Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
The No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team extended its current winning streak to 12 games Saturday afternoon with a 44-7 triumph over UW-River Falls on Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day at Perkins Stadium.
The Warhawks (7-0 overall, 4-0 WIAC) piled up 31 first-half points and rushed for 268 yards on a windy day in Whitewater.
UW-Whitewater's shutout streak ended at 193 minutes, 55 seconds of game time after the Falcons (2-5, 1-3) found the end zone with 12:06 to play in the fourth quarter.
Despite the end of the streak, the Warhawks collected three interceptions and held UW-River Falls to 48 first-half yards as they raced out to their big lead.
Senior quarterback Cole Wilber threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a career-high 58 yards and one score.
Sophomore running back Alex Peete posted 19 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown. Junior running back Ronny Ponick tallied two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) and finished with 61 all-purpose yards, and sophomore wide receiver Ryan Wisniewski registered 69 all-purpose yards (37 receiving, 32 rushing).
Junior linebacker Jacob Erbs paced the defense with seven tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. Senior defensive lineman Harry Henschler contributed 1.5 sacks, and sophomore defensive back Mark McGrath recorded six tackles and his second interception in as many games.
UW-Whitewater took advantage of a 25-miles-per-hour wind at its back in the first quarter. After three straight runs by Peete, Wilber ran up the middle and made a cutback at the 10-yard line to finish a 26-yard touchdown run for a. 7-0 lead with 10:35 left in the first.
Later in the quarter, Wisniewski posted a 27-yard run and Wilber hit sophomore wide receiver JT Parish for a 39-yard pass to set up Ponick's 3-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining.
Seven seconds into the second quarter, McGrath picked off Ben Backman at the UW-River Falls' 37-yard line. Two plays later, Peete rolled around left end for a 35-yard touchdown to make it 21-0 with 14:13 on the clock.
After a Falcon punt, the Warhawks drove 79 yards in 11 plays, including a 25-yard Wilber-to-Wisniewski connection, and sophomore Wojciech Gasienica booted a 19-yard field goal to make it 24-0 midway through the quarter.
UW-Whitewater put a bow on its first half with 2:16 to play as Wilber hit Ponick on a screen pass for a 12-yard touchdown. The one-play drive was set up by an interception from senior defensive back Bailey Breunig inside the UW-River Falls 20-yard line.
Wilber's 9-yard pass to sophomore tight end Michael Berentes made it 37-0 with 2:43 left in the third quarter.
A 24-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Zach Oles to senior wide receiver Mitchell Dess with 10:54 to go in the fourth quarter accounted for the final margin.
Saturday's win was the Warhawks' sixth straight on Homecoming. Six former student-athletes, including former UW-Whitewater kicker/running back Chad Wurth, and longtime public address announcer Irv Madsen were recognized at halftime and will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
The Warhawks continue the regular season next Saturday, Oct. 27, at UW-Stout. Kickoff in Menomonie, Wis., is slated for 1 p.m.