Carpenter keys Blue Devil win over Point with career day

UW-Stout 31, UW-Stevens Point 27

STEVENS POINT (October 20, 2018) - UW-Stout and UW-Stevens Point combined for 42 points in the first half, but after a scoreless third quarter, the Blue Devils won the fourth quarter and took a 31-27 win at Goerke Field on the Pointers' homecoming Saturday.

Keyshawn Carpenter keyed the Blue Devils' offense all day, and the senior piled up a career-best 182 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Out of Stout's 82 plays, Carpenter touched the ball 38 times and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. 

After the scoreless third period, the Blue Devils (4-3, 2-2 WIAC) started a drive late in the third period and turned it into paydirt in the fourth period. Carpenter carried the ball the final four plays of the third period to put the ball on the Stevens Point 40. QB Sean Borgerding hit Levy Hamer for a 16-yard gain, and Carpenter ran to the Point 12. Borgerding rushed to the Point 8 and Stout gave the ball to their bread-and-butter guy today, Carpenter, who carried 4- and 3-yards before breaking into the end zone from a yard out, going 11 plays for 72 yards in just over six minutes and took a 28-21 lead.

After three-and-out by the Pointers, Stout drove to set up a 36-yard field goal by Drew Pearson for a 31-21 lead. The Pointers kept the game close, going 68-yards on 10 plays as Shamaj Williams scored. The extra point failed and Stout led 31-27 with 2:29 left on the clock.

The Blue Devils recovered the on-side kick, but could not run out the clock and kicked the ball back to the Pointers with just over a minute to play. The Pointers got as close as their own 43 when Brandon Vecchio intercepted the pass at the Stout 46 and the Blue Devils got back on the winning side of the ledger.

The game got off to a late start, due to a mid-morning storm that dumped about two inches of snow on the Stevens Point area. The game started 35 minutes late as the Pointer staff cleared the snow from the field.

But fans were treated to up-and-down action throughout the first half as the teams combined for 42 points in the first half.

The Blue Devils struck first after Logan Peterson recovered a fumble on the Pointer 6-yard line, Keyshawn Carpenter, who would go on to rush for 102 first yards, carried the ball to the 4 on first down, then scored from two yards out at 8:56.

It didn't take the Pointers long to answer back. On the ensuing kickoff, Chris Almonte returned the kick 93-yards for a score and the score was tied 16 seconds later. 

Stout took the lead back in the second quarter when Jason Dilly recovered a fumble on the Stevens Point 39. Carpenter carried the ball four consecutive times for 23 yards, but a Stout penalty put the ball on the Stevens Point 22. Quarterback Sean Borgerding hit leading receiver Levy Hamer for 21 yards to the 1-yard line and Carpenter bowled over from the 1. A missed extra-point and Stout led 13-7 at 11:15 of the second.

The Pointers struck quickly again. Following a 27-yard kickoff return, Almonte hauled in a 61-yard TD pass and, add the extra point, the Pointers led 14-13 at 10:57 of the second. The Pointers extended their lead when K Krysanski returned a fumble 16 yards for a score and the Pointers led 21-14 at 10:42.

The Blue Devils tied the score with just under five minutes remaining in the half when Borgerding hit Tyler Seymour for a 13-yard touchdown at 4:48 of the second quarter. Stout drove 75 yards on 12 plays. Josh Nitek picked up the first 23 yards on the ground. Carpenter had a 25 yard scamper to the Pointer 20 and five plays later, Stout scored. The Blue Devils tied the game at 21 when Borgerding threw the 2-point conversion pass to long snapper Clay Dziekan for his first collegiate points.

The Blue Devils tallied 372 yards of total offense, 236 on the ground and 135 passing, while the Pointers had 311 total yards, 111 on the ground, 200 passing.

Borgerding was 13-of-25 for 135 yards and a touchdown. Hamer had seven receptions for 73 yards .Seymour pulled down four passes for 46 yards and Parker Fossum had two catches for 16 yards. Josh Nitek carried the ball eight time for 42 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per tote.

Max Herro was 14-of-25 for 200 yards for the Pointers, with the 61-yard TD to Almonte. Williams carried 17 times for 79 yards and Herro picked up 31 yards on the ground. 

Luke Wilz finished with 10 tackles, including a tackle on the Pointers' final drive of the game. The Pointers had no time outs remaining and Wilz road Herro to the ground before he could get out of bounds, forcing Herro to spike the ball to stop the clock. On the next play, Vecchio stepped in front of the ball to end the game.

Levi Wolf and Vecchio each finished with nine tackles. 

Ryan Strikck had 13 tackles to lead Point, Kryzanski had 12 tackles with a sack and Sam Shafer 11 tackles.

The Blue Devils return home to host UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. at Williams Stadium.