During homecoming week, The Whitewater Unified School District, along with Nelson’s Bus conducted their annual “Stuff the Bus.” Each of the schools in the district collected food for the Whitewater Food Pantry to help them get ready for the holidays. As part of the homecoming tradition, the high school had bonus items for each class to earn extra points for their class. All the classes worked hard to try and get the extra spirit points for their class.
2640 pounds of food were donated, loaded onto a bus, and dropped off at the Food Pantry on Tuesday, October 3.
What a great way for a community to come together for a worthwhile cause!
Article and Photos Submitted by Amy Houwers Whitewater High School Student Council Advisor ahouwers@wwusd.org
UW-Whitewater sets attendance record with 20,113 at Perkins Stadium (Dane Sheehan)
By Angela Kelm Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater set the program and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference attendance record during Saturday’s Family Fest football game with 20,113 at Perkins Stadium. That mark also breaks the Division III record for games played on a college campus for the second consecutive season. Despite hitting the 20,000 milestone for the first time ever, the game ended in heartbreak as the #3 Warhawks fell to #14 UW-La Crosse 37-34 on a field goal as time expired.
Turnovers were key as the Eagles turned three fumble recoveries into 14 points in the game. UW-Whitewater dominated in the run game with 273 yards on the ground while UWL dominated through the air with 311 passing yards. Both offenses put up over 420 yards, but the Eagles also carried a hefty advantage in time of possession with their offense on the field for 36:46 compared to just 23:14 for the Warhawks.
UW-Whitewater put together a great drive after receiving the opening kick going 57 yards in eight plays. The final play ended in one of UWW’s four fumbles on the day as the ball was wrenched out of Tamir Thomas’ grasp at the one-yard line and recovered by La Crosse. The Eagles marched 99 yards bolstered by an 84-yard touchdown pass to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Warhawks responded just four plays later as Alec Ogden scrambled out of the pocket and bolted up the field for a 43-yard touchdown run. Jeff Isotalo-McGuire’s kick made it 7-7 with over six minutes left in the first quarter.
The next drive for each team resulted in punts and UWL was driving as the game transitioned to the second quarter. The Eagles took a 10-7 lead on a 29-yard field goal from Michael Stack a little over three minutes into the period.
Following punts from each side, the Warhawks took over at their own 31. On the second play, Ogden was sacked and lost the ball with UWL recovering at the UWW23. Eagle quarterback Keyser Helterbrand from Ryan Bartol for the 23-yard strike on the next play to make it 17-7 La Crosse.
A couple more punts brought the UWW offense back on the field with just over two minutes to go before the intermission. Alijah Maher-Parr set the tone with a 29-yard scamper off the left side of the line. Ogden found Tyler Vasey for a 20-yard reception down the middle on the next play. The Ogden-Vasey connection moved the Warhawks up another 15 yards down to the Eagle five-yard line. On third-and-goal, Ogden punched it in from one-yard out to pull the Warhawks closer, 17-14, as the teams headed into the locker rooms.
The Eagles took the opening kick of the second half, but the Warhawk defense stalled their drive at the UWW37 forcing a punt. Helterbrand took the snap and opted to punt gaining a good bounce to pin UW-Whitewater at their own one-yard line. Deep in their own zone, the Warhawks went three-and-out with Kamrin Hutt punting from the back of the endzone. Despite a 43-yard boot in his first game punting, the Eagles had a short field to work with.
Operating with a two-quarterback set for most of the second half, Zach Weir took two of the next three snaps capping the drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass.
The Warhawks grabbed some momentum back after the touchback as Maher-Parr burst through the line and up the near sideline for a career-long 75-yard scoring run to make it 24-20. The extra point try sailed right of the post.
Once again, the Eagles responded, this time with a field goal from 44-yards out to extend the margin back to seven, 27-20. The next UWW drive ended in a fumble recovered by the Eagles that UWL turned into seven points to push the gap to 34-20 early in the fourth quarter.
