The No. 3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team scored 21 unanswered points over a 15-minute span in the second and third quarters that proved to be the difference Saturday in a 49-28 victory at UW-River Falls in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.
 
The Warhawks (7-0 overall, 4-0 WIAC) scored with 2:32 to play in the second quarter and added touchdowns at the 11:35 and 2:28 marks of the third to turn a one-score game into a 42-13 advantage.
 
UW-Whitewater was out-gained 495-429 in total yards by the Falcons (1-6, 0-4), but forced five turnovers, including three interceptions in the second half.
 
Junior quarterback Zach Oles (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) threw for 211 yards and tied a school record with six passing touchdowns to lead the offense. Junior running back Alex Peete (Ringwood, Ill./Johnsburg) rushed 13 times for 108 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Holte (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) caught three passes for 70 yards and one touchdown, and junior wide receiver Derek Kumerow (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) posted five receptions for 61 yards and two scores.
 
Junior linebacker Kaleb Kaminski (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) tallied 13 tackles, while senior linebacker Matt Anderson (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) finished with 12 to lead the defense. Senior defensive back Jacob Frey (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran HS) added nine tackles, and sophomore linebacker Aaron Sturdevant (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) collected nine stops.
 
After UW-River Falls scored on its opening drive for a 7-0 lead, the Warhawks answered quickly with a nine-play, 53-yard drive that included a 13-yard pass from Oles to Kumerow on fourth down. Holte caught an eight-yard pass from Oles on third down to tie the game at 7-7 with 5:43 on the clock.
 
Following a punt, Peete recorded a 59-yard touchdown, his ninth of the season, to give UW-Whitewater the lead for good.
 
After a Falcon field goal, Oles hit freshman wide receiver Sam DeLany (Delafield, Wis./Kettle Moraine) for an 18-yard score midway through the second quarter for a 21-10 lead. The drive was set up by a long kick return by junior Ryan Wisniewski (Sparta, Wis./Sparta).
 
UW-River Falls drew to within eight on another field goal. UW-W forced a turnover on a fumble recovery by senior defensive back Nate Tranel (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster), and two plays later, Oles hit a wide-open Kumerow for a 27-yard touchdown with 2:32 remaining in the first half. The play was set up by a 43-yard completion from Oles to Holte.
 
The Warhawks opened the second half with a seven-play, 64-yard drive capped by another Oles-to-Kumerow connection, this one from eight yards out, for a 35-13 score with 11:35 to play in the third quarter.
 
UW-Whitewater tacked on another score in the third on a 35-yard screen pass from Oles to sophomore running back Jaylon Edmonson (Racine, Wis./Case) with 2:28 left.
 
Following two touchdowns by UW-River Falls, the Warhawks completed scoring with 2:38 to play in the contest on a 15-yard shovel pass from Oles to junior wide receiver JT Parish (Cambridge, Wis./Cambridge).
 
UW-Whitewater returns home next Saturday, Oct. 26, to take on UW-La Crosse. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.