Butch McCartneyInspired by a large homecoming crowd, the UW-Eau Claire football team countered UW-River Falls’ triple-option offense with a triple threat of its own on its way to a 34-12 victory Saturday at Carson Park.
Using a three-back rotation and mixing in a few long runs by sophomore quarterback Nels Fredrickson, the ‘Golds outrushed the Falcons by 117 yards for the first victory over River Falls since 1998 in front of a Homecoming crowd of 3,200.
“This was a great experience,” senior linebacker Dan Larson said. “This is the best Homecoming we’ve had since I’ve been here. Nothing beats this.”
Freshman running back Joe Gast led the Blugolds with 102 yards rushing, including two touchdowns. Sophomore Dave Garrison ran for 101 yards.
Gast and Garrison, along with freshman Brian Mitchell, were part of the three-back rotation for Eau Claire.
Though coach Todd Hoffner usually prefers to have one back carry most of the load, he’s happy with the way the multi-back system is working.
“We like all of our backs. We have three great ones,” he said. “It’s nice to spread the ball around.”
Gast said that while having the three-back rotation was good for keeping the running backs fresh, it can be tough to get in a rhythm.
“It’s hard if the offense goes 3-and-out, and you have to wait longer to get back in there,” he said.
Gast was able to get in a rhythm against River Falls, though.
He had a pair of 31-yard runs, helping him get to 102 yards on only nine carries.
He scored from a yard out in the second quarter to put Eau Claire ahead at 10-6, and scored on a 10-yard run with 2 minutes, 40 seconds left in the game to seal the win.
Fredrickson found senior tight end Brad Newton for the other two Eau Claire touchdowns, the second coming on a one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone.
Fredrickson struggled throwing the ball in the first half, completing only three of 13 passes. He contributed some of those difficulties to his holding the ball too long.
“The offensive line was doing a great job,” he said. “I was just taking too much time. The coaches told me to start throwing earlier.”
Fredrickson went four-for-five passing in the second half as the Blugolds started running more to control the clock on the mud-caked field.
Fredrickson ran for 70 yards and Mitchell gained 37 yards to help the Blugolds to their best team rushing performance since Sept. 30, 2000.
Along with Gast’s two 31-yard runs, the Blugolds had two other 30-plus-yard runs. Fredrickson kept the ball on an option play to run it 32 yards to set up a first-quarter field goal, and Mitchell broke free for a 34-yard run on the way to Newton’s second touchdown in the third quarter.
Newton’s touchdown came on the possession after River Falls had blocked a punt by junior Matt Brink and recovered it for a touchdown. That made the score 20-12.
River Falls almost turned the momentum around completely three plays later when junior Jake Nordy intercepted a Fredrickson pass.
However, River Falls was called for pass interference, and on the next play, Fredrickson found Newton on a seam pattern for 37 yards..
Junior Austin Crow tied for the team lead with 10 tackles in the game and forced a fumble. He also blocked both of the Falcons’ extra-point attempts with the hand he had in a cast after breaking his wrist in the Oct. 5 game with Bethel College (Minn.).
“They just left a hole in the same spot both times,” Crow said. “I had to use this club for something.”
Crow and the rest of the Blugold defense helped hold River Falls to 181 yards rushing and just two completed passes, including one by running back John Peterlik.
The win gives Eau Claire a 5-1 overall record, 2-1 in the WIAC.
The Blugolds have next Saturday off before traveling to UW-Platteville Oct. 26.