UW-Whitewater went three-and-out on the next drive and the Warhawk defense responded in kind forcing a punt after three plays on the other side of the ball. Hutt came up big on the defensive side of special teams, bolting off the left side of the line and getting a hand on the punt to limit the yardage. UWL downed the blocked punt at their own 44 and the Warhawks capitalized on the short field.
After converting on third-and-three, Ogden found tight end Drake Martin for 15-yards. Two plays later, Ogden hit Steven Hein crossing through the end zone for the touchdown strike. UWW opted for a two-point conversion attempt that was no good to make the score 34-24 with just over eight minutes remaining.
The UW-Whitewater defense came up big once again forcing another three-and-out. Maher-Parr added to his day with another career long hauling in a 64-yard touchdown catch on the second play of the drive. This time, Ogden found Hein in the back of the end zone for a successful two-point conversion to knot the game 34-34.
Isotalo-McGuire’s kick was returned 23 yards to bring out the UWL offense at their own 27 with 5:49 on the clock. Matt Burba nearly got to Weir on the first play of the drive forcing the Eagle quarterback out of the pocket. The length of the play had an illegible player downfield to back La Crosse up five yards to their own 22. The Eagles picked up the first down and then another for a first-and-ten at the Warhawks 46. Back-to-back rushes up the middle for Helterbrand made it third-and-one. Caden Straka stuffed the UWL quarterback short of the line to gain on the next rush attempt to force a fourth down. Helterbrand was able to push through the line for a three-yard gain on the next play to give the Eagles a new set up downs with just nine seconds remaining.
The Eagles moved the ball up a single yard on the next play before calling timeout with three seconds left to send their field goal unit onto the field. Stack converted from 51-yards out as time expired to seal the game for UWL.
Maher-Parr posted 113 yards on seven carries – an average of 16.1 yards per rush – to lead the Warhawk ground game. Ogden was 10-16 for 154 yards and two touchdown strikes. Ogden spread the ball around hitting six different Warhawk receivers in the game.
Defensively, Joey Antonietti tallied a career-high 14 tackles including seven solo. Hawk Heffner added 12 and Kyle Koelblinger registered 11. Ethan Gallagher and Nehemiah Lomax each got to the quarterback for sacks in the game.
“You Hurt My Feelings” Tuesday, October 10, 1 PM (Comedy/Drama/Romance) Rated R (language). 1 hour, 33 minutes (2023).
A sharply observed comedy about a novelist whose long standing marriage is suddenly upended when she overhears her husband give his honest reaction to her latest book. A film about trust, lies, and the things we say to the people we love most. Stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tobias Menzies.
Emilia Houwers is state-bound and will be playing in the WIAA Girls Tennis tournament on Thursday, October 12! She qualified for State at the Sectional Tournament in La Crosse on Wednesday, October 4.
Please use the link below if you’d like to order a State Tennis T-Shirt to support Emilia Houwers. Orders are due Sunday, October 8, at midnight and should arrive by Wednesday so that you can wear them on Thursday.
MADISON — As previously announced, on Sat., Oct. 7, 2023, and Sat., Oct. 14, 2023, the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin will be flown at half-staff coinciding with the Final Alarm Ceremony and Silent Procession at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids, which is hosted by the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial, and in honor of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day. In May, Gov. Evers signed Executive Order #197 ordering the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sun., May 7, 2023, in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service during National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, on Sat., Oct. 7, 2023, in recognition of the Final Alarm Ceremony at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial, and again on Sat., Oct. 14, 2023, as required by state statute in observance of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day during Fire Prevention Week, October 8 through October 14.
“Each and every day, Wisconsin firefighters risk their own health and safety in order to serve their neighbors in their greatest time of need, and we owe them an incredible debt of gratitude for keeping our communities safe,” said Gov. Evers. “On Firefighters Memorial Day and throughout the year, we honor their immense sacrifice and remember the selflessness and bravery of those firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.”
Previously, National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend had been held in October, but beginning in 2023, was moved from October to May by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. However, in Wisconsin, Wis. Stat. 995.225(1) still designates each week annually during which October 9 falls as Fire Prevention Week and designates the Saturday at the end of Fire Prevention Week as Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day.
