UW-Whitewater, ranked second in the NCAA Division III polls, defeated UW-La Crosse 31-0 Saturday afternoon before a UW-W, and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, record crowd of 11,028. Whitewater's upped its win streak in WIAC play to twenty-three consecutive games, ironically with the last loss coming at the hands of UW-La Crosse in the final game of 2004. The Warhawks have also won twenty-seven straight at Perkins Stadium.
Box Score
Photo Gallery
The scoring began on the first possession of the game when Jeff Schebler (Davenport, IA/Assumption) hit a 45-yard field goal to put the Warhawks up 3-0 with 9:54 left in the first quarter. The second quarter started with a four yard touchdown run by Levell Coppage (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park) four seconds into the quarter. Five minutes later Whitewater scored again when Lane Olson (Racine/Horlick) blocked the Eagles' punt which Antwon Anderson returned 40 yards for a Whitewater touchdown. With 7:45 left in the first half the Warhawks continued the scoring when Coppage found the endzone again on a one yard run after a six play, 67-yard drive. There was only one score in the second half and that came in the third quarter at 4:56 when Whitewater scored after a 12 play, 73-yard drive that ended with a three yard rush by Coppage. Coppage rushed for 8 of the 12 plays in that drive that put Whitewater up 31-0.
Whitewater's success came on the ground and by turnovers. The Warhawks had 259 yards rushing and no turnovers, and the Eagles rushes were limited to 83 and had two turnovers. Whitewater also converted 9 of 13 third down attempts compared to only 2 of 11 for La Crosse. Coppage led both teams with 176 rushing on 27 attempts with three touchdowns. Coppage has rushed for 566 yards (141.5/game) and 5.1 per attempts. He has scored eight touchdowns in those four games. Wide receiver Aaron Rusch (Hartford/Hartford) had six catches for 65 yards. Rusch caught six of Whitewater's ten completions, with QB Jeff Donovan (Wauwatosa/East) going 10-13 for 94 yards.
La Crosse's Alex Seguin passed for 113 passing yards, going 10-26.
On defense Whitewater had the only two sacks of the game as Max Ford (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park River Forest) contributed one, and Mike Dufrane (Hortonville/Hortonville) and Casey Casper (Dousman/Kettle Moraine) teamed up for one as well. Whitewater's defense held the Eagles to 202 yards of offense.
Whitewater has outscored opponents 131-23 this season.
UW-Whitewater will play on the road next week. The Warhawks will travel to Ramer Field at UW-River Falls for a 12:00 kickoff. The next home game for UW-W will be October 25 versus UW-Stevens Point at 1:00 in the annual Homecoming game.
For More Information: #Head Coach Lance Leipold#
