Box Score

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, ranked second in the D3football.com preseason poll, opened the season with a 41-7 win at Taylor Field at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. 

The win ups UW-W's regular season win streak to twenty-one games, going back to a loss in the final regular season game of the 2004 season.

Lakeland had the Warhawks on their heels on the opening drive, advancing the ball from their own 28 to Whitewater's 30 in eight plays, but UW-W senior defensive back Andy Murray (Mount Horeb/Mount Horeb) picked off a Brad Wilk pass at the one to end the threat.

UW-W scored on its second possession of the game, with senior running back Justin Beaver (Palmyra/Palmyra-Eagle) ending the 73 yards, 8 play drive with a short plunge to give Whitewater a lead it never relinquished. 

Sophomore placekicker Jeff Schebler (Davenport, IA/Assumption), an All-American last year, moved in to a tie (with Clay Vajgrt of UW-Stout, 1980-82) for eighteenth place in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history with two first half field goals, giving him twenty in his short career.  Schebler hit from 35 yards with 8:25 left in the second quarter and from 29 yards at 3:11 to put UW-W up 13-0.

Beaver scored his second TD of the game with just eleven seconds left in the half, running the ball in from 26 yards out, his longest run of the day.     UW-W led 20-0 at the half.

Senior quarterback Danny Jones (Pleasanton, CA/Amador Valley) connected with junior wide receiver Matt Gifford (Waukesha West/West) for a ten-yard score at 6:52 in the third to put UW-W up 27-0. 

Senior MacArthur White put Lakeland on the board on the ensuing kickoff, returning the ball 86 yards for the score, making it 27-7 Whitewater.

Late in the third quarter Whitewater chewed up almost six minutes, moving 80 yards in 13 plays, with sophomore running back Jake Andersen (Kansasville/Westosha Central) taking it in from one yard out for his first score in a Whitewater uniform. 

Sophomore QB Jeff Donovan (Wauwatosa/East) hooked up with freshman Aaron Rusch (Hartford/Hartford) on a five yard score with 5:31 left in the contest to conclude the scoring.

Whitewater's offense gained 513 yards, while the Warhawk defense limited Lakeland to 110.  Beaver inched closer to the UW-W career rushing record, gaining 138 yards to put him at 4,267, with Chad Wurth (2000-2003) in the number one spot at 4,301.  Jones completed 17-27 passes for 213 yards, one TD and no interceptions.  Senior Neil Mrkvicka (Greendale/Greendale) was the leading receiver in the game, catching 7 for 112 yards.  Defensively, sophomore end Anthony White (Milwaukee/Bay View) had five tackles and two quarterback sacks.

Lakeland's Wilk went 9-25 for 76 yards, with White catching five of the tosses for 25 yards.  Paul Resop led the Muskies with 23 yards rushing on 11 attempts.  Defensive backs Justin Medard and Keith Woodson led LC with ten tackles apiece.

UW-W is not scheduled to play next week.  The next action for the Warhawks will be at Division II Saint Cloud State Saturday, September 15. The first home game for the Warhawks will be September 22, when UW-W opens Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play hosting UW-Eau Claire for a 1:00 kickoff in Perkins Stadium.   Tickets for home games can be purchased at the Center of the Arts ticket office 9-5 Monday-Friday, or at the Perkins Stadium window on game day.  Call 262-472-2222 for ticket information.

For additional information:
UW-W football web site:  www.uww.edu/athletics/mfootball
WIAC football web site:  http://www.uwsa.edu/wiac/football/index.html