with 2:27 left when Borchart bootlegged untouched into the end zone from one yard out on second down. The Titans blocked the extra point to remain within three points.

UW-Oshkosh rallied with another big play on first down as Wara appeared to overthrow his intended receiver, but fullback Aaron Chaltry (Sr. • Crivitz) raced down the right sideline and caught the pass in stride for a 60-yard gain to the 15-yard line. The Titans threw three straight incomplete passes and Lucas Raschke (Fr. • Clintonville) nailed a 32-yard field goal into a driving wind and rain with 1:31 left to tie the game.

UW-Stevens Point drove to the Titans' 39-yard line with one minute left before UW-Oshkosh's Bryan Kent (Fr. • River Hills) made a diving interception. The Titans moved the ball to the Pointers' 42-yard line with four seconds left and a Hail Mary pass in the end zone was knocked down to send the game to overtime.

UW-Stevens Point entered the game with the fifth-ranked passing offense in the NCAA Division III, but Borchart was held to 206 yards on 23 of 46 attempts. The Titans, on the other hand, typically average 25 pass attempts per game, but Wara was 19-for-44 for 268 yards.

LaLuzerne caught six passes for 96 yards for the Titans and Romano had 91 yards on five catches for the Pointers. Kurt Kielblock had 76 yards on nine catches, including eight in the second half for UW-Stevens Point. Cody Childs rushed for 89 yards on 18 carries as the Pointers totaled 225 yards rushing.

UW-Oshkosh's Tom Roszak (So. • Greenfield) averaged 42.5 yards on 11 punts against UW-Stevens Point, including a career-best 76-yard boot that went for a touchback. He also had four punts of 50 yards in the game. Roszak, who also had a 73-yard punt against UW-La Crosse on Oct. 9, is the first person in the WIAC to have two punts go 73 yards or more in the same season since UW-La Crosse's Gould Nichols accomplished the feat in 1948.

Craig Korth (Sr. • Menasha) led UW-Oshkosh with 14 tackles, including 11 solo and three for a loss. The Titans also received 13 tackles, including 10 solo, from Kent. Clint Bakken led UW-Stevens Point with eight tackles, including six solo.