By Angela Kelm, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information, UW-Whitewater
The No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team fell to UW-Platteville 17-13 on the road Saturday afternoon. The Warhawks are one of three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams holding a 3-1 league mark, including UW-La Crosse and UWP.
The Pioneers have won two consecutive games against top-25 teams and take the Miner’s Axe for just the third time in 27 renditions of the George Chryst Memorial Bowl.
Statistically, UW-Whitewater outplayed the Pioneers offensively with a 14-9 advantage in first downs, a 123-58 sway in rushing yards and nearly 140 more yards of total offense. The Pioneer defense made the difference forcing four turnovers.
The defenses made an impact from the get-go. The Warhawks registered the first takeaway of the game in Platteville’s first possession. On third and five from the UWP 37, Egon Hein forced a fumble after a completed pass that was scooped up by Kyle Koelblinger who took it 27 yards to the Pioneers’ 17. UW-Whitewater turned the takeaway into points, getting it done on the ground, with Evan Lewandowski running it off the left side of the line and into the endzone for the first score of the game. Jeffery Isotalo-McGuire’s extra point made it 7-0 UWW.
The defense forced a three-and-out in UWP’s next possession, but an interception on the ensuing drive led to points for Platteville and a tie game, 7-7.
On Whitewater’s next offensive series, the Pioneer defense halted the drive at their own one-yard line with another pick. The teams traded punts throughout the quarter. The Warhawks took over after a short punt went out of bounds at the UWW 48. UW-Whitewater was moving the ball until a penalty and batted down pass made it third and long from the UWP 29. The Pioneers got to Lewandowski on the next play, but the wiley quarterback was able to get rid of the ball in time to avoid a big loss. Isotalo-McGuire put the 46-yard field goal through the uprights for a 10-7 Warhawk lead with 2:34 left before the break.
UW-Platteville reclaimed the lead with a 46-yard pick-six with a minute to go in the half. The kick made it 14-10 UWP.
UWW punted on their final possession of the half and Platteville took a knee to head into the locker rooms with a 14-10 advantage.
On the other side of the break, the teams punted on three consecutive possessions. The second of those punts was a 55-yard boot from Nate Custer that pinned UWP at their own 10. The Warhawk defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing drive to bring the UWW offense back onto the field starting from their own 44.
UW-Whitewater opened the drive with a 21-yard completion to Steven Hein but that’s where the drive stalled. Isotalo-McGuire nailed a 36-yard field goal to pull UWW to within one, 14-13, the only score of the third quarter.
Punts in three consecutive possessions for a second succession in the half, had the Warhawks once again starting from their own 44. The Pioneer defense came up with another big play, intercepting a Lewandowski pass on the first play. An additional penalty on the play had UWP starting at the Warhawk 23. UW-Platteville turned the takeaway into points with a field goal to extend their lead to 17-13 with 12:19 left in the game.
The Warhawks’ next drive stalled at the Plattevile 39. UWW went for it on third and eight but Lewandowski was sacked giving the Pioneers the ball back at their own 46. Once again UWW’s defense registered a clutch series forcing a three-and-out punt.
Pinned deep in their own zone and despite a pair of big pass plays, the Warhawks were unable to extend the drive and were forced to punt giving the Pioneers the ball back with less than five minutes remaining.
Another three-and-out gave the Warhawk offense another shot. UWW had two-and-a-half minutes to go 84 yards. On third and nine, Lewandowski looked for Tyler Holte near the sticks – Holte thought he had hauled in the low pass but the referees signaled incomplete. Lewandowski was sacked on fourth down for the turnover on downs. Platteville ran out the clock, taking a knee the rest of the way for the 17-13 win.
Lewandowski was 16-34 for 181 yards with four interceptions. Jaylon Edmonson tallied 16 carries for 68 yards while Tamir Thomas went for 59 yards on seven attempts on the ground. Sam DeLany was the top target with 64 yards on four receptions.
Defensively, Ryan Liszka was credited with 11 tackles including six solo adding 1.5 sacks in the contest. Kyle Gallagher also registered a sack for a loss of eight yards.
