Blue Devil Football

November 16, 1997

BLUE DEVILS DROP FINAL GAME OF THE SEASON

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn - School records were broken but the record the UW-Stout football team was looking for - a 7-3 final season record - fell by the wayside as the Blue Devils finished up the season with a 30-21 non-conference loss to NCAA Division II Moorhead State at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn, Sunday, Nov. 16.

Turnovers - seven in all - put a crimp in the Blue Devils' plans to celebrate the best football finish since 1982. The six wins matched Stout's six wins in 1987 when Stout finished 6-5.

The first half of the game was a wild affair, with both teams moving up and down the field seemingly at will.

Moorhead took the early lead on a 26-yard field goal, then Stout bounced back with 58 seconds remaining in the first quarter when Matt Bunyan (Jr, Janesville) hooked up with Scott Wojcik (Sr, Marshfield) for their first of two TD strikes.

The Dragons turned around midway through the second period, driving to the Stout 3-yard line before quarterback Pat Elmes was stopped on fourth down. But the action would turn into Moorhead's favor when Jamal Lewis picked off a Bunyan pass and returned it 14 yards to give the Dragons a 10-7 lead with 3:08 left in the half.

That started the scoring in earnest. The Blue Devils took the ensuing kickoff and marched 72 yards in six plays, capped off by a 12-yard Bunyan to Wojcik score to give Stout the lead at 2:08.

Moorhead would have none of that and on first down, Grover Moore, who would rush 27 times for 150 yards, cracked off a 50-yard touchdown run, giving Moorhead the lead back, 17-14, with 1:56 remaining.

It was Stout's turn to strike back, but the Blue Devils fumbled the ball away, but the defense turned around to force a Dragon punt.

One play, one score. With the Blue Devils backed up on their own 2-yard line, Bunyan uncorked a pass to Jesse Witcraft (Jr, New Lisbon), and the speedster outran everyone 98 yards on his way to tying a school record set by Glen Majszak to Mike Kraimer in 1982.

Stout led 21-17 with 23 seconds remaining, plenty of time for Moore to return the kickoff to the Stout 40 and eventually set up a Randall Fallas 40-yard field goal. Halftime, with Stout clinging to a 21-20 halftime lead.

Turnovers, which Stout had managed to avoid like the plague throughout the season, killed the Blue Devils and led to Moorhead's final 10 points.

Bunyan was picked off at Stout's own 38 early in the second half and Fallas connected on a 32-yard field goal and Moorhead took the lead for good, 23-21. The Dragons had another opportunity to score late in the third, but Stout's Joe Verstegen (Jr, Little Chute) blocked the 29-yard attempt.

Stout's offense could get no serious drives going, and the defense kept handing the ball back to them. Billy Busch (So, Dickeyville) and Verstegen each intercepted a pass, but one resulted in three and out and the other in a blocked field goal attempt.

The Dragons put the torch to Bunyan at the 6:02 mark when Mark Teckenburg intercepted a Bunyan pass and returned it 33 yards for the final 30-21 score.

Stout had a chance to make the game interesting, but after a completed pass, the ball was fumbled deep in Moorhead territory.

Bunyan finished the day 23-of-47 for three TDs and 311 yards, but also had five interceptions. In the process, Bunyan broke the single season passing record of 2956 yard set by Tim Peterson in 1989. Bunyan finished the season with 3221 passing yards. He also passed for 33 TDs, and came up short of Peterson's total offense record of 3244 yards by totalling 3216.

Wojcik finished the day with eight catches for 103 yards and two TDs. While not a record, Wojcik finished the season with 1002 receiving yards, and 1665 career yards, tying him for fourth with Mike McHugh. He also finished the season with nine receiving TDs, as did Pillars, and the two tied the school record set by Mark Rothwell in 1987.

Nolan Mosher (So, Janesville) added to his season record for points after, finishing the season with 37 PATs.

Pillars had eight catches for 69 yards, while Witcraft had the one catch for 98 yards.

Stout finished with 364 total yards offense, 311 in the air, 53 on the ground.

For the Dragons, Moore finished with 150 yards rushing, while Matt Oelrich had 111 yards on 23 rushes. Moorhead had 337 yards of total offense, 281 on the ground, 56 in the air.

