By Daniel Schoettler
Correspondent
Quarterback Chris Nelson and running back Josh Ringelberg helped push the UW-Whitewater football team to the second round of the NCAA Division 3 Playoffs on Saturday at Perkins Stadium. Both had three touchdowns, Nelson through the air and Ringelberg on the ground, to help the Warhawks beat Lakeland 45-27.
“It was a good opportunity for us to get a couple guys off the field, and really get reps for all our players,” UW-Whitewater head coach Kevin Bullis said.
The Warhawks got on the board late in the first quarter as Ringelberg ran one in from three yards out to take the 7-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Ringelberg found the end zone again from eight yards out to make it a two score game.
With 5:58 remaining in the second quarter, senior quarterback Nelson found sophomore wide receiver Mitchell Dess for a 21-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-0. Less than two minutes later, Nelson found tight end Tony Gumina for a 49-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-0.
Lakeland University found the score board late in the first half as Muskies quarterback Michael Whitley connected with Kezlow Smith for a 93-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-7. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the half, kicker Will Meyer added on a 41-yard field goal for the Warhawks to take a 31-7 lead at the half.
With 9:08 remaining in the third quarter, Nelson completed his third touchdown pass on the day on an 11-yard pass to Delavan-Darien grad Marcus Hudson. A few possessions later, Lakeland’s Shawn Byrd intercepted Nelson and took it 62 yards for a touchdown to make it 38-15 after a successful two-point conversion.
Ringelberg found the end zone again for the third time on another three-yard touchdown run to make it 45-15.
Whitley found the end zone again as he connected with Michael Wynn on a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it 45-21. Whitley completed his third touchdown on the day midway through the fourth quarter as he connected with Jody Harrison for a seven-yard touchdown.
Nelson led the Warhawks through the air going 8-for-15 for 214 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Whitley was 18-for-33 for 339 yards and also had three touchdowns and one interception.
“I’ve been around here for four years and kind of seen how things have gone,” Nelson said. “(I) learned a lot from the past leadership, and I’m in that role that the seniors from last year showed us how to lead and I’m filling the role.”
Ringelberg led the Warhawks in the running game with 27 carries for 150 yards and three touchdowns. Whitley led the Muskies rushing attack with 21 carries for 39 yards.
“A year ago at this time, he was a quarterback,” Bullis said of Ringelberg. “We brought him into our program, and coach Edmonds grabbed him this fall at one point during practice and he started doing some tailback stuff and saw the potential there for him.”
Gumina led the Warhawks with two catches for 89 yards and one touchdown, while Hudson contributed four receptions for 71 yards and a score.
Smith was the leading receiver for Lakeland with six catches for 187 yards and one touchdown, while Harrison had five receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown.
With the win, the Warhawks improve to 11-0 and increase their home winning streak to 31 games. They will play Wittenberg Saturday beginning at noon at Perkins Stadium in a second round playoff matchup.
