The No. 2 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team tallied 24 first-half points Saturday afternoon en route to a 24-2 victory over UW-Stevens Point on Homecoming in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference affair in front of a crowd of 10,364 at Perkins Stadium.
 
The Warhawks (7-0 overall, 4-0 WIAC) held the ball for more than 20 minutes in a dominating first half and forced three turnovers in the game to win their 29th straight contest at Perkins Stadium, one shy of tying a school record.
 
Sophomore running back Drew Patterson (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) continued his impressive rookie campaign, tallying 190 total yards, including 150 on the ground, and two receiving touchdowns.
 
Sophomore quarterback Cole Wilber (Dana Point, Calif./Dana Hills) completed 16-of-35 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Canton Larson (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) posted six receptions for 48 yards, and senior wide receiver Marcus Hudson (Delavan, Wis./Delavan-Darien) contributed five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.
 
Senior linebacker Paul Foster (Janesville/Craig), senior defensive back Vince Mason (Green Bay, Wis./Green Bay Southwest), junior linebacker Matt Seitz (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) and sophomore linebacker Bryce Leszczynski (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) registered five tackles apiece to lead the defense. Sophomore defensive back Famus Hasty (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) recorded three of the team's 11 passes broken up.
 
After coming up empty on a 22-play, 92-yard drive that took seven minutes in the first quarter, UW-Whitewater forced the first turnover of the game as Bailey Breunig (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) picked off Kyle Larson at the Pointers' 47-yard line with 3:36 left in the period.
 
Seven plays later, Wilber threw a screen pass to Patterson, who ran untouched into the end zone from 26 yards out to give the Warhawks a 7-0 lead with 1:42 remaining.
 
UW-Whitewater forced a pair of three-and-outs by UW-Stevens Point (4-3, 1-3) to set up a five-yard touchdown pass on a fade route from Wilber to Hudson with 9:46 left in the second quarter.
 
After a Pointer punt, the Warhawks added to their lead as junior kicker Will Meyer (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) hit a 42-yard field goal with 3:53 left in the half to cap an 11-play, 57-yard drive.
 
UW-Whitewater forced another punt, which sophomore Mitchell Dess (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) returned nine yards to the UW-Stevens Point 37-yard line.
 
Five plays later, the Warhawks moved to a 24-0 advantage as Wilber hit Patterson on another screen, this time from 14 yards out, with 1:12 on the clock.
 
The Pointers drove inside the UW-Whitewater 30-yard line on the next drive, but the Warhawks forced a turnover on downs just before the end of the half.
 
UW-Stevens Point got on the board on a safety with 3:27 to play in the third quarter.
 
Interceptions by Mason and sophomore defensive back Joey Caravello (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) sandwiched a fourth-and-goal defensive stop over the next 13 minutes of game action.
 
The Pointers drove into UW-Whitewater territory again in the closing minutes of the game, but the Warhawks held on a fourth-and-five thanks to a sack by junior defensive lineman Harry Green (Chicago, Ill./Shepard) and sophomore linebacker Beau Martin (Winfield, Ill./Wheaton North).

At halftime, fans welcomed back members of the 1966 team on the 50th anniversary of its NAIA national runner-up finish and WIAC championship.
 
UW-Whitewater continues WIAC play next Saturday, Oct. 29, at UW-Eau Claire. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.