The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team took sole possession of second place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Saturday with a 35-7 triumph at UW-Stevens Point.
The Warhawks (5-3 overall, 4-1 WIAC), who also extended their win streak to four games, outgained the Pointers 505-221 in total yards, forced three turnovers and tallied six sacks.
UW-Whitewater scored 28 points in the first 22 minutes of game time, including 21 straight before UW-Stevens Point (4-4, 1-4) found the end zone on a kickoff return.
Senior wide receiver
Marcus Hudson (Delavan, Wis./Delavan-Darien) enjoyed a second straight big game, posting four receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown and adding three carries for 18 yards and a rushing touchdown. Junior quarterback
Cole Wilber (Dana Point, Calif./Dana Hills) completed 15-of-28 passes for 265 yards and one score.
Junior running back
Drew Patterson (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) was one of four Warhawks to score on the ground, finishing with 11 carries for 83 yards. Junior wide receiver
Jarrod Ware (Bradley, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) totaled 103 yards (63 receiving, 40 rushing), and junior wide receiver
Canton Larson (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) and sophomore running back
Ronny Ponick (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) each recorded one rushing touchdown.
Junior linebacker
Bryce Leszczynski (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) registered a team-high eight tackles to lead the defense. Senior defensive lineman
Harry Green (Chicago, Ill./Shepard) collected four tackles, including three for a loss and one sack, and junior defensive lineman
David O'Gorman (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) contributed four stops, including 2.5 for a loss, and added one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
Sophomore linebacker
Jacob Erbs (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) littered the stat sheet with six tackles, including one sack, one forced fumble and one interception.
On the opening drive of the contest, UW-Whitewater plunged 71 yards on eight plays as Larson capped the drive with a 7-yard score with 11:38 on the clock. Wilber hit Ware for 27 yards and junior wide receiver
Adam Korpela (Milwaukee, Wis./St. Francis) for 12 on successive third-and-long plays to set up the touchdown.
After an interception by Erbs stunted a drive into Warhawk territory, UW-Whitewater moved 85 yards in 14 plays, with Ponick providing the final 13 yards to the end zone with 1:44 remaining in the quarter.
UW-Whitewater upped its lead to three possessions early in the second quarter. After Wilber hit Hudson for a 56-yard strike, Patterson scored from eight yards away with 9:42 left in the first half.
The Pointers returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to draw within 21-7, but the Warhawks answered immediately as Hudson made an incredible, juggling catch down the right sideline for a 44-yard touchdown to bring the team's lead back to 21 at the 8:05 mark of the quarter.
UW-Whitewater started the second half by forcing another turnover in its own territory as sophomore defensive back
Nate Tranel (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) intercepted Matt Urmanski at the 20-yard line.
On the next drive, the Warhawks amassed a 16-play, 80-yard drive that took more than seven minutes to complete. Hudson scored on a third-and-goal run from two yards out to make it a 28-point lead with 3:03 left in the third quarter.
After the two teams exchanged punts, Erbs stripped Mitchel Neubauer on a 10-yard sack and O'Gorman recovered to give the ball back to UW-Whitewater with 10:23 remaining in the affair.
After a punt, the Warhawks stopped UW-Stevens Point on fourth-and-goal from the UW-Whitewater 2-yard line before running out the clock to preserve the victory.
The Warhawks return home next Saturday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. to take on No. 9 UW-Platteville. UW-Whitewater will celebrate Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day at Perkins Stadium.