Executive Order #197 subsequently orders the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Oct. 7, 2023, in recognition of the Final Alarm Ceremony at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial, and on Sat., Oct. 14, 2023, in honor of Fire Prevention Week, which features observances, ceremonies, exercises, and activities related to fire safety education, and culminates with the observance of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day in recognition of the firefighters of this state who made the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties over the course of the year. A copy of the governor’s Fire Prevention Week proclamation is available here.
The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will collect leaf and yard waste during the established dates in October and November with no appointment needed.
Residents may place their bagged yard waste on the curb no earlier than Saturday, October 21, for collection during the week of October 23 – October 27, 2023.
Residents may place their bagged yard waste on the curb no earlier than Saturday, November 4, for collection during the week of: November 6 – November 10, 2023 and November 13 – November 17, 2023.
However, all bags must be brought to the curb for final collection by Wednesday, November 15. Bio-Bags left outside in the elements during the winter months will NOT be collected during the spring collection.
*Dates may be subject to change in the event we experience accumulating snow during this time.
For residents who miss the collection deadline of November 17, a dumpster will be available at the City garage (150 E. Starin Rd.) between November 20 – December 1, between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. *Please note the facility will be closed on Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24.
Spring collection will be dependent on weather conditions.
Yard waste is defined as leaves, weeds, grass clippings, and yard and garden debris. Yard waste must be bagged in 30 gallon or smaller biodegradable, clear or transparent bags only. Yard waste will not be collected if not properly bagged or placed in non-transparent or black bags. The City offers Bio-Bags, in the fall only, at the Finance Department. Residents may also use the compost site to dispose of leaf and yard waste. The compost site is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. The compost site will close for the season at 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
Residents requesting brush collection should call 473-0560 to make an appointment for pick up on Tuesdays.
NOTICE: City Ordinance Chapter 12.08 – Street Obstructions, Section: 12.08.010 – Residents are prohibited from depositing any yard waste debris on city streets or right of ways other than City of Whitewater designated days.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week we are responding to a request from September for a view of the outside of the old Esterly School once located at the west end of Center Street. This building was constructed around 1860 and used as the spacious home of George Esterly, Whitewater’s most prominent industrialist in the 19th century. When the Esterly company left Whitewater in 1892 and George Esterly died in 1893, the house became available. At the same time, the nearby Union School (Big Brick, corner of Center and Prairie Streets) was being taken over by Whitewater’s new high school program so elementary school children were moved from the Union School to this building beginning in 1894. The Esterly School was used until 1927, when it was razed for the new Whitewater High School building (old Franklin Junior High School, not extant).
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
On Behalf of the U W Whitewater Community Optimist Club Al Hutchison, President, hands check over of $2000 to the WUSD Emergency Fund to Lanora Heim (right) and Jaclyn Tueting Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent & School Board Secretary.
These funds came from our trivia night which we would like to thank the community for their support.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.
Community members are invited to attend a free screening of the film “Wisconsin Pride” at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Monday, October 9 at 5:30 p.m. See Wisconsin history through a new lens in this PBS Wisconsin documentary which brings hidden LGBTQ+ stories forward, and reconsiders our state’s history in that light. LGBTQ+ history is Wisconsin history. Learn about trailblazing Wisconsinites who, when faced with intolerance, responded by creating community, living authentically, fighting for rights and having pride in themselves.
The two-hour documentary is a collaboration between PBS Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Historical Society and will be presented in two parts with a short intermission in between each hour. An informal community discussion will follow the film. The screening is cosponsored by The League of Women Voters Whitewater Area and Whitewater Pride.
Ellen Penwell, President of the League of Women Voters Whitewater Area states that, “the League is proud to partner with the Irvin L Young Memorial Library in support of programming that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, which align with the League’s policy and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in principle and practice.”
There is no cost or registration to attend. The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Contact the library at 262-473-0530 with questions.
