(Editor's note: the following story is the third in a series of stories highlighting the 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2008 UW-Whitewater championship football teams. They'll be honored as part of the Warhawk Football Alumni Weekend Celebration September 27 and 28 on campus)
The 1998 UW-Whitewater football was front and center in one of the wildest title hunts in WIAC/WSUC history. The first week of conference play set the tone for the remainder of the ’98 campaign. Whitewater traveled to Eau Claire to take on the Blugolds on a temporary playing field on campus. The game matched the two top quarterbacks in the conference – Tyler Grovesteen for Whitewater and Sean Hoolihan for the Blugolds. When the dust cleared Eau Claire came away with a 31-28 overtime victory.
Grovesteen, out of nearby Evansville, was one of the most accurate passers in Warhawk football history. In his three years at Whitewater he threw just 16 interceptions while holding the NCAA record of completing 21 consecutive passes. Grovesteen passed for 2,074 yards and accounted for 22 touchdowns in what was a nine game schedule in ’98. His 48 career touchdown passes still rank second in Warhawk football history.
One of Grovesteen’s primary targets in ’98 was Tony Magestro. The accomplished boxer oozed confidence and was a threat to “take it deep” anytime he touched the ball. Following one touchdown Willie Warhawk ran into the end zone to congratulate Magestro. Tony proceeded to do a fun-loving “sparring session” with the popular Whitewater mascot. It showed both Magestro’s and Willie’s enthusiasm for the game.
Jeff McKenzie, playing in his hometown of Whitewater, put together an All-Conference season in ’98. One of the questions entering the season was who would replace John Damato and Eddie McKennie who concluded there careers in 1997 ranked fourth and fifth in career rushing in UWW history. McKenzie didn’t blink an eye on the way to continuing the string of Whitewater running backs cracking the one thousand yard single season rushing mark.
Back to the hunt for the ’98 WIAC title. Entering the second to last Saturday of the conference season Whitewater had just one conference loss while River Falls, Stevens Point and Eau Claire were tied for second with two conference losses. A win at River Falls would give the Warhawks back-to-back, undisputed, WIAC titles.
The Warhawks couldn’t stop River Falls that afternoon up at Ramer Field dropping a 52-28 decision resulting in four teams on top in the conference, all with two losses. All four won the following week, resulting in Eau Claire, River Falls, Stevens Point and Whitewater winning a “quad title.” The last time four teams had shared a conference championship was in 1980 when Whitewater, La Crosse, Platteville and River Falls claimed the title.
The back to back WIAC titles in ’97 and ’98 was the first for UW-Whitewater since 1974-75.
I’ll have another story on the ’98 conference champion Warhawks coming up later this week here on the Warhawkfootball.com Newswire.
This invitation to WarhawkNation… All former UW-Whitewater football players and coaches are invited back to campus for the inaugural UW-Whitewater Football Alumni Weekend Celebration the weekend of September 27-28. For more information and to make reservations CLICK HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment