PLATTEVILLE - University of Wisconsin-Platteville extended its winning streak in home openers under head coach Mike Emendorfer to 13 in a row with a 38-3 win over Buena Vista on a rainy Pioneer Stadium on Saturday.
Regardless of the rain, it was a potent balanced offensive attack for the Pioneers, who passed for 185 yards and ran for 234 yards in the win. A key cog behind the balanced attack was junior quarterback Nick Anderson, who went 14-for-21 through the air with three touchdown passes and a team-leading nine carries for 72 yards.
To supplement the offense, the Pioneer defense held Buena Vista to 272 yards of total offense, 69 of it coming on the ground; plus, 63 of it coming on a pass completion. Anchoring the defense was junior Nick Snyder who had eight tackles, including 3.5 for minus yardage and a forced fumble. As a whole, the Pioneer defense forced three BVU turnovers on the afternoon.
Anderson led the Pioneers down the field on the first drive of the season, culminating with an 8-yard touchdown pass completion to Jake Wiederholt. A bulk of the work was done by Lee Vlasak, who set up the three touchdowns and UWP took advantage of a Buena Vista personal foul to set up first and goal.
Trailing 7-0, Buena Vista took advantage of a short punt and penalty by the Pioneers before Ross Mueller picked off a pass at the 3-yard line to halt a drive. The Pioneers capitalized on it with an eight play, 97-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown reception by sophomore Aaron Loferski from Anderson.
Next, the Beavers cut into the Pioneers lead with a 22-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 14-3. The Pioneers answered when Lee Vlasak scored his first touchdown of the season to stretch the lead to 21-3. In the drive, Anderson found Darin Blaser four times to march UW-Platteville down the field.
The tandem of Anderson and Blaser worked together, on the next possession, when the two hooked up for a 27-yard touchdown reception to stretch the lead to 28-3 with 1:36 left in the opening half. The Pioneers added a 20-yard field goal early in the third quarter by Zach Litchfield and a Ryan McWerthy interception in the fourth quarter set up a Chad Roscoe touchdown from three yards out for the final margin.
Next, UW-Platteville will travel to UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. The contest between the Pioneers and the Pointers will not count towards the WIAC Conference standings.
UW-Platteville 38, Buena Vista 3
(from Saturday, Sept. 3 @ Platteville)
Buena Vista 0 3 0 0 - 3
UW-Platteville 14 14 3 7 - 38
UWP - Jake Wiederholt 8 pass from Nick Anderson (Zach Litchfield kick)
UWP - Aaron Loferski 12 pass from Anderson (Litchfield kick)
BV - FG Wyatt 22
UWP - Lee Vlasak 2 run (Litchfield kick)
UWP - Darin Blasesr 27 pass from Anderson (Litchfield kick)
UWP - FG Litchfield 20
UWP - Chad Roscoe 3 run (Litchfield kick)
Team statistics: First downs - BV 14, UWP 24. Rushing - BV 30-69, UWP 48-234. Passing yards - BV 203, UWP 185. Passes - BV 12-25-3, UWP 14-22-0. Fumbles lost - BV 1-0, UWP 1-0. Penalties-yards - BV 6-44, UWP 7-66.
Individual leaders: Rushing - BV: Darrow 8-29; UWP: Nick Anderson 9-72. Passing - BV: Darrow 7-17-2, 141; UWP: Anderson 14-21-0, 185. Receiving - BV: Lehrkamp 5-127; UWP: Darin Blaser 7-88.
NOTE: For more UW-Platteville sports visit the Pioneer website at www.uwplatt.edu/athletics/