RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) - UW-River Falls scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to build a 14-point lead that they maintained for a 42-24 victory over UW-Eau Claire on Saturday. Quarterback Ben Beckman was 17-23 for 326 yards and threw for three touchdowns to lead the Falcons to defeat the Blugolds for the fifth-straight season. 

The first quarter finished scoreless, but the Falcons made a big stop on 4th and 2 when Johnny Kind tackled UW-Eau Claire quarterback Scott Procter for a three-yard loss to stop a 50-yard drive. UWRF had their next drive stall at their own 42-yard line, but a roughing the kicker penalty on the Blugolds kept the drive alive as the second quarter began. Beckman threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Alex Herink for an acrobatic touchdown catch on the first play of the quarter to make it 7-0. 

Procter completed two passes to Leeshaun Evans for 56 yards and a touchdown on the following drive to even the game at 7-7. Evans got a penalty for spiking the ball after they play, which gave the Falcons great field position after a 32-yard kick return from Tyler Blum. Beckman threw to Herink for a 24-yard touchdown four plays later for Herink's eighth receiving touchdown of the season. The senior receiver is only one touchdown away from the single season record of nine set in 1995 and 2007. 

The Blugolds responded with a time-consuming 16-play, 75-yard that took almost nine minutes in the second quarter. They converted on two fourth downs, including a fake field goal from Brad Goetsch, before Brian Kulaga dove into the end zone from one yard out to even the game at 14-14. 

After a questionable illegal block call on Nicholas Studer on the next drive, Beckman aired the ball out to Studer for a 77-yard touchdown, slipping away from multiple defenders to make it 21-14. The 77-yard bomb was the longest pass of Beckman's career. Defensive back Athen Ashton completely swung the momentum on the next drive when he intercepted a Procter pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to go ahead 28-14 at the break.

Besides a 34-yard field goal from Goetsch in the third quarter, neither team was able to build on their second quarter momentum. Ashton sacked Procter on 3rd and 6 as the third quarter expired, and Joey Leonard sacked Procter on 3rd in 8 a few minutes later in the fourth quarter. The deciding play of the game came on 4th and 21 when Beckman found Herink for a leaping catch at the three-yard line to sustain their drive. Anthony Silva's three-yard rushing touchdown made the game 35-17 with seven minutes left. The Blugolds responded with another touchdown drive two minutes later, but an 11-yard rushing touchdown from Sam Altena with three minutes left sealed the win for the Falcons at 42-24.

Altena finished with 83 yards on the ground, and Silva added 44 more yards rushing. Studer had three receptions for 120 yards, and Trenton Monson had seven catches for 119 yards, including a key 40-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Max Praschak led the way on defense, making 10 solo tackles to add to his WIAC-leading 43 solo tackles. Kulaga and Procter combined to run for 166 yards, and Procter threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns.

The Falcons are now 3-5 and 2-3 in the WIAC, with all three of their wins coming at home. They will travel to UW-La Crosse next week to take on the 5-3 Eagles at 1 p.m.