| Desmin Ward ran for 108 yards
for UW-Whitewater after a shaky start. Photo by Sid Hastings for WUSTL Photo Services |
UW-Whitewater, No. 1 in the D3football.com poll, held Washington
University without a first down and to zero yards of offense in the
first half on the way to a 34-0 victory Friday night at Francis
Field in St. Louis.
The Warhawks received the opening kickoff, which went into the end
zone for a touchback. UW-W drove to the Bears' 26 before stalling.
Eric Kindler (Germantown/Germantown) kicked
a 43 yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 11:43 left in the first
quarter.
Later in the quarter Whitewater started a drive, short-lived, at
their 11 yard line. The Bears forced a fumble and Tate Byers
recovered at the 22. Three plays later Dan Burkett's pass was
picked off by Marcus McLin
(Delevan/Delevan) at the 13 to end the threat.
In the second quarter, an Eric Kindler
(Germantown/Germantown) punt pinned Washington back at
the ten, and three plays later a Bear punt rolled dead at their 35,
setting up the Warhawk offense, which took five plays to up the
lead to 10-0 with 8:15 on the clock. The final 17 yards came on a
second and seven, Lee Brekke (Sun Prairie/Sun
Prairie) connecting with Steve Morris
(Racine/Horlick). Kindler added the extra point.
Whitewater linebacker Kyle Wismer (Spring Grove,
Ill./Richmond-Burton) stopped the Bears' next drive
with his interception at the WashU 28. Three plays later
Desmin Ward (Milwaukee/Hamilton) rumbled
right for a 19 yard score, making it 17-0 with 6:57 on the
clock.
Kindler kicked a 21 yard field goal with 0:17 left in the half to
send Whitewater into the locker room with a 20-0 lead.
UW-W gained 238 yards in the half, while Washington had two yards
passing and minus two rushing. Brekke completed 10-19 for 129
yards, with one interception, and Ward rushed nine times for 66
yards. Steve Morris (Racine/Horlick) caught
seven Brekke passes for 103 yards in the half.
WashU moved into Whitewater territory midway through the third
quarter, but Warhawk linebacker Cole Klotz (Elm
Grove/New Berlin Eisenhower) picked off the pass at
the 33.
Later in the quarter the Warhawk defense bottled up Washington
again, but Whitewater fumbled the ball on a punt return to set the
Bears up at midfield. McLin's second interception of the game not
only ended that threat, but he took the return to the house, 59
yards, to increase Whitewater's lead to 27-0 with 1:54 left in the
third.
Early in the fourth, facing a first and goal and the Bear 8, wide
receiver Tyler Huber (Mukwonago/North
Prairie) ran the ball in with a end around, upping the
margin to 34-0 with 12:13 left in the game.
A combination of Bear defense and driving rain caused a Whitewater
fumble, picked up by Chris LaBarge and returned to the Whitewater
43.
Both teams took the opportunity for the rest of the game to get
game experience for backups.
The Warhawk offense produced 376 yards, while the defense limited
the Bears to 55, ten on the ground and 45 on 9-25 passing -- with
four interceptions. Defensive back Ryan Wenkman
(Wisconsin Dells/Wisconsin Dells), and linebackers
Klotz and Wismer, led UW-W with six tackles apiece. Bear junior
linebacker Peter Lowery and sophomore back Ryan Bednar each
collected a game high 11 tackles. Ward broke the 100 yard mark,
carrying the ball 14 times for 108 yards. Brekke wound up 13-25 for
141 yards, with the one pick.
UW-W, a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference, and Washington, from the University Athletic
Association, were both tabbed to win their respective league titles
(the Bears as co-champion) in preseason polls.
The victory adds to Whitewater's win streak, now at 46 games,
longest active streak in college football and fourth longest, and
one away from tying the University of Oklahoma for third place
all-time in the NCAA.
Whitewater has a bye next week, then will host Buffalo State on
Saturday, September 15 at 1:00 in Perkins Stadium. The game has
been designated as National Champions and Youth Day. Whitewater's
national champion football, men's basketball, women's gymnastics,
women's wheelchair basketball and men's wheelchair basketball will
be honored at halftime.