November 12, 1997

FOUR BLUE DEVILS NAMED TO FOOTBALL'S ALL-WIAC FIRST TEAM

MADISON - Coming off their best conference finish since winning the title in 1965, UW-Stout had four players named to the first team of the 1997 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football team. In addition, the Blue Devils had five players named to the second team and two were named honorable mention.

Offensive lineman Jason Lehman (Sr, Bruce) and wide receiver Scott Wojcik (Sr, Marshfield) were named to the first team offense, while defensive ends Mike Olson (Sr, Farmington, Minn) and Andy Wickstrom (Sr, Menomonie) were named on the defensive side of the ball.

Named to the second teams were quarterback Matt Bunyan (Jr, Janesville), offensive lineman Jason Nesbitt (So, Burlington), defensive back Joe Verstegen (Jr, Little Chute) and linebackers Don Hagenbart (Jr, Dousman) and Sam Standard (Sr, Indianapolis, Ind).

Named as honorable mention were offensive lineman Ben Leslie (Jr, Eau Claire) and defensive back Corey Morning (Jr, Bloomer).

The Blue Devils finished in a tie for second place in the WIAC with UW-LaCrosse, with both teams posting a 5-2 record. Stout downed the Eagles, 28-21, in overtime. The Blue Devils are currently 6-3 overall, with one game remaining Sunday, Nov. 16.

Lehman proved to be the senior anchor to the offensive line that averaged 442.9 total yards (439.7 in WIAC games), 331.6 passing yards (327.9), which ranked the Blue Devils fourth among NCAA Division III teams, and 111.3 rushing yards (111.9). Lehman, who has had National Football League teams looking at him, also took snaps on the defensive side of the ball and was the long snapper when the starter went down.

Wojcik pulled down 53 catches (43) for 899 yards (637) for an average of 99.9 yards per game (91.0). Wojcik is currently ranked fifth on the Stout all-time receiving list, and with a 100-yard plus game Sunday, would move up a couple of notches. Both Lehman and Wojcik were second team picks last year.

Olson and Wickstrom have been a tandem for the previous two years. Olson is the Blue Devils' only player to repeat as a first team pick, while Wickstrom was a second team pick last year.

Olson currently has 37 total tackles (31), 17 solo (13). He has 11 tackles for losses of 60 yards (8-50) and four sacks for 28 yards (3-28).

Wickstrom, at 6-foot, 6-inches, leads the team with passes broken up, swatting down five passes at the line. He has 45 tackles (32), 18 solo (16), eight tackles for losses of 26 yards (7-23) and leads the team in sacks with five for 15 yards (3-15).

In a league that has a glut of top quality quarterbacks, Bunyan earned a second team pick. Bunyan, only a junior, is threatening to erase Tim Peterson's name from the Blue Devil record book.

Currently, Bunyan holds only one school record, passing for 30 touchdowns (25 in the WIAC), knocking off Peterson's 1989 record of 20 TD passes.

Bunyan, ranked fourth nationally in total offense, has 2910 passing yards this season (2265), only 46 yards short of Peterson's 2956 yards. Bunyan also has 2905 yards of total offense (2295), just short of Peterson's 3244 yards. Bunyan is currently third on the all-time passing list with 4931 yards and with an average day will move to second.

Nesbitt, the left side tackle, is the only Blue Devil sophomore to be chosen as an all-conference selection and was the Blue Devils' lineman of the week three times.

Hagenbart and Standard both left their mark on many a running back. Standard is currently the Blue Devils' third leading tackler, tallying 58 (42) with 27 solos (16). Standard racked up 11 tackles for losses of 54 yards (8-33), had two sacks for 18 yards (1-8), had two pass break ups and three fumble recoveries.

Hagenbart has 52 tackles (47), 24 solos (21), two tackles for losses of seven yards, one pass break up, four fumble recoveries (3) and two kicks blocked.

Verstegen led a speedy defensive backfield, recording 35 tackles (24), 27 solos (19), one interception, three passes broken up and one forced fumble.

Morning is the Blue Devils' leading tackler, currently racking up 66 (55), 43 solos (35), one interception, three passes broken up and one fumble recovery.

