In UW-Whitewater’s only Friday night football game of the season, they faced UW-Stout in a highly anticipated matchup where both teams were ranked top 20 nationally. The buzz around Perkins Stadium returned after a week away, and fans looked to enjoy a close game between two great teams, but the Warhawks had other plans.
The first drive for Whitewater was led by a couple of rushes by sophomore quarterback Justin Klinkner and junior running back Brian Stanton. After a catch in the endzone by junior receiver Blake Haggerty that was narrowly out of bounds, the Warhawks were forced to kick a 31 yard field goal that was missed.
Stout would take over, and run down a lot of clock before an impressive interception by senior linebacker Ethan Gallagher to regain possession for the Warhawks. After another long drive that bled into the second quarter, Stout held Whitewater to yet another field goal, this time sophomore kicker Seth Adams drove it through from 24 yards.
On the defensive end, Whitewater continued to hold it down with multiple contributors making tackles, breaking up passes and applying pressure on the quarterback. The rest of the first half consisted of great defensive efforts for both teams, including the Warhawks blocking a field goal that would have tied the game.
A Stout interception late in the second quarter set them up in good field position, but a much needed sack from Whitewater ended the half with the Warhawks up 3-0.
Whitewater’s talented backfield allowed for them to make switches frequently and keep players fresh. The dynamic between the Warhawks and Blue Devils were opposite of each other; Stout relied on the pass game and Whitewater stayed on the ground. The rush game has been crucial for the Warhawks all season, and it sure was in this game too.
The second half started with a strong drive for the Warhawks, using various ball carriers and even airing out the ball a little. Junior receiver Christian Crump caught a pass for a 15 yard gain from Klinkner. This momentum set up nicely for a Brian Stanton rush, where he would break free for a 45-yard touchdown to make the score 10-0.
The Warhawks forced a punt, where Haggerty would return the punt for a touchdown but would get called back from a penalty. This led to the Warhawks to punt right back, but a botched snap resulted in a safety, giving Stout their first points of the game.
Defense and special teams continued to dominate this game, as Whitewater blocked a punt from Stout to give them good field position. This led to Klinkner passing a long ball to versatile junior Tyler Vasey, which was caught for 42 yards to set up first and goal. A read option on third and goal ended with Klinkner floating a pass to sophomore tight end Collin Fritts for a touchdown to make the game 17-2.
Stout’s pass-heavy offense struggled against Whitewater’s strong secondary. Two endzone passes were broken up late in the Blue Devils’ drive, the second one being intercepted by junior defensive back Deven Magli, his second straight week with an interception. The Warhawks would start their drive from their own 20 yard line.
When asked about his playmaking abilities, Magli said “Gameplan and film helps me the most when it comes to being in the right place at the right time. Knowing what the offense likes to do and how they play helps me be where I need to be.”
Ty Schultz, a junior running back, started the drive with a five-yard rush, which was then followed up by another rush where he hit the outside and slid through the defense for a 75-yard touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter, making the score 24-2.
The Warhawks would continue to restrict the Blue Devils from scoring, and began to let Klinkner get more pocket experience by passing. Whitewater would go on to score again to make the final score 31-2, with Stout’s only points coming from the safety.
Magli also spoke on what makes this team special, and how they emerge in big games like this.
“I would say our communication and trust have been really allowing us to play as elite as we are. Everybody being on the same page and knowing their job makes things flow a lot better. I hope that in the coming weeks we can work on it even more so we can keep improving.” Magli said
This game is a loud statement to the rest of the WIAC. The Warhawks look to continue to trot through conference play as they face UW-Platteville for homecoming week Oct. 25 at home.
