September 14, 1998

ON THE LINE: UW-Stout is coming off a very strong offensive and defensive effort after downing Minnesota-Morris, 50-12, last Saturday night in the home opener. St. Ambrose, an NAIA affiliated program, is coming off a thrilling last minute 24-18 home and season opening win against NCAA Division IAA Drake University.

LAST WEEK: Stout: UW-Stout quarterback Matt Bunyan (Sr, Janesville) threw for a school record six touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils to a 50-12 victory over Minnesota-Morris Saturday. Bunyan connected three times for scoring strikes to receiver Jesse Diaz (Jr, Cottage Grove), who finished the night with 10 catches for 211 yards, two yards short of the single game receiving record. Bunyan finished the night with 318 yards passing, connecting on 17-of-27 attempts. Bunyan also threw touchdown passes to Jesse Witcraft (Sr, New Lisbon) for 5-yards, to Ryan Patt (Jr, North Fond du Lac) for 6-yards and to Shawn Lund (Jr, Ashland) for 16-yards. The Blue Devils dominated the game, both on the field and on the stats sheet, outgaining the Cougars 587 total yards to 164. Stout finished with 318 yards passing and 269 yards rushing, while the Cougars were held to 62 yards on the ground and 102 in the air. Lund led the ground attack with a career-best 132 yards on 19 carries. Mark Bergman (Fr, Frederic) had 53 yards on four carries. Ross Moline (Fr, La Crosse) had five rushes for 48 yards and the final touchdown of the game, a 20-yard scamper.

St. Ambrose: Leading 17-9 with five minutes remaining in the game with Drake, the Fighting Bees had to hold off a furious charge by the Bulldogs. Drake scored with 4:32 remaining in the game, and missed the two-point conversion to pull to 17-15. After stopping the Bees, Drake marched downfield and kicked a 32-yard field to take an 18-17 lead. The Bees fought back, aided by a pass inference call, and quarterback Joe Austin, with 35-seconds remaining, promptly threw a 60-yard scoring bomb to Tom Furlan to regain the lead for the final 24-18 score. Drake had one more opportunity, but the end zone pass was batted down.

LAST YEAR: Stout plays in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and are affiliated with the NCAA Division III. After finishing seventh in 1996, the Blue Devils finished in a tie with UW-La Crosse for second. St. Ambrose plays in the Mid-States Football Association and is affiliated with the NAIA Division II. The Fighting Bees went 4-6 overall last season, 3-3 in the conference, good for fourth, but lost quarterback Chad Duffin, who holds all St. Ambrose season and career quarterback records, to graduation.

THE SERIES: St. Ambrose leads the series, 5-2, with the last meeting a 28-14 Stout win in 1994. Stout coach Ed Meierkort is 1-1 against the Bees.

STOUT PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Matt Bunyan (Sr, Janesville) 56-33-1, 482 yds (241/g); 8 TDs, ranked first in NCAA Division III in total offense (321.6) in 1997, threw 33 TDs in 1997; WR Jesse Diaz (Jr, Cottage Grove) 11 rec, 217 yds, 19.7 yd/rec, 3 TDs; WR Jesse Witcraft (Sr, New Lisbon) 5 rec, 104 yds, 20.8 yd/rec, 2 TDs; TB Shawn Lund (Jr, Ashland) 177 yd, 30 carries, 5.9yd/carry, 6 rec, 44 yds, 2 TDs; CB Corey Morning (Sr, Bloomer) 14 tackles, 7 solo, 2 passes broken up; LB Eric Lund (So, Ashland) 12 tackles, 9 solo, 3 tackles for losses of 3 yards, 2 passes broken up; DE Bill Berg (Sr, Washburn) 5 tackles, 4 solo, 3 tackles for losses of 11 yards, 1 sack for 9 yds; Blue Devils avg 448.5 total ypg, 205.5 rushing, 243 passing; gave up 346.5 total ypg, 181 rushing, 165.5 passing.

ST. AMBROSE PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Tom Furlan (Sr, Antioch, Ill) 6 rec, 166 yds, 27.7 yd/rec, 2 TDs, averaged 92.5 yd/g in 1997; QB Joe Austin (Des Moines, Iowa) 13-22-0, 238 yds, 2 TDs; TE Tim Noonan, (Sr, Monticello, Iowa) 27 rec, 393 yds in 1997; DL Brendon Gill (Sr, Chicago, Ill) 40 tackles, 1 interception in 1997; FS Tony Funderburk (Sr, Davenport, Iowa) 38 tackles, 4 interception in 1997; OL Chris Taylor (Sr, Bettendorf, Iowa); Fighting Bees avg 277 total ypg, 39 rushing, 238 passing; gave up 450 total ypg 191 rushing, 259 passing.