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Blue Devil Soccer

November 12, 1997

ALYSSA HALVERSON NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

MADISON- UW-Stout midfielder Alyssa Halverson (Jr, Rochester, Minn) was a first team pick to the All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) team.

Halverson, a transfer from St. Cloud State where she was the Huskie's goaltender, led the Blue Devils in scoring and broke or tied school single game, single season and career scoring records along the way.

In the Blue Devils' first game, Halverson tied the school record for most goals in a game when she scored twice, both in the first half. Halverson scored two goals in two other games.

Her 14 season goals and 33 points are both single season and career records and her five assists is a single season record. She also scored six game winning goals.

The Blue Devils improved their overall record to 9-9, 3-5 in the WIAC and finished sixth in their third year of varsity status.

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Blue Devil Women's Cross Country

November 15, 1997

OLSEN, JACOBSON QUALIFY FOR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

OSHKOSH - In less than ideal running conditions, UW-Stout roomates, Katy Olsen (Jr, Rice Lake) and Katie Jacobson (Jr, Eau Claire) will get to room together before competing at the NCAA Division III National Championships Saturday, Nov. 22 in Boston, Mass.

Olsen finished fifth and Jacobson ninth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regionals Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Oshkosh to qualify for the national meet, the first time for both.

Olsen clocked an 18:54, while Jacobson was the final individual qualifier with a time of 19:00.

Jennifer Wucherer (So, Edgar) was 59th (20:17), Nicole Ernster (Jr, Rochester, Minn) 66th (20:24), Melissa Schreiner (Sr, Winona, Minn) 70th (20:27), Jennifer Bahr (So, Forest Lake, Minn) 76th (20:37) and Dana Piper (So, Viroqua) 100th (21:02).

As a team, the Blue Devils placed sixth. UW-Oshkosh won the meet, with UW-Eau Claire second, UW-La Crosse third and Augustana, Ill, was fourth. The top four teams qualify to the national tournament.

NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Team Results

1. UW-Oshkosh 70; 2. UW-Eau Claire 84; 3. UW-La Crosse 141; 4. Augustana 145; 5. Washington University 200; 6. UW-Stout 209; 7. UW-Whitewater 237; 8. Carroll 245; 9. U of Chicago 249; 10. North Central 251; 11. Wheaton 271; 12. Elmhurst 295; 13. UW-Stevens Point 300; 14. UW-Superior 341; 15. UW-Platteville 400; 16. Carthage 422; 17. Beloit 446; 18. Lawrence 486; 19. Monmouth 554; 20 St. Norbert 636; 21. MSOE 640; 22. North Park 666; 23. Ripon 674; 24. Concordia 711; 25. Illinois Wesleyan 780; 26. Millikin 802.

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)

1. Tiffany Speckman (Osh) 18:18; 5. Katy Olsen 18:54; 9. Katie Jacobson 19:00; 59. Jennifer Wucherer 20:17; 66. Nicole Ernster 20:24; 70. Melissa Schreiner 20:27; 76. Jennifer Bahr 20:37; 100. Dana Piper 21:02

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Blue Devil Men's Cross Country

November 15, 1997

CROSS COUNTRY MEN PLACE 11TH AT REGIONAL MEET

OSHKOSH - Paul Gilles (Sr, Plum City) paced the UW-Stout men's cross country team to an 11th place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regionals Saturday, Nov. 15 with a 40th place finish (26:39) at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Oshkosh.

Jason Petersohn (Sr, Manitowoc) was 47th (26:52), Josh Johnson (Fr, Oregon) 59th (27:13), Eric Hanson (So, Winona, Minn) 67th (27:24), Tim Hamill (Jr, Brookfield) 93rd (27:59), Chad Pallansch (Sr, Sartell, Minn) 97th (28:07), and Ryan Hill (Jr, Chetek) 133rd (29:16).

North Central College was first, UW-La Crosse second, UW-Stevens Point third, UW-Whitewater fourth and Washington, Mo, University fifth. Five men's teams qualified to the national meet next weekend in Boston, Mass.

NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Team Results

1. North Central 52; 2. UW-La Crosse 62; 3. UW-Stevens Point 87; 4. UW-Whitewater 135; 5. Washington University 159; 6. UW-Oshkosh 162; 7. UW-Eau Claire 191; 8. Greenville 265; 9. Augustana 268; 10. UW-Platteville 274; 11. UW-Stout 306; 12. Elmhurst 208; 13. Carthage 424; 14. Illinois Wesleyan 438; 15. Wheaton 471; 16. UW-Superior 500; 17. U of Chicago 501; 18. Beloit 509; 19. St. Norbert 541; 20. Monmouth 555; 21. Knox 586; 22. Lawrence 636; 23. MSOE 673; 24. Carroll 770; 25. North Park 788; 26. Benedictine 825.

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)

1. Brett Altergott (LX) 25:10; 40. Paul Gilles 26:39; 47. Jason Petersohn 26:52; 59. Josh Johnson 27:13; 67. Eric Hanson 27:24; 93. Tim Hamill 27:59; 97. Chad Pallansch 28:07; 133. Ryan Hill 29:16.

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Blue Devil Hockey

November 15, 1997

STOUT PLAYS ST. THOMAS EVEN - FOR A WHILE

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The UW-Stout hockey team got goals from Mark Corbett (Jr, New Hope, Minn) and Graham Lomen (Jr, Apple Valley, Minn), but it wasn't enough as the Blue Devils lost 6-2 to St. Thomas, one of the top ranked teams in the area Saturday, Nov. 15 at St. Paul, Minn.

The two teams played to a 0-0 tie after one period, but the Tommies took a 3-2 lead after the second stanza. The Tommies striffed the Stout (1-7) nets for three more goals in the third.

"St. Thomas is a very good team," Blue Devil coach Terry Watkins said. "If we play well, we can play with them, but when you make mistakes, they will hurt you."

Stout goalies Kevin Hulsey (Fr, New Richmond) and Todd Sether (Jr, International Falls, Minn) each had 14 saves.

The Blue Devils return to Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) action this week when they host undefeated UW-River Falls Thursday, Nov. 20, then travel to River Falls to wrap up the series, Friday, Nov. 21.

November 14, 1997

BLUE DEVIL HOCKEY WINS FIRST GAME ON BUZZER-BEATER

ST. PETER, Minn. - Kelly Selix (Jr, Elk River, Minn) scored with one second remaining to lift the UW-Stout hockey team to their first win of the season, a 6-5 thriller against Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

Selix's first goal of the season capped off a wild third period. With the two teams tied at 3-3 heading into the period, the Gusties scored twice in the opening 2:05 of the stanza to take the lead.

But the Blue Devils (1-6) came storming back with three goals when Nicklas Grund (Fr, Uttran, Sweden) scored 50 seconds later on a power play. Stout knotted the score at the 8:47 mark when Mark Corbett (Jr, New Hope, Minn) powered the puck into the goal, setting up Selix's game winner.

Selix finished with a big night, recording the game winning goal and two assists. Corbett also finished with a goal and two assists, while Tom Schaffner (Jr, Janesville) opened the game with two goals and added an assist on Selix's winner.

The Gusties' (0-1) Brad Hendrickson finished with a hat trick, getting the first two goals of the third period. Both teams took 29 shots, with Stout's Kevin Hulsey (Fr, International Falls, Minn) recording the win.

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Women's Basketball

WOMEN CAGERS SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY TOURNAMENT

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout women's basketball team will get their season going, when they take a long road trip to Buffalo, N.Y., to compete in the Buffalo State College Betty Abgott Women's Basketball Invitational Saturday, Nov. 22.

The Blue Devils will open against Nebraska Wesleyan at 6:30 p.m. EST, with host Buffalo State to meet cross town opponent Medaille College at 8:30 p.m.

The consolation game is scheduled for noon Sunday, Nov. 23 with the championship game slated to get underway at 2 p.m. EST.

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Men's Basketball

BASKETBALL TEAM TO OPEN SEASON BY HOSTING TOURNAMENT

MENOMONIE- The UW-Stout men's basketball team will open the 1997-98 season by hosting the Best Western/Holiday Manor Tip-Off Classic Friday, Nov. 21 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

The tournament will get underway Friday at 5 p.m. when Carroll College and Pillsbury College clash. The Blue Devils are scheduled to tip off following that game by hosting Concordia University of Mequon.

