Sports

UW-W shocks No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor with late touchdown 

Editor’s note: The following is from texasfootball.com. Regular sports readers may be expecting the usual timely report from Chris Lindeke, who served for a number of years as Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding, UW-W. Lindeke recently accepted a position with another organization. He will be missed. The Banner does not know whether another individual is being sought for this position.

Evan Lewandowski led No. 6 UW-Whitewater to a thrilling 28-24 win over No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor, who received stellar play from quarterback Kyle King in the loss.

The Game of the Week lived up to expectations. Well, sort of – Mary Hardin-Baylor was expected to win, but it was Wisconsin-Whitewater’s touchdown with 19 seconds left that sent the Warhawks to a 28-24 win.

The victory is the 43rd consecutive win at Perkins Stadium for UW-Whitewater, and the 14,213 fans in attendance helped spur their team to victory. UMHB is now 2-7 all-time against the Warhawks and has never won two consecutive games in the series.

Neither team led by more than four points in a game that featured five lead changes, while both teams were close in rushing yards, with the Warhawks owning a slight edge (410-336) in total yards.

So, how did UW-Whitewater pull off the upset? Let’s dig into that.

The big Lewandowski

In the GOTW preview, I said the UMHB defense was the X-factor. I was wrong again. The X-factor on Saturday was UW-Whitewater quarterback Evan Lewandowski. The senior from Buffalo Grove, Ill., completed 28 of 35 pass attempts (80 percent) for 301 yards and three touchdowns.

Lewandowski’s first incompletion in the game happened with 7:30 left in the third quarter, and at least three of his seven incompletions were catchable passes dropped by the wide receivers.

The Cru stubbornly and, at times, frustratingly played a two-deep zone for the majority of the game. However, when UMHB started mixing in some man coverage from a two-deep look, Lewandowski scrambled and found an open receiver. 

The UMHB defense had no answer for Lewandowski today, and to be honest, I don’t know if anyone would’ve had a response with how brilliantly he played.

When UMHB showed some chippiness in the second half, it felt more like a team flailing after being hit in the mouth. It’s possible the Cru “ate the cheese” after last week with so many pundits declaring them the national champion.

This loss may provide the motivation the Cru needs to play with a chip on their shoulders and lead to another national title run, but only time will tell. UMHB will be ready for Southwestern next weekend and will likely cruise to a win, but what happens against HSU in two weeks? Will that chip remain throughout the rest of the regular season and the playoffs? Again, only time will tell……

Game Ball: UW-Whitewater quarterback Evan Lewandowski

There are other candidates for this honor, including Tyler Holte, who had ten receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and Tommy Coates, who had a breakout performance in a needed win for the Warhawks. But what Lewandowski did against the reigning national champions in the face of pressure earns him the game ball.

https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2022/09/10/3-things-umhb-at-uw-whitewater?ref=article_preview_img

Whippets Record Top Five Finish at the Kettle Moraine Invite Tournament  

The Whippets saw their best finish in several years at the Kettle Moraine Tournament this past weekend, with a 5th place finish in the gold bracket. Teams included Kettle Moraine, Lake Mills, Arrowhead, East Troy, Kewaunee, Wauwatosa East, Muskego, Manitowoc Lincoln, Dominican, Barneveld, Sun Prairie West, Verona, Appleton East, The Prairie School, Newman Catholic, and Whitewater.

The Whippets faced The Prairie School (Racine) in the first round of pool play and beat them in best of three sets with the scores of 25-8, 22-25, 15-12. This was a battle, and the Whippets came out on top with statistical leaders of Calli Grosinske with 19 assists, Kindyl Kilar and Ella Spear with 3 aces apiece, Kilar with 9 digs, and Kilar with 21 kills.

Up next was another match in pool play where the Whippets battled Newman Catholic (Wausau). This match found the Whippets losing in a two of three-set match with scores of 23-25, 25-23, and 13-15. Statistical leaders for this match included Calli Grosinske and Cali Kopecky with 3 aces apiece. Grosinske finished with a double-double with 19 assists and 28 digs, and Kindyl Kilar also finished with a double-double with 17 kills and 11 digs.

Following pool play, the Whippets were reseeded to 6th place, which placed them in the Gold Bracket playoff (top 8 teams moved here). The Whippets faced a tough Kettle Moraine team and struggled in the first set. They came back in the second set, falling just short with scores of 10-25 and 20-25. Statistical leaders for this match included Kilar with 10 kills, Caleigh Yang with 8 digs, Cali Kopecky with 2 aces, and Calli Grosinske with 12 assists.

The first-round loss in the playoffs left the Whippets playing off for 5th place, facing Appleton East. The Whippets came out dominating and won in two straight sets with scores of 25-21 and 26-24. Statistical leaders included Kindyl Kilar with a double-double with 17 kills, 12 digs, and 2 aces, Caleigh Yang with 17 digs, and Calli Grosinske with 17 assists.