OFFENSIVE LOOK: St. Ambrose: I-Pro Stout: multi-pro set which incorporates a West Coast style offense.

DEFENSIVE LOOK: St. Ambrose: 50 Stout: 4-3

COACHES: Stout coach Ed Meierkort (20-32 career) is in his sixth year, while St. Ambrose's Todd Sturdy (19-9) is in his fourth.

STOUT COACH ED MEIERKORT SAYS: "Our offense (against Morris) ran the ball well and we threw the ball well early, but we had some early drops. We just needed (quarterback) Matt (Bunyan) to relax. Once he relaxed, he realized the game was fun, just like last year. We didn't know what to expect from them (Morris). We knew we would have some problems with their emotional level, it being their first game and with a new coach. Then, by us stuttering, it gave them some fuel. We had a chance to develop our go-to person (Jesse Diaz), now we must forcefeed Jesse Witcraft more. Defensively, I thought our young linebackers played well, now we have to get better at forcing turnovers.

"This game will be a great barometer for us because St. Ambrose just beat Drake and La Crosse plays Drake this weekend. We have La Crosse next. We will have to play better than we played Saturday (to beat St. Ambrose). If we stall early, I don't expect our offense to bail us out early. St. Ambrose is a well coached team and takes a very traditional approach. Their offense is similar to Whitewater's and their defense is similar to ours."

RADIO: WMEQ-AM, 880 radio, Menomonie, Jake Bostrom, Jay Fahl, Dick Lowery

September 12, 1998

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout quarterback Matt Bunyan (Sr, Janesville) threw for a school record six touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils to a 50-12 victory over Minnesota-Morris Saturday, Sept. 12 at Nelson Field.

Bunyan connected three times for scoring strikes to receiver Jesse Diaz (Jr, Cottage Grove), who finished the night with 10 catches for 211 yards, two yards short of the single game receiving record. Bunyan and Diaz hooked up for scores of 48-, 43-, and 35-yards. In his two previous years, Diaz had not caught a touchdown pass.

Bunyan finished the night with 318 yards passing, connecting on 17-of-27 attempts. Bunyan also threw touchdown passes to Jesse Witcraft (Sr, New Lisbon) for 5-yards, to Ryan Patt (Jr, North Fond du Lac) for 6-yards and to Shawn Lund (Jr, Ashland) for 16-yards.

Bunyan last year had thrown for five touchdowns three times. Bunyan has 55 career touchdowns, four short of the school record of 59 held by Tim Peterson.

The Blue Devils dominated the game, both on the field and on the stats sheet, outgaining the Cougars 587 total yards to 164. Stout finished with 318 yards passing and 269 yards rushing, while the Cougars managed 62 yards on the ground and 102 in the air.

Stout had one of their best games on the ground in a long time, with Lund leading the attack with a career-best 132 yards on 19 carries. Mark Bergman (Fr, Frederic) had 53 yards on four carries. Ross Moline (Fr, La Crosse) had five rushes for 48 yards and the final touchdown of the game, a 20-yard scamper.

While the game turned into a blowout, it didn't start out that way.

On Stout's first two drives, the Blue Devils moved to well within the red zone, but both times came up empty. Morris actually scored first, taking advantage of a poor punt to drive 38 yards in eight plays midway through the first quarter.

But Stout answered back, scoring twice within three minutes of the second quarter to take a 14-6 lead into the locker room.

The Cougars did a little of their own answering back, finishing off a 14 play 55-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Monti Ossenfort to Damien Hoffman at 10:03 in the third quarter, capitalizing on Stout fumble on their first play from scrimmage in the half.

It was all Blue Devils from there, as Stout scored 36 unanswered points, including a safety when they ball was snapped over the punters' head.

Stout returns to Nelson Field for its second of four consecutive home games when they face St. Ambrose University Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.

Soccer

September 13, 1998

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout soccer team came off a three game losing streak to blank UW-Oshkosh, 4-0, in the Blue Devils' conference opener Sunday, Sept. 13 at the River Heights field.

Stout attacked hard, but only scored one goal in the first half, the eventual game-winning goal. Shannon Camp (So, Blaine, Minn) took the shot in the eighteenth minute of the game with an assist from Alyssa Halverson (Sr, Rochester, Minn).

