Second time around for Hawks and Eagles

UW-La Crosse’s first year head coach Joel Dettwiler will bring a vastly improved team into Perkins Stadium than the one that lost 27-7 to Whitewater in the season opener back on September 3.

UW-L finished with just 119 yards of offense, including 79 rushing and 40 passing. The Eagles were held to nine first downs and were two-of-11 on third-down.

Despite the lopsided loss, Dettwiler found more than a few positives in his young team’s play.

After facing defending national champion Whitewater the Eagles travelled to 5th ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas). UWL gave still unbeaten UMHB its toughest game of the season.

La Crosse took a 20-17 lead through three quarters of the game played down in Belton, Texas. The nationally ranked Cru scored 10 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to secure the come from behind victory.

The primary difference between the week-one Eagles and the week-ten Eagles is the team’s offensive capabilities.

Mary Hardin-Baylor will likely be named one of four No. 1 seeds when the 2011 NCAA Division III playoff brackets are announced Sunday evening.

In its three wins La Crosse has scored 30 points or more.

It was UWL that shocked UW-Oshkosh 30-24 in overtime knocking the nationally ranked Titans out of playoff contention. The La Crosse win allowed Whitewater to clinch at least a share of a seventh consecutive WIAC title.

Last week at River Falls the Eagles fell 28-21 to the Falcons at Ramer Field.

UWL was forced to play the game without starting quarterback Mike Butterfield who was suspended by Coach Dettwiler earlier in the week for “violation of team policy.”

Butterfield is not expected to play at Whitewater on Saturday.

On last Monday evening’s KOOL 106.5 UW-Whitewater Coaches Show, Hawk head coach Lance Leipold indicated that La Crosse will come into Perkins Stadium highly motivated.

“They’ve continued to get better all season,” Leipold indicated on Monday night’s radio show. “They (UWL) are working extremely hard and I know they are coming to our place Saturday with one thing on their mind – to beat Whitewater.”

UW-Whitewater closes the 2011 regular season with the annual Senior Day and Shrine Game Saturday afternoon at Perkins Stadium. Kick-off is set for 1:05 p.m.