The UW-River Falls football team lost a 28-25 decision to UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (Oct. 30) in River Falls.
After trailing all of the game, the Falcons grabbed a 25-21 lead with 6:49 to play. But UW-Oshkosh took the ensuing kick off and drove 81 yards in eight plays to get the go-ahead touchdown to get the win.
The Falcons trailed 12-3 at the half. UW-Oshkosh opened the scoring at 9:34 of the first quarter when running back Aaron Chaltry (Sr. • Peshtigo) scored on a one-yard run. The point after kick failed. The Falcons got to within 6-3 with 1:34 to play in the half when Spasimir Bodurski kicked a 41-yards field goal. But UW-Oshkosh took the kick off and drove 78 yards in eight plays to score. Wide receiver Joe Patek (Fr. • Cedarburg) caught a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Wara (Sr. • Oshkosh) for the score. The Titans took just 1:09 off the clock. The extra point kick attempt was blocked.
The Falcons got to within 12-10 at 11:40 of the third quarter. Nathan Anderson scored the touchdown on a 15-yards run. UW-River Falls drove 78 yards in eight plays and took 3:13 off the clock. UW-Oshkosh responded with a 15 play, 65 yards drive that took 4:58. Wara scored on a four-yard run and once again the UW-Oshkosh point after kick attempt was blocked, giving the Titans an 18-10 lead with 6:36 to play in the third quarter.
The Falcons responded by scoring the next time they had the ball. John Peterlik raced 50 yards to score and finished a five play, 85-yard drive that took just 2:16. Peterlik ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game, 18-18, with 4:14 to play in the third quarter.
With 12:17 to play in the game, UW-Oshkosh's Lucas Raschke kicked a 25-yard field goal to give the Titans a 21-18 lead. The field goal capped a 19 play, 69-yard drive that took 6:52 off the clock. The Falcons took back the lead with 6:49 to play in the game when Peterlik scored his second rushing TD of the game on a one-yard run. With the point after the Falcons led 25-21. That drive took 11 plays and went 61 yards in 5:21.
That set up the winning UW-Oshkosh drive and touchdown by Wara.
Peterlik finished with 175 rushing yards and quarterback Dave Affeldt rushed for 113 yards on 23 carries. The Falcons did not attempt a pass in the game. Four Falcon defenders finished with 11 or more tackles - Dan Buker had 15, Nate Gray 14, Matt Farmer 12 and Ben Gillett 11. Bruce Baillargeon intercepted a pass and Dylan Dabrowski recovered a fumble.
Wara led UW-Oshkosh with 144 rushing yards. He was 14-21 passing for 147 yards and one TD. Patek made four catches for 26 yards. Defensive back Bryan Kent (Fr. • Pewaukee) made 11 tackles to lead the Titans and Dan Mulqueen (Sr. • Milwaukee) made 10 stops. Ryan Neff recovered two fumbles and had one tackle for loss.