In the second half, Stout (2-3, 1-0) racked up three more goals. Tricia Sykes (Fr, Cloquet, Minn), scored off a pass from Becky Howard (Fr, Wauwatosa). Oshkosh (1-5, 0-2) scored an own goal off a shot by Jessica Unterweger (Jr, Nashotah). Halverson got the final goal, with

the assist going to Howard.

Stout got solid play from both their offense and defense, outshooting the Titans, 29-3. The shutout was only Stout's second shutout of a conference team.

The Blue Devils will be on the road on Tuesday, Sept. 15, for a game against Mt. Senario. Stout returns home Saturday, Sept. 19, facing conference foe UW-Whitewater.

September 11, 1998

MENOMONIE — Lawrence University's Megan Teiman scored the only goal of the game one minute, twelve seconds into overtime to hand the UW-Stout soccer team a 1-0 loss Friday, Sept. 11 at the River Heights field.

Shots were at a premium with the Blue Devils outshooting the Vikings 15-11. Stout's Nikki Bezak (Jr, Coon Rapids, Minn) had five saves, while the Vikings' (1-3) Kim Geiser stopped all 11 of Stout's shots. This was the first time Lawrence has ever defeated Stout.

September 10, 1998

MADISON - UW-Stout freshman Tricia Sykes (Fr, Cloquet, Minn) was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for her play in three games from Aug. 30-Sept. 5.

Sykes, a 5-foot, 3-inch forward, figured into all of the scoring in the Blue Devils, 3-0, season opening win against Hamline University, Tuesday, Sept. 1, in St. Paul, Minn., and has had a part in all of the Stout scoring so far this season.

Sykes chipped in two goals and added an assist against Hamline, then picked up her second assist of the season in the team's 3-1 loss to Carleton College Saturday, Sept. 5 in Northfield, Minn.

Sykes is the first Stout soccer player in the Blue Devils' four-year history to be named conference player of the week.

Volleyball

September 12, 1998

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The UW-Stout volleyball team played more than four consecutive hours of volleyball Saturday, Sept. 12 and split their final two games of the Augsburg tournament.

After splitting Friday by falling to host Augsburg and downing Macalester, the Blue Devils were downed Saturday by UW-Eau Claire, 8-15, 15-11, 5-15, 15-1, 15-13, then came back and needed five games to down Macalester, 15-9, 6-15, 15-13, 4-15, 15-11.

Against Eau Claire, Tori Feit (Jr, Rushmore, Minn) 17 kills and Stacy Stoddard (Sr, St. Paul, Minn) added 13. Jenny Kraczek (Jr, Blaine, Minn) contributed 42 assists.

Stoddard and Feit each pounded out 18 kills against Macalester, with Monica Cyrus (Sr, Farmington, Minn) adding 17. Kraczek had 48 assists.

On Friday, the Blue Devils fell 15-9, 11-15, 4-15, 15-12, 15-11 to host Augsburg then came back to down Carleton, 15-3, 15-17, 15-12, 15-10.

The Blue Devils return to action Friday, Sept. 18 when they host UW-La Crosse at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 19 when they host UW-Platteville at noon.

September 8, 1998

ST. PAUL, Minn. - UW-Stout seniors Stacy Stoddard (St. Paul, Minn) and Monica Cyrus (Farmington, Minn) each recorded eight kills as the Blue Devil volleyball team opened up their 1998 campaign with a sweep of St. Catherine's Tuesday, Sept. 8 in St. Paul, Minn.

The Blue Devils (1-0) swept to the win with victories of 15-11, 15-5, 15-9.

Both Stoddard and Cyrus were above a .300 hitting percentage, with Stoddard hitting .388 and Cyrus .333.

Tori Feit (Jr, Rushmore, Minn) contributed six kills, a solo block and three block assists. Setter Jenny Kraczek (Jr, Blaine, Minn) had 15 assists and 10 digs. Freshman Rachel Eidet (North Mankato, Minn) had three block assists and two two kills.

Women's Cross Country

September 11, 1998

MENOMONIE - With three top five finishes, the UW-Stout women's cross country team took the team crown at their own Blue Devil Invitational Friday, Sept. 11 at the Menomonie High School cross country course.

Katie Jacobson (Sr, Eau Claire) edged out teammate and two-time Blue Devil champion Katy Olsen (Sr, Rice Lake), 19:03.1 to 19:05.3 for the individual crown. Stout's Jen Wucherer (Jr, Edgar) finished fifth (19:32.6).

Katie Kuffel (Jr, Minneapolis, Minn) was 15th (20:38.9), Tanya Miller (Jr, Green Bay) was 18th (20:43.6) and Heather Meyers (So, Comstock) was 22nd (20:51.0).

