Falcons start WIAC play with Homecoming victory, O’Grady reaches 100th career win
October 9, 2008
The Falcon football team began their conference play Oct. 4 as they defeated UW-Stevens Point at the Falcon Homecoming game. With the win, Head Coach John O’Grady captured his 100th career victory and the Falcons continued their strong play to improve their record to 2-2.
Standing in the way of the Falcons’ .500 record was the previously undefeated Stevens Point Pointers. At 3-0, the Pointers were off to an impressive start lead by quarterback Jared Beckwith and running back T.C. Farber. Before the game, both players had a combined total of five touchdowns.
Paving the way for the Falcons offense this year has been senior quarterback Storm Harmon. The WIAC named Harmon Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 30 as he did his part to help defeat Alma 25-20, recording a career high 97 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Before the Homecoming game, Harmon said he had hoped to duplicate this success.
“Homecoming is one of the atmospheres that we don’t get to play in all the time. It usually has bigger crowds, and it’s louder,” Harmon said. “All the events of the week lead up to the game and we feel that it is important to show everybody a good game.”
A great game the Falcons fans got to see.
“I have been at UWRF for three years and this is by far the most exciting game I have been to,” Trey Molitor, a former student at UWRF, said. “Harmon and the rest of the team were impressive.”
Harmon followed up his performance against Alma with another solid performance against the Pointers where he threw for three touchdowns and 241 yards passing.
No. 1 wide receiver for the Falcons, sophomore Michael Zweifel, added to the offensive success against the Pointers. Zweifel caught 16 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and also extended his personal streak of catching a pass in every college game he has played in - a streak that now has climbed to 13 games.
Before the Homecoming game, the Falcons offense was ranked No. 1 in total offense at 374 yards per game. Harmon leads the WIAC in passing (181.3 yards per game) and Zweifel is tied for the lead in receptions (22).
On the defensive side of the ball, first-year Defensive Coordinator Greg Bower said he was impressed with the teams win.
“A lot of former students and former athletes come back to River Falls for the homecoming game, and when you win it’s always a good experience,” Bower said.
Leading up to this season Bower had spent four seasons as tight ends coach and two seasons as defensive tackles coach for Northern Illinois University. Bower credited the players for helping him make an easy transition from NIU to UWRF.
“The players have been great. Each defense has certain qualities about it, and when the players do what you ask of them, the outcome is usually a successful one,” Bower said
Up next for the Falcons is undefeated UW-Whitewater. The game will be held at Ramer Field noon Oct. 11.