PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater secured at least a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football title with a 24-21 victory over UW-Platteville at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium on Nov. 7.
It is the 40th conference championship in program history for UW-Whitewater (9-0 overall, 6-0 WIAC), which also secured the WIAC’s automatic NCAA bid. The Warhawks can claim the title outright with a win over UW-Eau Claire (6-3, 3-3) on Nov. 14, while UW-Platteville (8-1, 5-1) can earn a piece of the title with a win over UW-La Crosse (4-5, 3-3) coupled with a loss by UW-Whitewater.
UW-Whitewater maintained possession of the Miner’s Axe during the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl, and Tommy Novotny and Carter Sessa were named the offensive and defensive players of the game, respectively, for UW-Whitewater as chosen by the media in attendance. Novotny was a workhorse, battling for 87 yards on 22 carries, including a rushing touchdown. He added four receptions for 29 yards and another score. Sessa capped the first half with a pick-6.
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The Pioneers needed just three plays to drive 48 yards and score on their first possession of the contest. The Warhawks responded late in the first quarter to tie the game. Novotny put the finishing touches on a 12-play, 99-yard UW-Whitewater drive with a powerful 12-yard scoring run. Grant Urban’s kick made it 7-7.
UW-Whitewater dominated the second quarter — or at least the final minute before the intermission. Justin Klinkner found Novotny wide open on UW-Whitewater's near side for a touchdown with 53 seconds left. On the ensuing drive, Sessa intercepted Nathan Uselding's pass at the Pioneer 40 and returned it for a touchdown with 28 seconds on the clock. Urban hit both points after to push the lead to 21-7.
On the other side of the break, UW-Platteville made it a one-score game with a touchdown on its first drive of the half.
The defenses took over, holding the opposing offenses scoreless until late in the fourth quarter. The Warhawks used 13 plays to get into field goal position and Urban capitalized, splitting the uprights from 19 yards out to extend the gap to 24-14 with 4:19 on the clock.
The Pioneers scored quickly, needing just 1:30 to find the end zone, in a drive bolstered by two 20-plus-yard passing plays to make it 24-21 with 2:44 to go.
The Warhawks would need a first down on their final drive in order to kneel out the clock. Novotny took the first handoff up the middle for four yards. UW-Platteville called its final timeout of the game with 2:34 on the clock. The second-down handoff went right back to Novotny, who fought for five yards up the middle. Klinkner took it himself on third down, blasting through the line for four yards and a UW-Whitewater first down. From there, the Warhawks went into victory formation.
Klinkner was 19-of-25 for 22 yards with a passing touchdown and an interception. Tyler Vasey was the top target on the day with five catches for 48 yards.
Defensively, Karsten Libby added nine tackles — all solo — including a tackle for a loss.
