Raptors top Wolfpack for 3rd straight victory

ROCKFORD –

Quarterback Brian Ryczkowski erased a game full of bad memories in one play Saturday, and he did it with his legs, scurrying 35 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown to spark the Raptors 25-21 win over Wisconsin.



Ryczkowski went just 9-for-25 for 94 yards through the air, and was picked off twice, both times in the end zone, during his third straight poor passing performance. However, he managed the game well, and made a big play in a game with few of them as the Raptors won their third straight after opening 0-4.



"I guess I would rather throw two picks and win than have seven touchdown passes and lose. I've got to take the wins any way they'll come," Ryczkowski said. "I guess I'm getting the knack of managing a game a little better, and I was able to make that one big play. Sometimes that one big play is enough.

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When the pass rush stormed in and he darted almost all the way down the field for the home team's lone second-half touchdown with just over six minutes remaining, he boosted the lead to 12, and forced the Wolfpack into a furious comeback attempt.



Derrick Brown's second short TD run of the game and ensuing two-point conversion cut the lead to 25-21 with 2:30 left to play, but this rally from Wisconsin – which beat Rock River 40-38 on the last play of the game in Week 1 – fell just short. Raptor defensive back Dwayne Baldwin clung to an interception in the end zone with 42 seconds left in the game to ensure the Raptors would snap their 0-2 skid versus the Wolfpack this year.



"Late in this game we were all having flashbacks from Week 1. We knew we had something to prove this time," said Baldwin, who also had four batted passes. "They got us that first game, and they smacked us around at their house; we put it on our shoulders as a defense to make sure we went out and got this one."

Raptors reporter Jay Taft can be reached at 815-987-1382 or jtaft@rrstar.com.