Gustavus at Wisconsin-River Falls
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: River Falls, Wis. | David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field
Live Coverage: Live Stats | Video | Audio
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus football team begins in 2017 road schedule Saturday, heading to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. The Gusties (1-0, 0-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) look to carry the momentum from their season-opening win against Westminster into River Falls, Wis. for their final non-conference matchup against the Falcons (0-1, 0-0 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
THE SERIES
Gustavus leads the all-time series against UW-River Falls, 4-0-1, including the most recent meeting last season, a 24-21 victory for the Gusties. The Gusties and Falcons met last year for the first time since 1948. The previous four meetings came in the 1930’s and 1940’s with Gustavus winning each game except for one 13-13 draw in 1941.
DECKER EARNS MIAC LAURELS
Senior linebacker and co-captain Casey Decker (Mapleton, Minn.) received MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading a Gustavus defense that recorded its first shutout since 2015 in the 38-0 season-opening win against Westminster College at Hollingsworth Field. Decker led all Gusties as he posted a career-high nine-tackle performance, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also landed a pair of punts inside the 20-yard line, totaling 141 total yards on three punts. Decker’s honor stands as his second career conference honor as he earned MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week last season.
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
Gustavus opened the 2017 season with a 38-0 win over Westminster College. Four different Gusties found their way into the end zone, led by a three touchdown performance from quarterback Michael Veldman (Jr., Becker, Minn.), twice completing to Brice Panning (So., Hamburg, Minn.).
The Gustavus offense just needed four plays on its first drive of the 2017 season to gain a 7-0 lead as Jamison Beulke (Jr., Montgomery, Minn.) posted a career-long 58-yard run, avoiding Blue Jay defenders towards the edge and sprinting down the sideline for first Gustie touchdown of 2017. Beulke led Gustavus with 91 rushing yards, 91 passing yards, as well as 182 all-purpose yards.
The Gustavus defense held Westminster to just eight first downs and 153 total yards of offense through four quarters, led by a share of tackles. 19 Gusties recorded at least two tackles, led by Decker with nine. Jordan Kahlow (Jr, Le Sueur, Minn.) tallied two tackles for loss while Chris Nelson (Sr., New London, Minn.), Nick Jacques (So., Orono, Minn.), and Tanner Sparrow (Jr., Edina, Minn.) each contributed sacks.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Coming off a 4-6 overall record and 3-4 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record last season, The University of Wisconsin-River Falls fell 13-9 in its season-opener against Coe College.
After Coe opened up the Falcon defense and got on the board first with a 74-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, UW-River Falls came back with a 29- yard touchdown pass and a field goal to take a 9-6 lead. Coe responded with a goal line touchdown run and held on for the 13-9 win.
The Falcons totaled 340 yards of offense, including a 171-yard rushing performance, led by 109- yard output from senior running back Michael Diggins. Three quarterbacks saw action for UWRiver Falls, with senior Sawyer Moon completing nine passes for 58 yards. Sophomore linebacker Max Praschak led the defense, compiling 14 tackles.