By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
River Falls, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team, ranked seventh according to D3football.com, took down fourth-ranked UW-River Falls on their home field Saturday afternoon.
Tommy Coates dives into the end zone for a touchdown (Olivia Zinanni)
The Warhawks were dominant in the first half. The Falcons generated more offense in the second half, but two statistics stood out and sealed the game for UWW — the Warhawks tallied four takeaways and owned the possession game with the offense on the field for 38:14 in the contest. Two of those takeaways led to points and a hefty UWW lead in the first half.
After a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, the Warhawk defense forced a punt and the offense capitalized. UWW went 55 yards in 14 plays capped by an Alec Ogden six-yard touchdown scamper.
The UWW defense got the offense back onto the field in a hurry. Six plays into the Falcons’ next drive, Joey Antonietti picked off UWRF quarterback Kaleb Blaha, one of the best in the nation, for his third interception in as many games. Once again, the UW-Whitewater offense capitalized. Ogden hit Tommy Coates for a 13-yard reception on the first play. Two snaps later, Nick Wind hauled in an Ogden pass for a 36-yard gain. Two plays later, the Ogden-Coates connection was good from 21-yards out for the passing score. The Warhawks opted to go for two to make up for a missed extra point on the first touchdown, but the try was unsuccessful leaving UWW with a 12-0 lead.
The next series of drives was more of the same – a UWW takeaway that led to more points. This time Cole Yocum scooped up a fumble and returned it 32 yards to set up the Warhawk offense at the River Falls 30. The UW-Whitewater drive stalled sending out the field goal unit. Jeff Isotalo-McGuire split the uprights from 44-yards out to make it 15-0 Warhawks with over 10 minutes to go before the half.
The defense forced a punt with the offense getting into field goal range on UWW’s next drive, but the 53-yard attempt was no good giving the ball back to the Falcons at their own 26 with 5:27 left.
UW-Whitewater’s stingy defense nearly held UWRF off the board in the first half forcing 4th down and 12 from the UWW 18 but Blaha was able to find a receiver in the end zone for the score. The extra point made it 15-7. The teams traded interceptions with Kyle Koelblinger picking off Konnor Aufenthie’s pass as time expired.
On the other side of the break, the defense continued to frustrate the Falcon offense, forcing a punt on the first drive of the half. Ogden went up the middle for 37 yards on UW-Whitewater’s first play of their drive. Tamir Thomas broke off the right side of the line and upfield for 22 more. He would cap the drive five plays later with a five-yard run. Another two-point attempt was unsuccessful to keep the score at 21-7.
That score held through the third. Early in the fourth the Falcons recovered a fumble and turned the takeaway into points to pull within a touchdown, 21-14, with over 13 minutes remaining.
Neither team was able to put up points in their ensuing drives and UWRF took over at their own 20 with 2:45 on the clock.
The Warhawk defense came up big, like they had been doing the whole game. After back-to-back incomplete passes for Blaha, Hawk Heffner came flying past the end of the line and straight to the quarterback for a sack and a loss of six yards to make it 4th and 16. Blaha’s next pass fell incomplete and the Warhawk offense took to the field in victory formation.
Ogden was 15-22 for 180 yards and a passing touchdown. He added 73 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Thomas was UWW’s leading back with 68 yards and a touchdown. Nick Wind hauled in three catches for 63 yards while Coates caught five passes for 46 yards and the score.
Defensively, Heffner tallied seven tackles and the late sack. Antonietti posted seven tackles and had the i
River Falls, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team, ranked seventh according to D3football.com, took down fourth-ranked UW-River Falls on their home field Saturday afternoon.
Photo 1: Tommy Coates dives into the endzone for a touchdown (Olivia Zinanni)
Photo 2: Kyle Koelblinger looks up the field after hauling in an interception (Olivia Zinanni)
The Warhawks were dominant in the first half. The Falcons generated more offense in the second half, but two statistics stood out and sealed the game for UWW — the Warhawks tallied four takeaways and owned the possession game with the offense on the field for 38:14 in the contest. Two of those takeaways led to points and a hefty UWW lead in the first half.
After a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, the Warhawk defense forced a punt and the offense capitalized. UWW went 55 yards in 14 plays capped by an Alec Ogden six-yard touchdown scamper.
The UWW defense got the offense back onto the field in a hurry. Six plays into the Falcons’ next drive, Joey Antonietti picked off UWRF quarterback Kaleb Blaha, one of the best in the nation, for his third interception in as many games. Once again, the UW-Whitewater offense capitalized. Ogden hit Tommy Coates for a 13-yard reception on the first play. Two snaps later, Nick Wind hauled in an Ogden pass for a 36-yard gain. Two plays later, the Ogden-Coates connection was good from 21-yards out for the passing score. The Warhawks opted to go for two to make up for a missed extra point on the first touchdown, but the try was unsuccessful leaving UWW with a 12-0 lead.
The next series of drives was more of the same – a UWW takeaway that led to more points. This time Cole Yocum scooped up a fumble and returned it 32 yards to set up the Warhawk offense at the River Falls 30. The UW-Whitewater drive stalled sending out the field goal unit. Jeff Isotalo-McGuire split the uprights from 44-yards out to make it 15-0 Warhawks with over 10 minutes to go before the half.
The defense forced a punt with the offense getting into field goal range on UWW’s next drive, but the 53-yard attempt was no good giving the ball back to the Falcons at their own 26 with 5:27 left.
UW-Whitewater’s stingy defense nearly held UWRF off the board in the first half forcing 4th down and 12 from the UWW 18 but Blaha was able to find a receiver in the endzone for the score. The extra point made it 15-7. The teams traded interceptions with Kyle Koelblinger picking off Konnor Aufenthie’s pass as time expired.
On the other side of the break, the defense continued to frustrate the Falcon offense, forcing a punt on the first drive of the half. Ogden went up the middle for 37 yards on UW-Whitewater’s first play of their drive. Tamir Thomas broke off the right side of the line and upfield for 22 more. He would cap the drive five plays later with a five-yard run. Another two-point attempt was unsuccessful to keep the score at 21-7.
That score held through the third. Early in the fourth the Falcons recovered a fumble and turned the takeaway into points to pull within a touchdown, 21-14, with over 13 minutes remaining.
Neither team was able to put up points in their ensuing drives and UWRF took over at their own 20 with 2:45 on the clock.
The Warhawk defense came up big, like they had been doing the whole game. After back-to-back incomplete passes for Blaha, Hawk Heffner came flying passed the end of the line and straight to the quarterback for a sack and a loss of six yards to make it 4th and 16. Blaha’s next pass fell incomplete and the Warhawk offense took to the field in victory formation.
Ogden was 15-22 for 180 yards and a passing touchdown. He added 73 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Thomas was UWW’s leading back with 68 yards and a touchdown. Nick Wind hauled in three catches for 63 yards while Coates caught five passes for 46 yards and the score.
Defensively, Heffner tallied seven tackles and the late sack. Antonietti posted seven tackles and had the interception. Koelblinger added five tackles and three pass breakups to his interception on the day. Matt Burba registered four tackles and a sack for a loss of 16 yards.
nterception. Koelblinger added five tackles and three pass breakups to his interception on the day. Matt Burba registered four tackles and a sack for a loss of 16 yards.
