The No. 5 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team posted its 15th consecutive win, the second longest active streak in NCAA Division III, Saturday in with a 59-7 victory over UW-Stevens Point in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Perkins Stadium.
With the win, the Warhawks (9-0 overall, 6-0 WIAC) claimed sole possession of their conference championship, the program's league-leading 36th in its history.
UW-Whitewater rolled up a season-high 565 yards of offense, including a season-best 305 passing yards, converted all seven of its red-zone opportunities and converted 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) on third down.
Senior quarterback Cole Wilber passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Ryan Wisniewski collected 56 rushing yards and 74 receiving yards along with one receiving touchdown, and freshman wide receiver Tyler Holte caught two touchdown passes for a combined 55 yards.
Five players finished with four tackles apiece to lead the defense, including sophomore defensive lineman Mackenzie Balanganayi, who tallied 1.5 tackles for a loss. Junior defensive lineman Justin Hansen posted two sacks, and senior defensive lineman Cal Durni registered two of his three tackles for a loss.
After a three-and-out by the Pointers (3-6, 2-4) to start the affair, the Warhawks drove 60 yards in nine plays as Wilber caught his first career touchdown pass from junior Josh Ringelberg on a trick play from six yards out to give the team a 7-0 advantage with 9:22 left in the first quarter.
UW-Whitewater struck again early in the second quarter as Wilber hit Wisniewski for a 14-yard score that completed an 11-play, 87-yard drive with 8:58 to go in the period.
Following a UW-Stevens Point three-and-out, Wilber hit junior tight end Julio Perez on a touch pass from seven yards out to make it 21-0 at the 5:57 mark. Wisniewski caught a 15-yard pass on third down and recorded runs of 27 and 10 yards to set up the scoring play.
Sophomore kicker Wojciech Gasienica knocked a 28-yard field goal through the uprights with just over a minute to go in the half to make it 24-0.
After a Pointer touchdown to start the second half off a turnover, the Warhawks tacked on 21 points in the third quarter on a two-yard run from sophomore running back Alex Peete, a 52-yard pass from Wilber to senior wide receiver Mitchell Dess and a two-yard run by junior running back Ronny Ponick. Dess' touchdown was set up by a forced fumble from senior defensive lineman Harry Henschler that was recovered by junior defensive back Nate Tranel near midfield.
UW-Whitewater carried a drive from late in the third quarter into the fourth, completing the 11-play, 88-yard march on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Holte from sophomore quarterback Zach Oles.
Holte struck again on the Warhawks' next drive, this time from 17 yards out, on a pass from freshman quarterback Brennan Demark.
Prior to the start of the contest, UW-Whitewater recognized Wilber, Dess, Henschler, Durni and fellow seniors Anthony Juoni, Famus Hasty, Bailey Breunig, Jerimie Richards, Jon Weyker, Beau Martin, Alex Zacharias, Bryce Leszczynski, Nate Trewyn, Bryce Bellefeuille, Dalton Heckel and David O'Gorman for their accomplishments during their careers.
The Warhawks, who has already clinched the WIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs, visit UW-Platteville next Saturday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. for the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl for the Miner's Axe.