Football team on a roll, remain undefeated
By David Paulsen
Correspondent
Just three games into the season, the Whitewater High School football team has already equaled its victory total of one year ago.
In the fall of 2012, the Whippets finished the gridiron season 3-5. This fall, the team has started fast winning all three games.
The latest victory came Friday over Beloit Turner at home.
In the 31-14 win, Whitewater spotted Turner a 14-7 lead after one quarter, but then came roaring back with 24 unanswered points.
The Whippet boys got on the board first on a one-yard run by Peter McCree. Following the extra point, Whitewater led 7-0 with 10:23 left in the first quarter.
Turner responded with a five-yard touchdown pass with 7:49 to go in the first quarter, but missed the extra point and so Whitewater still held a 7-6 lead.
Four minutes later, with 3:28 to go in the first period, Turner scored again, this time on a 16-yard pass. The two-point conversion succeeded and Turner led 14-7.
The Whippets then got a big scoring play from quarterback Scott Gorsuch, who ran 77 yards for a TD with 7:43 to go in the second quarter, bringing Whitewater within 14-13 (the extra-point kick failed).
A 38-yard pass from Gorsuch to Anthony Juoni with 3:20 to go before the half put the Whippets up for good. When the point-after failed, Whitewater led 19-14.
Just over a minute later, Whitewater scored again, this time on a 45-yard pass from Gorsuch to Bryan Parker. That gave the Whippet boys a 25-14 lead at the half.
John Saylor uncorked a 32-yard run with 2:44 left in the third quarter to finish off the scoring.
Gorsuch attempted 18 passes, completing just six for 154 yards, but two of those went for TDs. He also had two passes intercepted.
Parker had two receptions for 51 yards to lead the team in that category. Five different Whippets caught passes from Gorsuch.
Saylor led the team in rushing with 137 yards in 19 attempts, an average of just over seven yards per carry. The Whippets rolled up 286 yards on the ground, and had 440 total yards of offense.
Defensively, the Whippets limited Beloit Turner to 351 yards – 180 through the air and 171 on the ground.
While Turner had some success moving the ball, they also committed four turnovers. The Whippets forced five fumbles, recovering two, and also intercepted two passes.
Whitewater fumbled once, but did not lose it.
Schedule
The Whippets will try to make it 4-0 at Edgerton Friday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.
Both teams are 1-0 in the Rock Valley Conference, with Edgerton 2-1 overall. Edgerton defeated Brodhead-Juda 28-20 last week.