The Blue Devils are back in action next weekend when they travel to the St. Olaf Invitational Saturday, Sept. 19.

Blue Devil Invitational Women's Team Results
1. UW-Stout 41; 2. UW-Eau Claire 56; 3. UW-Stevens Point 70; 4. Bethel College 96; 5. St. Catherine 98; 6. Northwestern, Minn., 180; 7. Augsburg 187

Top 10 women's finishers and all Stout finishers
1. Katie Jacobson (Stout) 19:03.1; 2. Katy Olsen (Stout) 19:05.3; 3. Angie Voight (Bethel) 19:11.4; 4. Katie Jorgenson (St. Catherine) 19:17.1; 5. Jen Wucherer (Stout) 19:32.6; 6. Kelly Bullion (EC) 19:42.4; 7. Lisa Pisca (SP) 19:59.9; 8. Lisa Demarath (EC) 20:01.5; 9. Leah Juno (SP) 20:04.0; 10. Sara Holewinski 20:13.8; 15. Katie Kuffel 20:38.9; 18. Tanya Miller 20:43.6; 22. Heather Meyers 20:51.0; 29. Amy Arndt 21:14.6; 32. Dana Piper 21:22.3; 35. Robin White 21:45.3; 43. Coryn Delaney 22:07.1; 55. Joylyn Jans 22:47.3; 59. Heidi Bedsted 23:00.; 64. Elizabeth Bonner 23:23.6; 79. Ellen Everson 24:47.6

Men's Cross Country

September 11, 1998

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Josh Johnson (So, Oregon) placed seventh to lead the Blue Devils to a fourth place finish at the Blue Devil Invitational Friday, Sept. 11 at the Menomonie High School cross country course.

Johnson ran a 27:15.1, while Ethan Webinger (So, LaCrescent, Minn) was 14th (27:47.1) and Clint Latz (Fr, Lublin) was 15th (27:50.1). Chris Stevens (Jr, New Richmond) was 23rd (28:14.8).

UW-Stevens Point defended their team title, a title they have held since 1995. The Pointers had three runners in the top eight, and seven in the top 13. UW-Eau Claire's Jason Finch took top medalist honors, pacing the course in 26:21.0.

The Blue Devils return to action in two weeks when the junior varsity goes to Carleton College, Fri., Sept. 25 and the varsity goes to the University of Minnesota Saturday, Sept. 26 to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational.

Blue Devil Invitational Men's Team Results
1. UW-Stevens Point 36; 2. St. Thomas 51; 3. UW-Eau Claire 64; 4. UW-Stout 81; 5. Augsburg 151; 6. Northwestern 181.

Top 10 men's finishers and all Stout finishers
1. Jason Finch (EC) 26:21.0; 2. Josh Kath (St. Thomas) 26:25.5; 3. Ryan Kollmann (St. Thomas) 26:42.4; 4. Dan Schwamberger (SP) 27:03.7; 5. Jesse Drake (SP) 27:12.0; 6. Jacob Hallen (St. Thomas) 27:13.5; 7. Josh Johnson (Stout) 27:15.1; 8. Matt Hayes (SP) 27:18.2; 9. Ryan Wenos (SP) 27:21.1; 10. Jason Brunner (SP) 27:28.1; Ethan Webinger 27:47.1; 15. Clint Latz 27:50.1; 23. Chris Stevens 28:14.8; 30. Todd Johnson 28:36.6; 31. Jamie Block 28:38.4; 39. Ryan Hill 29:02.1; 40. Joshua Webb 29:05.7; 44. Bryan Ott 29:12.1; 46. Eric Hanson 29:13.8; 53. Seth Kaste 29:35.9; 60. Bryan Walhovd 29:55.0; 61. Chris Emerson 29:55.8; 64. Corey White 30:08.9; 67. Mike Schumann 30:13.3; 70. Jason Kirch 20:22.9; 71. Alex Anderson 30:26.5; 76. Aaron Hass 30:45.3; 78. Tim King 31:20.4; 87. Chris Bedsted 33:01.3.

Women's Tennis

September 14, 1998

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout tennis team was off this week, but were busy in the hunt for a few additional matches. The Blue Devils have added two non-conference matches to their schedule, a 3 p.m. match-up with Bethel College Saturday, Sept. 19 and a 10 a.m. match with Macalester College Saturday, Sept. 26. The Blue Devils will be in action Wednesday, Sept. 16 when they travel to UW-River Falls for a non-conference contest.

Updated: September 14, 1998