12-6 Book to Upload - Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks

STAGG BOWL HISTORY
2005
Salem, Va.--The greatest season in UW-Whitewater football history ended in Salem Civic Stadium with a
35-28 loss to Mount Union College (Ohio) in the NCAA Division III national championship, the Amos
Alonzo Stagg Bowl on December 17.
UW-Whitewater got the first break of the game, when defensive back Vic Wipperfurth picked off a Mike
Jorris pass, returning the ball 32 yards to the Mount Union 42-yard line. UW-Whitewater converted the
opportunity, ending the five-play 42-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run by Justin Beaver, extending
his school season record with his 24th touchdown, to give UW-Whitewater a 7-0 lead at 9:54.
It took Mount Union just over three minutes to even the score, covering 80 yards in four plays, the biggest
coming on a Jorris to Pierre Garcon 63-yard scoring toss at 6:32.
The same duo gave Mount Union the lead at 5:03 in the second, this time with Jorris hooking up with
Garcon for 12 yards, wrapping up eight plays that covered 58 yards.
The half ended 14-7 Mount Union, with UW-Whitewater's Beaver gaining 47 on nine carries, which is
where he also ended the half, only with 15 carries.
In the third quarter the Warhawks moved down the field, advancing to the Mount Union three yard line.
After no gain on third down, UW -Whitewater went for the touchdown on fourth down and the pass fell
incomplete. Two plays later, freshman running back Nate Kmic took the ball 95 yards to open a 21-7
margin with 8:05 left in the third.
UW-Whitewater's offense moved the ball down the field on its next possession, but the drive ended when
Mount Union picked off a Jacobs pass intended for Jim Leszczynski near the five yard line. The Purple
Raiders turned that miscue into seven points, with Kmic going in from two yards out to increase the
margin to 28-7.
UW-Whitewater came back at 12:22 on a Jacobs to Leszczynski 23-yard touchdown to cut the margin to
28-14.
Just four minutes later, UW-Whitewater continued its comeback, with Jacobs hitting tight end Pete
Schmitt with a 15-yard scoring play to narrow Mt. Union's margin to 28-21 at the 8:37 mark.
Mount Union controlled the clock late in the fourth quarter behind the rushing of Kmic, who ended a long
(71 yards), time consuming (5:39) drive. Kmic put a punctuation point on the drive with his third
touchdown of the day, scoring from 15 yards out at 2:50 to make it 35-21 Purple Raiders.
It had to make UW-Whitewater head coach proud when his team came back yet again, with Justin Jacobs
sneaking in from one yard out with two seconds left to make the final margin, after an on-side kick which
Mount Union recovered, 35-28, Mount Union.
"I'm very proud of our football team, " UW-Whitewater head coach Bob Berezowitz said. "They never quit,
all the way to the end."
UW-Whitewater, which defeated the last two NCAA III championships (Linfield 2004, Saint John's 2003)
among its four playoff wins on the way to the Stagg Bowl, couldn't make it three in a row. (Mount Union
won the title in 2002). The Warhawks finish the 2005 season 14-1, establishing school records for
victories (previous mark 10), touchdowns, points, first downs, total yards, pass completions, passing
yards, rushing yards, interceptions, first downs rushing and first downs passing in the team categories.
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