Friday, December 6, 2013

Warhawks look to continue NCAA III quarterfinal sucess


In the above photo, the 2005 UW-Whitewater football team races onto the field at  the Linfield College (Ore) Catdome. When they left the field following a stunning 44-41 victory, the Warhawks had elevated its program to be among the national elite (Photo courtesy of Jeff Seisser, Daily Jefferson County Union)

The UW-Whitewater football team exploded onto the "national stage" by stunning the 2004 defending national champion and No. 1 Linfield College Wildcats out in McMinnville, Oregon. The '05 quarterfinal win kicked off seven consecutive years of NCAA III 3rd round victories.

The following story by Jeff Seisser, sports editor of the Daily Jefferson County Union details the Warhawks quarterfinal success.                                  


This Saturday the fifth-ranked UW-Whitewater football team will put its perfect 12-0 record on the line as it hosts No. 4 Linfield College, Ore. in an NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinal. Also on the line is UW-W’s 7-0 record in quarterfinal games.
 
The following is a recap of those games played from 2005-2011, four of which led to national championships for the Warhawks.

Dec. 3, 2005
At Maxwell Field,
McMinville, Ore.
UW-Whitewater 44,
Linfield College, (Ore.) 41
 
Justin Beaver’s 1-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left led the Warhawks to a 44-41 shootout win over the defending national champions in McMinnville, Ore.
The game featured over 1,000 yards of total offense, including over 800 yards passing.
Beaver rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns, while UW-W quarterback Justin Jacobs threw for 302 yards and two TDs.
Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott, the Gagliardi Trophy Award winner, passed for 528 yards and five touchdowns, but threw a costly pick-six to linebacker A.J. Raebel as Whitewater earned its first-ever trip to the semifinals.

Dec. 2, 2006
At Perkins Stadium
UW-Whitewater 17,
St. John’s, (Minn.) 14
In a defensive battle the Warhawks limited St. John’s to 40 yards rushing and forced three turnovers to earn their second straight semifinal berth.
A pair of 3-yard touchdown runs, one each by Brady Pittz and Justin Beaver, and a 23-yard Jeff Schebler field goal was enough offense as UW-W eliminated the Johnnies in retiring coach Bob Berezowitz’s final season.

Dec. 1, 2007
At Perkins Stadium
UW-Whitewater 47,
Wabash College, (Ind.) 7
While nearly a foot of snow blanketed Perkins Stadium during the game, the Warhawks plowed their way to 523 yards of offense in a 47-7 victory over visiting Wabash College, Ind.
Six different Whitewater players scored touchdowns, while transfer quarterback Danny Jones threw for three touchdowns and ran for one.
Brady Pittz rushed for 156 yards, while Justin Beaver added 145 as Whitewater moved one game closer to its first national championship under first-year head coach Lance Leipold.

Dec. 6, 2008
At Perkins Stadium
UW-Whitewater 34,
Wartburg College, (Iowa) 17
Whitewater held just a 20-17 lead going into the fourth quarter, but used 14 points to distance itself from visiting Wartburg College.
Jeff Donovan hit Jordan Wells with a 13-yard pass on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Jace Rindahl returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown to give the Warhawks breathing room.
Antwan Anderson rushed for 151 yards and one TD.

Dec. 5, 2009
At Perkins Stadium
UW-Whitewater 31,
Wittenberg, (Ohio) 13
 
Jeff Donovan passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while Levell Coppage added 123 yards on the ground and one score as the Warhawks topped visiting Wittenberg.
Defensive end Anthony White had 3 ½ tackles for a loss as the Warhawks limited Wittenberg to 21 yards rushing.

Dec. 4, 2010
At Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, Naperville, Ill.
UW-Whitewater 20,
North Central College, (Ill.) 10
A pair of Eric Kindler field goals, along with a Lee Brekke run led the Warhawks to a come-from-behind win in Naperville, Ill.
North Central took a 10-7 lead on Nick Dace’s 32-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Sam Overton’s interception with 1:30 left in the 3rd quarter set up Brekke’s 5-yard go-ahead score with 13:46 left in the game. Kindler booted fields of 27 and 19 yards to finalize the scoring.

Dec. 3, 2011
At Perkins Stadium
UW-Whitewater 34,
Salisbury, Md. 14
Levell Coppage’s record-tying four touchdowns and fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season led the Warhawks over Salisbury, Md.
Coppage carried the ball 31 times for 213 yards, his ninth-career 200-yard game, and scored on runs of 10, 1, 80 and 6 yards.
Future Chicago Bears quarterback Matt Blanchard went 11-for-17 for 134 yards.
The win was UW-Whitewater’s 43rd in a row.

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