The coaching staff could not be prouder of this squad. Coach Kilar stated, “For us to come out and battle against schools much larger than us and truly come together and compete, was fun to see. We didn’t back down, we persevered through some ups and downs and came out on top in our last match. To place 5th is an absolutely solid accomplishment for our varsity squad.”

Next up is conference play, with the Whippets heading to Brodhead on Tuesday (9/13) followed by a home match (Parents’ Night) against McFarland on Thursday (9/15).

Article and Photo Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org

Whippets Sweep Big Foot on Educator Appreciation and Youth Night

You could feel the energy in the gym the minute the Whippet Varsity Volleyball team took to the court on Thursday, September 8! The Whippets were honoring something bigger than volleyball, the inspirational educators who have made a difference in their lives. As Kindyl Kilar spoke to the crowd at the beginning of the match, “You have been chosen not only for the subject you teach, or the lessons you have created, but for the meaningful relationships you have created with each one of us. You have cared for us, inspired us, and allowed us to see potential in our futures. So tonight, we honor you!” Each member of the program chose an inspirational educator that touched their lives in some way. Whether a grade school educator, a coach or a counselor, they have made an impact and were honored.

Kilar shared, “Showing gratitude for people in our lives who have made a difference is bigger than volleyball. The wins are nice, but understanding in this world that honoring people who have touched our lives in a positive way is so much bigger than volleyball. Tonight, there were some true educators who have been called to a vocation and those educators touched each of our athletes in some way. We were honored to have so many educators in the gym with us, and I was honored to be able to highlight them with our athletes.”

The Whippets went on to sweep the Chiefs in three straight sets behind a very loud and energetic crowd. “This was such a fun night. The fans were awesome, the youth came out and supported us, our educators were here, and it was great to bring home a win,” said Kilar.

This was a program win for the Whippet teams as all three levels defeated Big Foot. “As a coaching staff, we are so proud of what our athletes are doing. They are working hard in the gym and weight room, and it is producing positive results,” said Kilar.

Kindyl Kilar

Statistical leaders on the night included Calli Grosinske with 26 assists, Ella Spear with 12 digs, Jenna Pope with 2 blocks, Cali Kopecky, Grosinke, and Pope with 3 aces and Kindyl Kilar with 26 kills. The Whippets won 25-16, 25-19, and 25-23.

Article and Group Photos Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
Action Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Swimmers Top in Seven Events at Elkhorn Dual

The Whippet Girls’ Swim Team traveled to Elkhorn for their dual meet on Thursday, September 8. Out of the 11 events, the Whippets placed 1st in 7 events overall! These 1st place finishes were: 

🏆200 Medley Relay – Grace Foucault, Emerson Dunham, Makayla Bazeley, and Brooke Bazeley

🏆200 Freestyle – Grace Foucault 

🏆200 IM – Makayla Bazeley 

🏆50 Freestyle – Brooke Bazeley 

🏆200 Freestyle Relay – Makayla Bazeley, Emerson Dunham, Brooke Bazeley, and Grace Foucault 

🏆100 Backstroke – Makayla Bazeley

🏆100 Breaststroke – Grace Foucault 

Our new Whippets had an opportunity to compete in individual events. These swimmers include:

✔Atreya Wilson swam in the 100 Breaststroke and then immediately swam in the 400 Relay. 

✔Ace Hudec and Andrea Alcala competed for the first time this season. They both did a great job in conquering the dive and flip turns in the 50 Freestyle. 

✔Big shout out to Charlotte Hajewski for taking on the 200 IM, which is never an easy swim, and to Josie Treder for taking on the 100 Butterfly for the first time! 

We are so proud of all our Whippet swimmers! The dogs next compete on Saturday at the Elkhorn Invite.

Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org

The Gazette: Warhawks put 42-game home winning streak on the line

Excerpted from a Gazette article on September 8:

UW-Whitewater has a 42-game regular-season football winning streak at Perkins Stadium.

That streak faces a strong challenge Saturday afternoon, and thousands of fans are expected to watch it.

No. 1-rated and defending NCAA Division III national champion Mary Hardin-Baylor makes the 1,100-mile journey north to take on the sixth-ranked Warhawks at noon Saturday.

UW-Whitewater coach Kevin Bullis knows the Division III powerhouse matchup will attract a crowd—maybe as many as a record 20,000.

“That’s my dream,” Bullis said. “If we have 15,000, fantastic.”

The Perkins Stadium record crowd is 17,535 that watched the Warhawks play Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 8, 2016.

The article continues here, including comments on last week’s game.

Pack the Perk for the Home Opener

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

After a difficult start to the season last Saturday when the Warhawks fell to host Saint John’s University (MN), 24-10, UW-W dropped from #4 to #6 in the D3football.com poll. The Banner article on that game may be found here.

The Warhawks continue their tough non-conference slate this Saturday, September 10 against top-ranked Mary-Hardin Baylor (TX) at Perkins Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. A great turnout will give the team a boost as they dig deep to get back on track. Tickets may be purchased here. Advance tickets, at a savings of $2 over the gate price, for adults are $13 and for youth (under 18) and senior adults (65+) are $8. Children age 3 and under are free.

