Whitewater extended their nation-best winning streak to 22 games on Saturday with a 63-14 victory over River Falls. The defending national champions have hardly broke a sweat the last two years with an average score of 44-9 and no one in the conference coming within 22 points.
Over the past five years, the Warhawks have surmounted a 77-5 record making it to the National Championship game each year since 2005. This victory keeps them on pace to go marching into Salem Stadium for a sixth consecutive season.
The Warhawks opened up scoring on two drives which truly illustrate why they are the top team in the land. Their initial drive went the length of the field, totaling 99-yards on 14 plays. On their next go-round they added another score on a six play, 96-yard drive.
Down 14-0, the Falcons cut the score in half on a Joel Yogerst (Richfield, Slinger) three-yard score midway through the second quarter. Yogerst's first rushing touchdown of the season was set up by a B.J. LeTourneau (Falcon Heights, MN, Roseville) 34 yard pass to John Wahlstrom (Hastings, MN, Hastings) along the sidelines.
Greg Klingelhutz (Chanhassen, MN, Holy Family) set a new WIAC record by returning for 232 yards on Saturday including a 47 yard return. Klingelhutz has now returned for 728 yards in 2010 and 1,934 for his career. He is just 92 yards shy of a conference record for most return yards in a single-season as well as just seven yards away from being the WIAC's all-time leading kick returner. Nick Kilton of Oshkosh returned for 1,941 yards during his days as the Titan's returner and Klingelhutz should take over the throne the next time he receives a kick.
Defensively the Falcons were led by Matt Ainsworth (Maple Grove, MN, Osseo) and Alex Adams (Brooklyn Park, MN, Park Center) with 12 stops each. Jake Mandoza (New Brighton, MN, Irondale) and Lincoln Bjorklund (Nicolett, MN, Sibley East) added some pressure up front, picking up 1.5 tackles for a loss apiece. Bjorklund added his second forced fumble of the year late in the second quarter which was recovered by Aaron Mehan (Fridley, MN, Spring Lake Park), giving the Falcons their first turnover of 2010.
Late in the fourth quarter, Nate Brandt (Lakefield, MN, Jackson County Central) scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard strike from Ryan Luessenheide (New Hope, MN, Cooper). Also freshman Emmanuel Udeh (Bloomington, MN, Kennedy) saw his first collegiate football action taking the ball 10 times for 38 yards.
In short, the Warhawks just had too much firepower and were nearly perfect. A team that has lost just five games in as many years does not allow too many opportunities for their opponents. The Warhawks passers were flawless not throwing an incompletion all day and the team converted on all seven third-downs allowing zero chances for the Falcons to stick around.
The win keeps the Warhawks atop the standings at a perfect 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the WIAC. Whereas, the Falcons fall to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the conference. Up next, the Falcons travel to Platteville on Saturday for a 2:00 PM kickoff against the Pioneers.
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