No. 3 Whitewater ends DePauw's season in second round of playoffs

WHITEWATER, Wis. – Stepping into unknown territory, DePauw’s football team went on a northern expedition Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs, taking on No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The Warhawks showed why they were among the favorites in the field, gaining 600 yards of offense while holding the Tigers to just 171 yards, and using a 28-point second quarter to cruise to the quarterfinals of the playoffs in a 45-0 win.

Deferring to the second half, the visitors started with a fourth-down stop of Whitewater (12-0) inside DePauw (9-3) territory, but quickly punted away after quarterback Chase Andries was sacked twice.

Following a holding penalty on the first play of the next drive, the Warhawks quickly motored down the field, reaching first-and-goal at the Tiger four-yard line.

Dylan Hyatt made an exceptional play to knock away a surefire touchdown pass but the hosts would punch it in through Alex Peete on a three-yard run to move in front 7-0.

DePauw went three-and-out again on the next drive as Andries, still hobbled from the previous two weeks of play, was 1-of-3 on the drive.

Another Hyatt defensive gem stalled Whitewater at the visitors’ 10-yard line, forcing a 27-yad field goal from Matt Maldonado to extend the lead to 10-0 with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

DePauw picked up a pair of first downs on its next possession but an 11-yard sack of Andries, having reached midfield, ended the drive.

Whitewater shifted gears, getting a 39-yard touchdown run from Peele to push the lead to 17-0.

Peete struck again soon thereafter, breaking off a 56-yard run to make it 24-0 halfway through the period.

The Warhawks continued to harry Andries any time he was asked to drop back and the visiting defense was wearing down quickly.

Evens Cribs matched Hyatt with an exceptional individual defensive pass break up but Ryan Wisniewski, the man who had been targeted on each play, finally found the endzone, raking in a short pass from Max Meylor and sprinting in 19 yards for a score.

DePauw crossed midfield for the first time in the two-minute drill that followed but once again a sack of Andries stymied the drive and Danny Wilkinson’s punt attempt was blocked by Karmin Hutt.

Whitewater would not let the chance go to waste, quickly moving into Tiger territory and going into halftime after Meylor and the Warhawks bullied their way into the end zone on a 14-yard run to make it 38-0 at the break.

The visitors spun their wheels a bit to start the second half until Andries was intercepted by Luke Nelson, setting up Peete for a 40-yard run to cap the scoring at 45-0 with 11:22 left in the third quarter.

Nathan McCahill took over at quarterback, driving DePauw to the Whitewater 21-yard line on the next series until back-to-back losses took the Tigers out of scoring range and forced a punt.

The hosts also called in the reserves, leading to a more even contest between the two teams, both crossing midfield at points but being unable to find a way into the other’s red zone until the final series of the game, one which allowed Whitewater to run out the clock and advance on in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs.

With the win, the Warhawks face No. 8 Central (Iowa), who defeated No. 6 Wheaton in a thrilling 30-28 contest in which the Dutch won on the final play of the game.

DePauw ends it season with a 9-3 record, the school’s first NCAA playoff win and an 8-1 mark in NCAC play, winning the NCAC title along the way.

Scoring

1st Quarter

WW — Peete 3-yard run (Maldonado kick) 4:25 7-0

WW — Maldonado 27-yard field goal 1:51 10-0

2nd Quarter

WW — Peete 39-yard run (Maldonado kick) 10:57

WW — Peete 56-yard run (Maldonado kick) 7:14 24-0

WW — Wisniewski 19-yard pass from Meylor (Maldonado kick) 2:35 31-0

WW — Meylor 14-yard run (Maldonado kick) 0:02 38-0

3rd Quarter

WW — Peete 40-yard run (Maldonado kick) 11:22 45-0

Statistics

Individual Statistics

Rushing

DePauw — 29-(-2) — McCahill 10-30; Andries 8-(-54); Baumgartner 7-17; Moore 2-6; Jones 1-0; Team 1-(-1)

Whitewater — 39-332 — Peete 14-209, 4 TD; Edmonson 6-30; Thomas 5-51; Meylor 4-24, TD; Lewandowski 3-(-9); Chryst 2-14; Ponick 2-4; Strasbourg 2-1; Wisniewski 1-8

Passing

DePauw — Andries 13-21-103, INT; McCahill 5-11-70

Whitewater — Meylor 13-20-208, TD; Lewandowski 5-6-46; Chryst 1-1-14; Team 0-1-0

Receiving

DePauw — Shaw 12-144; Major 3-21; Corbett 2-8; Veith 1-0

Whitewater — Wisniewski 6-124, TD; Edmonson 3-28; Holte 2-40; Garrett 2-27; Kumerow 2-16; Sherman 1-10, Peete 1-8; Judson 1-3; Strasburg 1-3