The No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team bounced back from its first loss in nearly three years Friday night, defeating UW-La Crosse 30-12 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest under the lights at Perkins Stadium.
Six days after a 10-7 setback at UW-Oshkosh ended their 36-game win streak, the Warhawks (5-1 overall, 2-1 WIAC) racked up 537 yards of offense and posted three interceptions, including two by junior defensive back
Vince Mason (Green Bay, Wis./Green Bay Southwest), on defense.
UW-Whitewater held the Eagles (2-4, 1-2) to just 59 yards rushing on 27 attempts. The Warhawks also controlled the time of possession, holding the ball for more than 33 minutes of the affair.
Friday's win was the team's 21st straight at Perkins Stadium, the program's third-longest run in its history.
Junior quarterback
Chris Nelson (Twin Lakes/Wilmot Union) completed 19-of-27 passes for a career-high 246 yards and a touchdown. Junior wide receiver
Marcus Hudson (Delavan, Wis./Delavan-Darien) caught six passes for a career-best 108 yards, while senior wide receiver
Joe Worth (Hartford/Hartford Union) finished with seven receptions for 86 yards.
Senior running back
Jordan Ratliffe (Milwaukee/Milwaukee Vincent) racked up 130 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. Freshman running back
Tyler Glass (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) added 93 yards and a touchdown on 14 rushes.
Senior defensive backs
Shawn Shillcox (Two Rivers/Two Rivers) and
Ryan Winske (Omro/Omro) paced a balanced defensive effort with seven tackles apiece. Juniors
Trevor Boyle (Janesville, Wis./Parker),
Paul Foster (Janesville/Craig),
Tim Regan (Algonquin, IL/HD Jacobs) and
Kyle Schiedemeyer (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) tallied one sack apiece in the front seven.
UW-Whitweater registered the first 10 points of the contest. A 37-yard field goal by junior kicker
Lake Bachar (Wheaton, IL/Wheaton North) completed a game-opening 12-play, 77-yard drive to make it 3-0 with 11:11 on the clock.
After a three-and-out by UW-La Crosse, the Warhawks moved 87 yards in just six plays as Ratliffe completed the drive with a 2-yard scoring run with 7:20 left in the opening period. Nelson and Hudson connected for 55 yards on the second play of the drive to put the team in the red zone.
Mason's first interception ended the Eagles' ensuing drive, and his next one – at the 4:05 mark of the second quarter at the Eagles' 8-yard line – helped set up UW-Whitewater's second touchdown.
Freshman running back
Jarrod Ware (Bradley, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) scored from three yards out on third and goal to put the Warhawks in front 16-0 with 2:55 remaining in the half.
UW-La Crosse found the end zone on third and goal on its next drive to make it 16-6 entering halftime.
After the Eagles made it a one-possession game on the third quarter's opening drive, UW-Whitewater responded with a seven-play, 65-yard drive. Nelson capped it with a 28-yard pass to wide receiver
Manny Jones (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) for the freshman's first career touchdown catch that put the Warhawks up 23-12 with 7:24 left in the quarter.
After a UW-Whitewater turnover early in the fourth, Shillcox picked off UW-La Crosse's John Tackett in the end zone with 9:54 to play in the game.
The Warhawks accounted for the final margin running down the clock as Glass galloped in from 21 yards out with 1:46 left.
