Titans Put Final Touch On WIAC Title
UW-Oshkosh scored five touchdowns in nine minutes during its 56-31 triumph over UW-Stevens Point on Saturday (Nov. 3) at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
The Titans (9-0, 6-0 WIAC), ranked sixth in the NCAA Division III, have a nine-win season for the first time in the 118-year history of the program. UW-Oshkosh ran its winning streak to 11 games while clinching the WIAC title outright.
The UW-Oshkosh offense tallied 42 points in the second period and 486 yards during the first half. In just two quarters of play, Nate Wara (Sr. • Oshkosh) compiled 279 yards and three touchdowns on 11-of-14 passing. Cole Myhra (Jr. • Menomonee Falls) totaled 141 rushing yards on 13 carries and 77 yards on three catches. One of the Titans' quick strikes was a 94-yard touchdown reception by Zach Kasuboski (So. • Wautoma).
The Pointers (2-7, 1-5 WIAC) forced a punt on the game's opening possession and then drove for a field goal to go ahead, 3-0. UW-Oshkosh responded with a 45-yard run by Myhra, who shook a tackler in the backfield before cutting across the field to the left sideline. Four plays later, Myhra leapt into the end zone from eight yards to take a 7-3 lead.
The Titans scored touchdowns on eight straight possessions to close the first half. Myhra took consecutive carries for 11 and 10 yards to spark the second scoring drive. On third down, Wara ran a quarterback draw nine yards across the goal line to make it 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
During the second period, UW-Oshkosh had five touchdown drives that lasted less than one minute. Those series covered 98, 80, 74, 52 and 39 yards. Taking a snap at his own six-yard line, Wara launched a rainbow to Kasuboski near midfield. Kasuboski double-clutched the ball and ran away from two defenders for the longest pass play in school history.
Myhra ran up the middle for a four-yard touchdown that gave the Titans a 28-3 cushion. Wara then connected with Caleb Voss (Jr. • Van Dyne) on a flea-flicker for a 35-yard touchdown minutes later.
After an interception from Frank Martin (Sr. • Greenleaf), UW-Oshkosh put together a three-play, 74-yard drive. Myhra started things with a 40-yard grab and a 13-yard run. On first down, Wara scrambled left and floated a 21-yard pass to Mitch Hintz (Jr. • Kimberly), who barely stayed inbounds for the touchdown.
The Pointers found pay dirt with a 75-yard march before intermission. Adam Vesterfelt did most of the damage, rushing for 31 yards. He marked an 11-yard score that cut the deficit to 42-10.
Myhra had catches for 19 and 18 yards when UW-Oshkosh got the ball back. His career-best third touchdown rushing came from three yards with 1:03 on the clock.
Mitch Beau was intercepted by Martin on his next pass. Martin picked it off in the middle of the field, cut to the left and followed his teammates 28 yards for the touchdown return.
Including last year's school-record 684 yards at Stevens Point, the Titans racked up 1,170 yards against the Pointers in six quarters. Today, UW-Oshkosh averaged 13.5 yards per play during the opening half.
UW-Stevens Point drove to the Titan 26-yard line before getting stuffed on 4th-and-1 early in the third quarter. On the next play, UW-Oshkosh had a high shotgun snap recovered by the Pointers. It was the first turnover by the Titans in 512 offensive plays. Vesterfelt took advantage with a three-yard touchdown run to make it 56-17.
Beau completed a 17-yard pass to Ethan Lockhart in the end zone and Vesterfelt added a three-yard touchdown run during the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
Both teams finished with 21 first downs, but UW-Oshkosh outgained the Pointers, 507-442. UW-Stevens Point threw for 295 yards, while the Titans totaled 294 through the air. Hintz topped the UW-Oshkosh receivers with four catches for 44 yards. Voss contributed 56 yards on three catches and Kasuboski 105 yards on two.
Tim Filter (Sr. • New Berlin) cradled another interception for the Titan defense, which was led by Andrew Thompson's (Sr. • Greendale) six tackles.
Beau hit on 24-of-41 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Theo Maglio recorded eight catches for 127 yards, as Vesterfelt totaled 109 yards on 21 rushing attempts. UW-Stevens Point was led by seven tackles apiece from Jake Luedtke and Jimmy Sladek (one fumble recovery).
The Titans go for an undefeated regular season against UW-Stout on Saturday (Nov. 10) in Menomonie.