Fans are used to walking out of Perkins Stadium having spent a worry free afternoon enjoying their beloved Warhawks dismantling another game, but outmatched opponent. Aside from those annual forays to Virginia, where the same goliath-like opponent waits year after year, there have been precious few mettle testing moments over the past several years.
On Saturday, UWW fans got to experience a college football game between two pretty darn equal teams. The sense of relief was thick in the air as the students rushed the field in UWW's last 2009 home game. The sense of dominance was noticeably absent. And in my mind, that is a VERY good thing.
Linfield College is a great football team. And when UWW trailed 17-10 one play into the fourth quarter, the first serious test of the UWW character presented itself. The week before, Wittenberg issued a challenge by staying within a point of the Warhawks for 44 minutes. That was unchartered ground and UWW responded by outscoring the Tigers 17-0 over the final 16 minutes.
As Linfield lined up for the kickoff with 14:55 left in the fourth quarter. They had the momentum and the confidence that comes with a 12-0 record behind them. And UWW got a chance to see how their team would respond to a fourth quarter deficit. Senior Jordan Wells took that fourth quarter kickoff and broke through for a 41 yard return to the Wildcat 47. That was a huge play in this game at a critical moment. However, Linfield responded to that punch by defending the pass on the next two plays from scrimmage. UWW was left with a 3rd and 10, trailing by 7 in the fourth quarter. If a handful of plays determine the outcome of a football game, this next play surely was one of them. Jeff Donovan drifted back to pass. Adam Brandes a 6'3" junior, who is building quite a reputation for making the spectacular catch streaked down the left sideline. On an afternoon Donovan had a number of throws he would like to have back, Jeff threw a beautiful pass into tight one on one coverage. Brandes went up with the defender and did what Brandes does. He came down with the ball firmly gripped and tumbled to the ground at the Linfield 12. However, the proud Cat defense wasn't ready to concede a thing. They held firm the next three plays and the Hawks settled for a Jeff Schebler FG drawing the score to 17-13 with 12:36 left in the game.
On the ensuing drive, the Wildcats moved the ball to midfield, before a false start penalty backed them up into a 1st and 15 situation. Aaron Williams was held to no gain. And at 2nd and 15, the game had unfolded into one of those "momentum changing" situations. Would the Rocketman, Aaron Boehme find one of his talented receivers to keep the drive going? Or would someone step up and make a play for the UWW defense? Boehme dropped back and backup defensive lineman Jon Baldwin broke through and dumped Boehme for a 9 yard loss, effectively killing the drive. After a 12 yard gain on a short pass, the Wildcats punted and Whitewater took over at their own 23, trailing 17-13 with 8:29 left in the game.
These are situations in which champions are made. This was also a situation UWW hasn't faced all year. Jeff Donovan promptly hit UWW's all time leading receiver Aaron Rusch for 8 to the right sideline. On 2nd and 2, Donovan found Wells downfield. Wells broke the initial tackle and streaked down the sideline before he was dumped out of bounds by safety Drew Fisher just short of the goal line. Coach Lance Leipold looked to power back Antwan Anderson on the next play and Anderson drove into the endzone, giving UWW the lead with 7:34 left in the game.
As UWW led 20-17, they held Linfield on downs on their own 49 yard line the next series. UWW was then forced to punt and Linfield took over at their own 19, trailing by 3 with 3:10 left in the game. Once again, coming to a pivotal point in the game with a trip to the Stagg Bowl on the line. After gaining a first down at their own 32, Boehme threw 3 straight incomplete passes. On fourth down Boehme was intercepted by senior cornerback Jeremy Diebert, giving UWW the ball on the Linfield 45. Two plays later, Levell Coppage went up the middle into a stack of Linfield defenders, he bounced it outside and found nothing but green. He outran everyone to the end zone putting an exclamation point on a hard fought 27-17 UWW victory and a 5th straight visit to the Divsion 3 National Championship game.
There was no feeling of dominance as folks left the Perk on Saturday. But there was a tremendous sense of satisfaction having survived a challenge from an excellent football team. Coming into the last two weeks, the fact that the Warhawks are are a really big, really fast, really talented Division 3 football team was a given. But UWW fans learned a couple of things the last couple of weeks. First, there are some very good football teams out there that don't wear purple. Secondly, this big, fast, talented team of ours has another component that will go a long ways towards achieving their ultimate goal next week. The Warhawks have heart. The Warhawks have character. Those components can be overlooked when games are won by 32 points. But they are essential in football games that hinge on key moments.
Beating an inferior team by 32 points is fun and relaxing for fans. The sense of dominance is great to relish when you back a team as good as the Warhawks. But in my mind, Saturday's win was the most impressive of the season. They played a team that was good enough to beat them. But they didn't let them do it.
Next Saturday, UWW will be facing a team every bit as big, fast, and talented as they are. But having been battle tested the last two weeks will only help the Warhawks. There has never been one ounce of panic from the UWW team or staff in the crucial moments when everything was on the line. And when it was all on the line, every single big play was made by UWW. Now THAT'S impressive.
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