RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The No. 13/14-ranked UW-River Falls football team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 59-47 non-conference win over Coe College on Saturday afternoon at Ramer Field.
The Falcons and Kohawks combined for nearly 1,400 yards of total offense, including 733 from the Falcons and 569 from
Kaleb Blaha alone - a new UWRF program record and third all-time in the WIAC, breaking his previously set record of 556 at Ohio Wesleyan in 2023.
UWRF jumped out to a 21-0 lead through the first quarter and maintained the lead throughout despite a strong push back from the Kohawks while both defenses struggled to hold the respective offenses at bay. Coe outscored the Falcons 47-38 in the final three frames (led by quarterback Brady Kelly's impressive 627 yards of total offense and six passing touchdowns) but didn't manage to break the UWRF lead.
After controlling the first period with 21 unanswered points with a trio of Blaha rushing scores, Coe got on the board early in the second quarter, but UWRf answered with a 21-yard touchdown run by
Trevor Asher to go up 28-7. Coe struck again before halftime to make it 28-14.
The third quarter was tight. Coe cut within one score with a big 55-yard touchdown pass but the Falcons had another response with Asher's second rushing touchdown of the game, this time a career-long 47-yard score. Coe scored twice more in the third while UWRF added a 35-yard field goal by
Justin Scheberl to maintain a 38-35 lead heading into the final 15 minutes.
In the fourth, the Falcons pulled away. Blaha connected with Stephen Reifenberger on a six-yard pass to stretch the lead. Coe answered with a 26-yard pass, but River Falls followed up quickly with a 42-yard pass from Blaha to Blake Rohrer and then capped it with a 22-yard Blaha run. Coe managed one more late touchdown but UWRF held on to win 59-47.
Kaleb Blaha went 30-for-38 through the air for 335 yards and added 234 on the ground to break his own school record for total offense. Trevor Asher and Blake Rohrer followed with career days, featuring a career-high 144 rushing yards for Asher and six catches for 110 yards for Rohrer.
Defensively, UWRF's 47 points against was the program's most points allowed in a game since 2019. Gage Timm led the team with seven tackles while Taylor Sussner had a pair of tackles for loss.
The Falcons (2-0, 0-0 WIAC) close out non-conference action next Saturday, Sept. 20 at Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss.
