The Warhawk offense tallied a total of 481 yards while the
defense held the Blugolds to only 136 yards. Jordan
Ratliffe (Milwaukee/Milwaukee
Vincent) and Booker
Ross (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) combined for 32
carries, 256 yards and two touchdowns. Through the
air, Matt
Behrendt(Westchester, IL/Nazareth Academy) was an
efficient 30-38 for 224 yards, four touchdowns and no
interceptions. On the receiving end, Justin
Howard (West Bend/Homestead) led the way with
eight catches for 59 yards and Jake
Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin) caught five
passes for 39 yards with three TD's.
Eau Claire won the coin toss and elected to receive,
but Matthew
Hoppe (Wales/Kettle Moraine) forced a
fumble at the EC 28 yard line that was recovered
by Steve
Morris (Racine /Horlick) at the 30. After
a penalty pushed the ball up to the 10, Ratliffe was able to punch
it in to give UW-W an early 7-0 lead just 20 seconds into the
game.
The Warhawk defense held strong through the next three
drives, allowing only 16 yards on 12 plays. UW-W got the ball
back near mid field with 4:36 to play in the first quarter, when
Behrendt completed six passes for 40 yards and hit Kumerow from
four yards out to cap a 49 yard drive that lasted just
1:49.
The Warhawk defense stood strong once again, forcing the
Blugolds back three yards in another three-and-out that took 1:55
off the clock.
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Behrendt got the ball with a short field once again and
completed two quick passes to Howard for nine yards before the end
of the first quarter.
Ross opened the second quarter with a three yard run to
convert on a third and short. Another Behrendt completion for nine
yards and a Ross rush for nine more put the ball at the Eau Claire
28. Ratliffe rattled off three rushes for 22 yards to put the ball
at the six, and Behrendt foundDerric
Junakin (Cudahy/Cudahy) in the endzone
for another touchdown to put UW-W up 21-0 with 12:42 remaining in
the second quarter.
The Warhawk D stood strong again, holding UW-Eau Claire to
only six yards of offense.
With just under three minutes remaining in the first half,
Ross started the Warhawk drive with a 12 yard run. After an
incompletion, Behrendt completed two short passes to get to the
Blugold 32. An 11 yard rush by Ratliffe brought the ball to the 21
and a facemask penalty on the Blugolds gave UW-W a first and goal
from the 10. Behrendt found Kumerow in the endzone for the second
time in the game to put Whitewater up, 28-0, going into the
half.
The Warhawks received the ball to open the third quarter and
drove 75 yards in 10 plays to extend their lead to 35-0, just
minutes into the second half. Ratliffe rushed for 23 yards on the
drive that lasted just 3:02, and Behrendt found Kumerow in the
endzone for his fourth passing TD of the game and Kumerow's third
receiving TD.
The Whitewater defense played its best quarter of the game,
holding the Blugold offense to just six yards of total offense in
the third quarter.
Booker
Ross (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) ended the
third quarter with a pair of rushes for nine yards to put UW-W at
their own 29 yard line, and opened the fourth quarter with a 25
yard run to bring the ball to the Eau Claire 46. Ross rushed six
more times for 65 yards before Behrendt hit Howard for six yards to
bring the ball to UW-EC's 10. Ross finished off the drive with a
touchdown run to put the Warhawks up for good, 42-0.
The Warhawks are now 6-0 (3-0 WIAC) on the year a keeping a
clean 4-0 mark at Perkins Stadium. With the loss, the Blugolds fall
to 0-6 (0-3 WIAC). Whitewater will be in action again when they
travel to face the Titans of UW-Oshkosh at 1:00 PM Saturday,
October 26.