Football Falls Just Short To Rival Stout

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Posted: Saturday, October 14, 2006

MENOMONIE - In an evenly played game the UW-Eau Claire football team just couldn't get over the hump as it lost to I-94 rival UW-Stout 14-6 today at Don and Nona Williams Stadium.

The loss drops the Blugolds to an overall record of 2-4 and a WIAC record of 1-2. The Blue Devils improve to 3-3 overall and are also 1-2 in WIAC play. The Blugolds have now lost four of the last five meetings against Stout and have lost the last five contests in Menomonie.

After the Blugolds were forced to punt on their first possession, the Blue Devils drove the ball 58 yards on nine plays and the drive was capped off on a Tanner Kattre one-yard touchdown run to make the score 7-0.

The score stayed that way until late in the second quarter when the Blugolds special teams blocked their fifth kick of the year. Chris Hull (Jr.-Blaine, MN/Spring Lake Park) blocked the Blue Devil punt and Zach Paul (Jr.-Edgar, WI) returned it 37 yards for the touchdown. It was his second touchdown off of a blocked punt this season and it was Chris Hull's second blocked punt this year. However, the Blugolds would not be able to get a kick off on the extra point and the score was 7-6 Blue Devils. Neither team threatened the rest of the half and the score remained 7-6 at the half.

The Blue Devils controlled the ball on the ground in the first half as they had 118 of their 132 total yards on the ground. Stout out gained the Blugolds in total offense in the first half 132 to 68, but other than their first possession the Blue Devils didn't threaten.

The Blue Devils took the opening possession of the second half and drove the ball down to the Blugolds 13-yard-line. However, the Blue Devils Sam Weber fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Blugolds' Dave Wicklund (So.-Kewaskum, WI).

Then running back Eddy Kaiser (Sr.-Duluth, MN/East) almost single handedly drove the Blugolds down deep into Stout territory. At the Blue Devil three-yard-line Kaiser got the ball and looked like he was about to score until he fumbled into the end zone and the ball was recovered by the Blue Devils.

After a Stout punt, the Blugolds once again drove the ball down inside the Blue Devil 30-yard-line, but were forced to attempt a field goal early in the fourth quarter. Freshman kicker Craig Kolb (Fr.-Marshfield, WI) came on to attempt a 43-yard field goal but with the wind blowing into his face his field goal attempt ended up short and the score remained 7-6 in favor of Stout. It was Kolb's first collegiate field goal miss. He had made his first nine attempts.

The Blugolds would have another opportunity on their next drive as they got the ball down to the Stout 35-yard-line, but on fourth-and-one Kaiser was stopped for no gain and the Blue Devils took over.

On the ensuing possession, the Blue Devils drove the ball 65 yards on 15 plays and running back Ryan Englebert scored from one yard out to make the score 14-6 with 2:13 remaining in the game.

The Blugolds had one last chance as quarterback Kyle Paulson (So.-Amery, WI) scrambled 48 yards down to the Blue Devil 31-yard-line. But, on fourth-and-12 Paulson's pass to Matt Evensen (Sr.-Junction City, WI/Auburndale) fell incomplete and Stout ran out the final minute as the Blue Devils won 14-6.

Both teams had similar offensive outputs as the Blue Devils had 261 yards of total offense and the Blugolds had 259 yards. Stout, the conference's leading rushing offense, had 230 yards on the ground and just 31 yards through the air. The Blugolds had 168 yards rushing and 91 yards passing.

Blugolds quarterback Kyle Paulson was 11-of-20 passing for 91 yards. He also rushed for 55 yards. Eddy Kaiser ran for 104 yards on 24 carries. Tony Hull (Jr.-Blaine, MN/Spring Lake Park) had three catches for 25 yards to lead the Blugolds in receiving. Dave Wicklund led the Blugolds with 10 tackles.

The Blugolds will travel to