The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team tallied 27 fourth-quarter points and collected nine sacks defensively Saturday on its way to a 40-21 triumph at Washington-St. Louis in a non-conference affair at Francis Field.
 
Trailing 14-13 entering the fourth quarter, the Warhawks (1-2 overall) turned to sophomore running back Ronny Ponick (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd), who rushed for 147 of his career-high 191 yards in the second half.
 
Ponick's performance, behind a strong showing by the offensive line, set up a 43-yard touchdown pass by junior quarterback Cole Wilber (Dana Point, Calif./Dana Hills) to junior wide receiver Mithcell Dess to take the lead for good with 14:02 left in the contest.
 
UW-Whitewater added another score on a fade from Wilber to junior wide receiver Adam Korpela (Milwaukee, Wis./St. Francis) to make it a 13-point game with 10:17 on the clock.
 
Ponick put the exclamation point on the quarter with a 2-yard touchdown plunge with 6:00 to play, and after a touchdown by the Bears (1-2), freshman running back Alex Peete (Ringwood, Ill./Johnsburg) accounted for the final margin with a 26-yard scamper with 3:03 remaining.
 
While the offense grinded out a season-high 564 yards of total offense, the Warhawk defense surrendered only 249 yards, including 32 on the ground, and posted nine sacks, the most in one game in the last 10 years.
 
Wilber finished with career highs in completions (24) and passing yards (309) and totaled three touchdowns. Dess registered five catches for 69 yards, and senior tight end Tony Gumina (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) posted five receptions for 61 yards.
 
Junior defensive lineman Harry Henschler (Janesville, Wis./Craig) totaled three sacks and finished with four tackles overall. Junior linebacker Beau Martin (Winfield, Ill./Wheaton North) collected six tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, and senior linebacker Matt Seitz (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) recorded five stops, including one sack. Sophomore defensive back Luke Tegtman (Woodstock, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) added six tackles.
 
UW-Whitewater grabbed an early lead after Wilber hit junior wide receiver Canton Larson (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) for a 27-yard touchdown with 12:19 left in the first quarter.
 
Wash U. tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter, but a pair of field goals by freshman kicker Wojciech Gasienica (Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood) in the final four minutes of the half gave the Warhawks a 13-7 halftime advantage.
 
Neither team scored again until the Bears struck with 1:20 left in the third quarter to take a one-point lead.
 
UW-Whitewater begins Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday, Sept. 30, at No. 3 ranked UW-Oshkosh. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.