The consolation game is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, with the championship game to follow.

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Blue Devil Gymnastics

November 13, 1997

FRESHMAN CLASS ADDS DEPTH TO IMPROVING UPPER CLASS

MENOMONIE - At the conclusion of the 1996-97 gymnastics season, UW-Stout coach Suzy Smith stated she thought with the addition of a few recruits, her Blue Devils would be able to give a few more conference teams a run for their money.

After seeing her 1997-98 edition during the preseason, Smith, who begins her second season as the Blue Devil coach, still holds to the statement.

The majority of the returners have improved their difficulties, Smith said, and the freshmen have pushed the upperclassmen.

"We have added depth and that is where the freshmen will really help us," Smith said. "If someone gets hurt, we will have a back-up."

Team captain Naomi Northrup (Sr, New Prague, Minn) will lead the way for the Blue Devils, and Maren Sand (Sr, Arden Hills, Minn) has come in much improved mostly because she is injury free. Sand did not compete last season until January.

"Naomi will excel at each event," Smith said. "She came in from the summer in good condition. And Maren, I haven't seen her look so strong."

Smith said both Northrup, a two-time Blue Devil MVP, and Sand, who finished sixth at the conference meet on the balance beam, have both added difficulty to their routines.

"They have both learned so much over the last month," Smith said. "If Naomi gets the difficulty she is looking for on the bars, her start value will be one point higher.

"Maren's strength has enabled her to get new skills. The sport is fun when you have the strength to learn new skills."

While Northrup has worked all-around, Sand has performed the bars, beam and floor exercise, but Smith expects that she will add vault to her repertoire to become an all-arounder.

Last year's most valuable performer, Shannon Hirsch (Jr, St. Paul, Minn), returns, also with more difficulty added to her beam routine.

"Shannon focuses real well during her routines," Smith said. "With the difficulty she has added, plus by cleaning up her form, she could improve her scores."

Four other returning all-arounders should help to improve the Blue Devils as well.

Erin Swanson (So, Isanti, Minn) was the Blue Devils' top vaulter last season, and Smith believes she could place very well on the vault throughout the season.

"Erin is a real player," Smith said. "When the competition is there, she gives it her all."

Shannon Bell (So, Austin, Minn) and Amy Stream (So, Center City, Minn) are both sophomores athletically, but seniors academically. They both took a couple of years off from competitive gymnastics before returning to join the Blue Devils last season.

Bell has a great attitude and a great work ethic, Smith said, which earned her the coach's award last year. Stream works all the exercises but the uneven bars.

To look at Stream can be deceiving, Smith said.

"She looks so graceful, which she is," Smith said, "but then to see her tearing down the runway, you can hardly believe it's the same person."

Lori Skotterud (Sr, Mounds View, Minn) showed a vast amount of improvement over the course of last season, by far exceeding her previous bests.

Stacy Annis (Sr, Boyceville) will again work the uneven bars, but has also added the beam and floor.

Three freshmen, with the possibility of another coming in January, should have an immediate impact on the Blue Devils.

Brenna Jones (St. Paul, Minn) was an all-stater from Highland Park High School.

While she will be an all-arounder, Smith said she gets chills watching her floor exercise.

"She is really clean in everything she does," Smith said. "When she performs the difficult level (moves), she makes them look simple."

Andrea Hassel (Grand Rapids, Minn) will be a top balance beam performer, Smith said.

"She is very flexible," Smith said. "She moves like she is on the floor."

Smith said Angie Arens (Loretto, Minn) has unlimited potential and was a two-time all-state performer. Smith expects all-arounder Alisha Olson (Fr, Monticello, Minn) to join the team second semester.

While Smith believes her team has improved on every event, the team may not necessarily score higher because the code of points has changed, a regular occurrence every four years.

Smith sees the vault and the beam as the teams' strongest events, but expects the bars and floor to improve as well.

"Although we may not scorer higher this year because of the change in the code of points," Smith said. "we will be a much stronger team."

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