Kilar Named AVCA Player of the Week for Wisconsin

Each week MaxPreps and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) recognize deserving student-athletes at the high school level who have demonstrated outstanding play on the court throughout the week of competition. The MaxPreps/AVCA National Player of the Week for Wisconsin for August 22-28 is our very own Kindyl Kilar! Kindyl is a senior outside hitter for the Whippets.

Kilar was recently named to the All-Tournament Team at the UW-Whitewater tourney as well.

Kindyl’s Stats for the Week:
Kills: 144 
Kills/Game: 6
Digs: 96
Digs/Game: 4
Receptions: 91
Rcpt/Game: 3.79
Assists: 1
Aces: 19
Blocks: 7

Article Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org

Whippet Football Falls to Jefferson in Close Game

The Whippet Football Team lost a heartbreaking game to Jefferson by the score of 13-14 on Friday night, September 2.

The Whippet offense, especially the run game, took control from the opening kickoff. On their first drive, the Whippets marched right down the field, 63 yards, capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run by Nate Black to take the early 7-0 lead. Jefferson eventually responded with a touchdown in the 2nd quarter to tie the game at 7. Throughout the first half the Whippet offense, powered by their run game, continued to move the ball well but unfortunately couldn’t capitalize and put any more points on the board.

The 3rd quarter went scoreless, and Jefferson finally broke the tie with a touchdown to take the 14-7 lead with 8:52 left in the game. Not willing to give up, the Whippet offense responded with another impressive drive, going 80 yards in roughly 4 minutes, finished off by a 7-yard touchdown run by Aaron Porras. Unfortunately, Whitewater was unable to get the extra point attempt off and trailed 13-14 with just under 5 minutes left to go in the game.

The Whippet defense got the stop they needed, but without having any timeouts, Jefferson was able to run the clock down to under 2 minutes before they had to punt the ball away to Whitewater. Although they were able to move the ball down the field, the Whippets’ two-minute offense stalled on a close 4th down play, turning the ball back over to Jefferson with 30 seconds to go, and the Eagles were able to run out the clock and end the game.

The Whippets offense had an impressive night on the ground with 53 carries for 362 yards resulting in 6.8 yards/carry.

Statistical Leaders:
Aaron Porras: 22 carries, 153 yards, 1 TD
Nate Black: 11 carries-108 yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions-68 yards
Mason Nobs: 10 carries-72 yards
Eli Rodriguez: 10 carries-29 yards, 3/10 passing-68 yards

Article Submitted by Jason Bleck
Whitewater High School Head Football Coach
jbleck@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Warhawks Open Football Season vs. St. John’s on Sat., 9/3

“St. John’s University football hopes to start strong against playoff rival Whitewater” is the headline in the SC [St. Cloud] Times article about the Warhawks’ away game on Saturday, September 3rd.

Quoting from the article, “It was Mark Twain who once said ‘if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.’ The Johnnies find themselves facing a hefty tadpole as they host the University of Wisconsin Whitewater for their season opener Saturday at Clemens Stadium.

Whitewater is ranked fourth in the D3football.com preseason poll. St. John’s is No. 5. The Johnnies won 42-18 in 2002, the only other regular season matchup between the two teams. Since then, Whitewater has hosted St. John’s four times in the playoffs, winning all four games.

In 2021, St. John’s went 11-1 overall, winning their 35th conference title and seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Their season ended Nov. 27 with a 31-28 loss to Linfield at Clemens stadium in the second round.”

Here’s the view on the game from UW-W’s website:

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team opens the 2022 campaign this Saturday, September 3, at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Clemens Stadium.

The Warhawks enter the season after advancing to a national semifinal game in 2021 and capturing the program’s 38th Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. Head Coach Kevin Bullis, a three-time WIAC Coach of the Year, led the 2021 squad to a 13-1 record. He enters his eighth year at the helm. 

UW-Whitewater is a consensus fourth nationally in three preseason polls including d3football.com, College Football America, and Lindy’s Sports.

The Johnnies, a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, are ranked among the top 15 in the three polls with their highest mark, fifth, in the d3football.com release. SJU won a record 35th MIAC title last season.  

ON THE AIR

Saturday’s game will air live online on Saint John’s streaming portal. The contest can also be heard on 105.9 FM The Hog in the Whitewater area, or online at www.1059thehog.com.

SERIES

This is the sixth meeting between the Warhawks and Johnnies. UW-Whitewater leads the all-time series 4-1. SJU won the first game of the series on their home field, 42-18 in 2002. The Warhawks rattled off the next four at Perkins Stadium winning 34-7 in 2005, 17-14 in 2006, 37-7 in 2008, and 35-32 in 2019.

NOTABLE

  • UW-Whitewater has been unbeaten in its non-conference slate three consecutive seasons. UW-W’s most recent regular season, non-conference loss at Perkins Stadium came against Buffalo State in 2012.
  • Since the start of the 2004 season, UW-Whitewater is 49-4 in regular season non-conference games, good for a .923 winning percentage. Two of those losses came during the 2017 season and another came against Division II St. Cloud State (2007).