Football team tames Wildcats
Blugolds win season opener
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 9/3/09 Section: Sports
CARSON PARK, 09/05/09
Posted: 09/06/09
The UW-Eau Claire football team defeated Bethel University (Tenn.) 21-7 Saturday night at Carson Park to win its season opener.
Eau Claire came out hot early, scoring a touchdown inside the first four minutes and scoring again less than five minutes later to take an early 14-0 lead.
The Wildcats struggled early on offense Saturday, failing to get a single first down and earning only eight yards total offense in the first quarter.
"That's the way we have to come out every game, get scores on the board right away," senior quarterback Kyle Paulson said after the game.
But the tables seemed to turn in the second quarter, with Bethel racking up six first downs to the Blugolds' one and earning 91 yards on offense to the Blugolds' 41. Bethel finally got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter on a one-yard run on fourth down.
"First quarter I thought we played well both sides of the ball, and the second quarter we had a couple lulls," coach Todd Glaser said, noting that the offensive line had to make adjustments during halftime.
Bethel moved the ball near the Blugolds' goal line and seemed poised to tie the game late in the third quarter, but a fumble near the eight-yard line was collected by Eau Claire's junior defensive lineman Dan Mahaffey. The fumble recovery halted a nearly 80-yard Wildcats drive and possibly prevented a game-tying Bethel touchdown.
Eau Claire converted the fumble recovery for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, ending a two-quarter scoring drought. The Blugolds scored their final touchdown of the game on a pass from Paulson to sophomore wide receiver David Goodman, bringing the score to 21-7.
"That just turned the whole momentum," senior tight end Brett Schreiner said of the third-quarter fumble recovery and ensuing touchdown drive. "Turnovers and stuff like that really swing the momentum of the game."
Paulson finished the game 13 of 18 for 172 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior running back Cory Sartorelli finished Saturday's game with 107 yards on the ground and an additional 59 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Paulson was the team's second-leading rusher with 51 yards gained on the ground.
Goodman led the team in receiving yards, with 62, and tacked on a receiving touchdown. Schreiner also scored a receiving touchdown and finished the game with 17 receiving yards.
Senior linebacker Bryant Dorsey led the Blugolds in tackles, finishing with six (five solo and one assisted). Dorsey also finished the game with two tackles for lost yardage, a team best.
Sophomore linebacker Andy Neumann finished with five total tackles and recorded the Blugolds' only sack.
The Blugolds now will head into a four-game road series, starting at St. John's University (Minn.) at 1 p.m. this Saturday before taking on Hope College (Mich.), UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater. The team will have a bye week Sept. 26.
Posted: 09/06/09
The UW-Eau Claire football team defeated Bethel University (Tenn.) 21-7 Saturday night at Carson Park to win its season opener.
Eau Claire came out hot early, scoring a touchdown inside the first four minutes and scoring again less than five minutes later to take an early 14-0 lead.
The Wildcats struggled early on offense Saturday, failing to get a single first down and earning only eight yards total offense in the first quarter.
"That's the way we have to come out every game, get scores on the board right away," senior quarterback Kyle Paulson said after the game.
But the tables seemed to turn in the second quarter, with Bethel racking up six first downs to the Blugolds' one and earning 91 yards on offense to the Blugolds' 41. Bethel finally got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter on a one-yard run on fourth down.
"First quarter I thought we played well both sides of the ball, and the second quarter we had a couple lulls," coach Todd Glaser said, noting that the offensive line had to make adjustments during halftime.
Bethel moved the ball near the Blugolds' goal line and seemed poised to tie the game late in the third quarter, but a fumble near the eight-yard line was collected by Eau Claire's junior defensive lineman Dan Mahaffey. The fumble recovery halted a nearly 80-yard Wildcats drive and possibly prevented a game-tying Bethel touchdown.
Eau Claire converted the fumble recovery for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, ending a two-quarter scoring drought. The Blugolds scored their final touchdown of the game on a pass from Paulson to sophomore wide receiver David Goodman, bringing the score to 21-7.
"That just turned the whole momentum," senior tight end Brett Schreiner said of the third-quarter fumble recovery and ensuing touchdown drive. "Turnovers and stuff like that really swing the momentum of the game."
Paulson finished the game 13 of 18 for 172 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior running back Cory Sartorelli finished Saturday's game with 107 yards on the ground and an additional 59 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Paulson was the team's second-leading rusher with 51 yards gained on the ground.
Goodman led the team in receiving yards, with 62, and tacked on a receiving touchdown. Schreiner also scored a receiving touchdown and finished the game with 17 receiving yards.
Senior linebacker Bryant Dorsey led the Blugolds in tackles, finishing with six (five solo and one assisted). Dorsey also finished the game with two tackles for lost yardage, a team best.
Sophomore linebacker Andy Neumann finished with five total tackles and recorded the Blugolds' only sack.
The Blugolds now will head into a four-game road series, starting at St. John's University (Minn.) at 1 p.m. this Saturday before taking on Hope College (Mich.), UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater. The team will have a bye week Sept. 26.
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