One of the hallmarks of a rivalry game in college football is it's annual ability to transcend the circumstances of the current season. The UW-Whitewater Warhawks have already clinched an undisputed WIAC championship and the automatic NCAA Division 3 playoff bid that comes with it. On Saturday, the Warhawks face UW-LaCrosse in the final 2010 WIAC game for both teams. LaCrosse enters the game with a record of 3-6 over all and 3-3 in the WIAC. However, this game is far more than a playoff tuneup for UW-W. And it's far more than an opportunity for the Warhawks to put themselves in prime position for a #1 seed in the upcoming playoffs.
It's LaCrosse Week.
The bitter rivalry between Whitewater and LaCrosse extends the better part of the past five decades. When Forrest Perkins took over the Whitewater program in 1956, he inherited a team that had won 4 conference games the previous 4 years. LaCrosse, on the other hand, had won conference titles in 6 of the previous 7 years under head coach Bill Vickroy. After building his program for three years, Perkins led Whitewater to undefeated conference championships in 1959 and 1960. The second place team each year? LaCrosse. A rivalry was born.
In 1969, Roger Harring took over the rains for the Indians (LaCrosse's nickname before they changed their name out of political correctness run amuck). Harring wound up coaching 31 years and is all-time conference wins leader with 261. Perkins and his successor, Bob Berezowitz, are numbers two and three on the list. Harring and Perkins were fierce competitors and there was no love lost between either the coaches or the football programs. Then there's the matter of 1971. Too much to get into here, but to those involved in the UW-W program at the time, even 40 years is too short a time to forget UW-L's role in the injustice.
When Berezowitz took over in 1985, the former Whitewater QB and assistant coach was more than familiar with "LaCrosse Week". Berezowitz' duels with Harring was a legacy for the ages. LaCrosse and Whitewater won or shared every conference championship from 1986 until Harring retired after the 1999 season. LaCrosse won 8 championships and Whitewater won 6 over that span. LaCrosse also held an 8-6 head to head edge during that time. UW-W has won or shared the last 6 WIAC Championships. UW-L won the three previous to that.
What week stands out above all other conference games? Ask former UW-W players from any decade since the 1950's and you will be likely to hear the same answer: "LaCrosse".
It should be noted that the current coaching staffs of each school have a mutual respect for one another and don't hold the bitterness of past regimes. However, both head coaches are former players in their respective programs and well aware of the history involved in this rivalry. Not only did Terry play for LaCrosse, he was a ball boy when his father was an assistant coach for the Indians. Leipold was a record setting quarterback who played for both Perkins and Berezowitz.
The UW-W football program has rightly rooted itself in history and tradition. The coaches do a remarkable job of helping the current players understand that they are part of something very special at UW-W. One doesn't have to be part of the Warhawk family very long to know they are part of something very, very good. And one does not have to be in the family long to know a very important truth: We do not like LaCrosse.
Saturday will be the final game in Coach Terry's career at UW-L and surely the Eagles will be emotional as they take the field on Saturday. How can we be sure UW-W will match the intensity the Eagles will surely bring? The answer is easy. It's LaCrosse week. Enough said.
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