As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening of Perkins Stadium, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics presents the "Perkins Stadium at 50" series Presented by UW Credit Union, a look at some of the most memorable moments and games in the history of the stadium.
 
Today's Perkins Stadium at 50 memory of the Warhawks' 35-32 win over St. John's (Minn.) in last season's national semifinal was submitted by UW-Whitewater student Kevin Cramer, a communication major.
 
The victory allowed UW-Whitewater to clinch its first trip to the Stagg Bowl since 2014 and its 10th appearance in the NCAA Division III national championship game in program history (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019).
 
With a late afternoon kickoff, a majority of the game was played under the Perkins Stadium lights in front of an energetic crowd.
 
"We played a really talented St. John's team that week and I think our guys performed at a crazy high level," assistant coach Ryan Cortez said on a recent Inside Warhawk Athletics podcast. "I thought that was one of the more fun games that I've been around as a football coach."
 
An interception by Matt Anderson (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) with 1:57 left in the game allowed the Warhawks to run out the clock on the ensuing possession.
 
"I saw him coming in, so I just kind of fit to him," Anderson said. "I saw the ball, and I tried to hit it down, and all of a sudden I was trying to tackle him, and at the same time I felt (the ball) in my chest, so I just tried to rip it away, and it ended up in my hands. I got down as quickly as I could so our offense could finish it from there."
 
Wojciech Gasienica (Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood), who was a perfect 8-for-8 in the first four rounds of the playoffs after starting the season making three of his first 12 attempts. kicked four field goals in the game, including the go-ahead 37-yarder into a strong wind with 2:10 on the clock.
 
"I tried to kick the ball a little bit lower to not catch the wind," Gasienica said. "It went down the middle and helped us win the game."
 
A 38-yard touchdown run by Max Meylor (Mt. Horeb, Wis./Mt. Horeb) provided a big spark for UW-W early in the fourth quarter.
 
"I'm not really known as a runner," Meylor said. "I don't really have the get-up speed like some of the guys we have, but the opportunity came and I took advantage of that opportunity."
 
See below for the complete game recap from that day, courtesy of uwwsports.com.
 
Warhawks Win Thriller, Punch Ticket to Stagg Bowl (Dec. 14, 2019)
 
The No. 7 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team broke a tie with a late field goal and made a defensive stop in the closing minutes Saturday for a 35-32 victory over No. 8 St. John's (Minn.) in an instant classic semifinal game of the NCAA Division III Championship at Perkins Stadium. 
 
The Warhawks (13-1 overall) will head to Stagg Bowl XLVII, the Division III national championship game, for the 10th time in the last 15 years and face North Central (Ill.) for the title this Friday at 7 p.m. in Shenandoah, Texas.
 
Junior kicker Wojciech Gasienica (Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood) (Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood) put UW-Whitewater ahead for good with 2:10 remaining in the contest on a 37-yard field goal, his fourth kick through the uprights of the contest.
 
The Johnnies (12-2) returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 42-yard line, but senior linebacker Matt Anderson (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) posted an interception on the first play from scrimmage.
 
Junior running back Alex Peete (Ringwood, Ill./Johnsburg) recorded a 16-yard run on second down, and the Warhawks knelt out the clock to return to the national championship game for the first time since 2014.
 
Junior quarterback Max Meylor (Mt. Horeb, Wis./Mt. Horeb) (Mt. Horeb, Wis./Mt. Horeb) tallied 188 yards passing with one touchdown and 85 yards rushing with one score. Junior wide receiver Ryan Wisniewski (Sparta, Wis./Sparta) tallied four receptions for 96 yards and added a rushing touchdown, and junior wide receiver Derek Kumerow (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) collected five receptions for 45 yards and a score. Peete and senior running back Ronny Ponick (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) combined for 81 yards.
 
Senior defensive back Nate Tranel (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster), junior linebacker Kaleb Kaminski (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) and junior defensive back Tommy Matoska (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Kenosha Tremper) totaled seven tackles apiece to lead the defense. Senior defensive lineman Jordan Brand (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) registered five tackles, including three of UW-Whitewater's seven sacks. Senior defensive lineman Justin Hansen (Beloit, Wis./Turner) and freshman defensive lineman Niko Lemke (Salem, Wis./Westosha Central) finished with two sacks apiece.
 
St. John's took the lead near the midway point of the first quarter on a seven-play, 60-yard drive. The Warhawks responded with a seven-play, 47-yard drive capped by Gasienica's 31-yard field goal with 4:10 on the clock.
 
UW-Whitewater forced a punt on the next drive, and sophomore running back Jaylon Edmonson (Racine, Wis./Case) found a gap and blocked the kick through the back of the end zone for a safety with 2:23 left in the period.
 
After a punt, the Warhawks recovered a fumble on the first play of the next drive, and Gasienica hit a 27-yard field goal for an 8-7 lead 19 seconds into the second quarter.
 
From there, the two teams traded touchdown drives on two separate occasions into halftime.
 
UW-Whitewater took a 15-14 advantage with 4:14 remaining in the second on a Wisniewski 4-yard touchdown run. The drive was keyed by his own 17-yard reception from Meylor on third down two plays earlier.
 
Following a touchdown by the Johnnies with 1:47 to go in the half, the Warhawks drove 63 yards on 11 plays as Meylor hit Kumerow on third-and-goal for a 6-yard score three plays after a 22-yard run to put UW-W inside the 10-yard line.
 
UW-Whitewater carried a 22-21 lead into halftime, but St. John's took the lead back with 4:37 left in the third quarter on a field goal that capped a 16-play, 72-yard drive.
 
The Warhawks took the lead on the next drive as Gasienica's attempt from 22 yards split the uprights with just over a minute to go in the period.
 
Following a punt by SJU, Meylor gave UW-Whitewater an eight-point lead on a 38-yard run with 13:47 to play in the contest. He set up the touchdown drive with a 19-yard completion to junior wide receiver JT Parish (Cambridge, Wis./Cambridge) that put the Warhawks in St. John's territory.
 
The Johnnies scored a touchdown and converted the 2-point attempt to tie the contest at 32-32 near the midway point of the quarter.
 
UW-Whitewater converted a pair of third downs on the ensuing drive, including a 17-yard strike from Meylor to Kumerow on third-and-8 from near midfield, to set up Gasienica for his go-ahead field goal.