#2 Wisconsin-Whitewater 34, #14 Capital 14
(WHITEWATER, Wis.)-The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater scored 21 points off five Capital University turnovers in a 34-14 win in an NCAA Playoff First Round game in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
UW-Whitewater (10-1) goes on to host North Central (Ill.) next week in a second round game, while Capital's season ends with an 8-3 record.
"Turnovers were killers," commented Capital head coach Jim Collins. "They (Whitewater) are a defense that we knew could force turnovers."
Whitewater running back Justin Beaver had 120 yards rushing on 28 carries, while quarterback Danny Jones threw for 152 yards (9-of-18) and a score and ran for two touchdowns with 65 yards rushing to lead an offense that generated 349 yards. Those 349 yards were the most yards the Capital defense, rated No. 2 in NCAA Division III, given up in a game all season.
Aside from the five turnovers, the Warhawk defense held the Crusaders to 227 total yards. A.J. Raedel had 12 tackles, a forced fumble and a sack to lead the unit.
Capital senior quarterback Robbie Thayer (Powell/Olentangy) making just his second career start had 195 yards passing (20-of-38), a touchdown and three interceptions. His top target was junior tight end Mando Ancona (Johnstown/Monroe) who had career-highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (84), while senior running back Zac McKenzie (Hilliard/Darby) ran for 32 yards on 16 carries.
"I thought Thayer was pretty solid against that defense. He made some throws that he'd like to have back, but that's a heck of a defense with four seniors in the secondary," stated Collins on his quarterback. "For his second game ever to play like that; I thought he did great."
Junior linebacker Pete Ankrom (Springfield/Springfield) had 10 stops, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and half a sack to lead the Capital defense. Capital had 3.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble.
After a scoreless first quarter, senior defensive back James Starks (Toledo/St. Francis) intercepted a Danny Jones pass and ran it back to the Warhawk 23-yard line. A 22-yard pass from Thayer to Mando Ancona and a one-yard touchdown run by Zac McKenzie to put Capital up 7-0.
Whitewater answered with a 12-play, 69-yard drive, that included 43 yards rushing from running back Justin Beaver and a four-yard touchdown run to tie the game 7-7 with 8:11 left in the second quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Thayer threw an interception to Tristan Borzick who returned it 20 yards to give the Warhawks the football back on the Capital 25-yard line. Four plays later, Jones scampered 15 yards on a quarterback draw to give Whitewater a 14-7 lead with 5:11 before halftime.
#14 Capital vs #2 UW-Whitewater (Nov 17, 2007 at Whitewater, WI)
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Capital............. 0 14 0 0 - 14 Record: (8-3)
UW-Whitewater....... 0 20 0 14 - 34 Record: (10-1)
Scoring Summary:
2nd 13:17 CAP - Zac McKenzie 1 yd run (Matt Spitz kick), 2-23 0:19, CAP 7 - WW 0
08:11 WW - Justin Beaver 4 yd run (Nick Croak kick), 12-69 4:56, CAP 7 - WW 7
05:11 WW - Danny Jones 15 yd run (Nick Croak kick), 4-25 1:18, CAP 7 - WW 14
01:46 CAP - Evan Blake 32 yd pass from Robbie Thayer (Matt Spitz kick), 6-64 3:18, CAP 14 - WW 14
00:29 WW - Danny Jones 8 yd run (Nick Croak kick failed), 6-65 1:10, CAP 14 - WW 20
4th 14:56 WW - Ryan Orgizovich 15 yd fumble recovery (Nick Croak kick), , CAP 14 - WW 27
11:05 WW - Neil Mrkvicka 50 yd pass from Danny Jones (Nick Croak kick), 3-64 1:23, CAP 14 - WW 34
CAP WW
FIRST DOWNS................... 13 20
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 27-32 50-197
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 195 152
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 38-20-3 18-9-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 65-227 68-349
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 1-15
Punt Returns-Yards............ 2-1 3-7
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 6-74 3-69
Interception Returns-Yards.... 1-44 3-77
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 7-35.7 8-35.8
Fumbles-Lost.................. 4-2 4-1
Penalties-Yards............... 3-27 8-105
Possession Time............... 28:56 30:58
Third-Down Conversions........ 6 of 16 5 of 15
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 1 1 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 1-1 3-4
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 4-19 3-14
RUSHING: Capital-Zac McKenzie 16-32; Matt Merritt 2-7; James Starks 1-minus 1;
Robbie Thayer 7-minus 2; Ty Parks 1-minus 4. UW-Whitewater-Justin Beaver 28-120;
Danny Jones 16-65; Brady Pittz 3-6; Jake Andersen 3-6.
PASSING: Capital-Robbie Thayer 20-38-3-195. UW-Whitewater-Danny Jones
9-18-1-152.
RECEIVING: Capital-Mando Ancona 8-84; Matt White 5-35; Evan Blake 3-55; Ty Parks
3-13; Matt Merritt 1-8. UW-Whitewater-Neil Mrkvicka 4-104; Nick Slupski 3-25;
John Novak 1-19; Aaron Rusch 1-4.
INTERCEPTIONS: Capital-James Starks 1-44. UW-Whitewater-Ben Farley 2-57; Tristan
Borzick 1-20.
FUMBLES: Capital-Ty Parks 1-0; Robbie Thayer 1-1; Kevin Wehby 1-1; Ronnie Smith
1-0. UW-Whitewater-Danny Jones 2-0; Tristan Borzick 1-0; Jake Andersen 1-1.
Stadium: Perkins Stadium Attendance: 0
Kickoff time: 12:00 End of Game: 2:35 Total elapsed time: 2:35
Officials: Referee: Ralph Carey; Umpire: Steve Doty; Linesman: Tim McHugh;
Line judge: Bob Nowaczyk; Back judge: Mike Cunningham; Field judge: Reggie Berry;
Side judge: Chuck McNellis;
Temperature: 40's Wind: 0-5mph Weather: overcast, rain
SACKS (UA-A): Capital-Sam Jacobs 1-0; Nick Bucci 1-0; Pete Ankrom 0-1; Nick
Sadler 1-0. UW-Whitewater-AJ Raedel 1-0; Jace Rindahl 0-1; Mike Dufrane 0-1;
Ryan Orgizovich 1-0.
TACKLES (UA-A): Capital-Pete Ankrom 6-4; Matt Coleman 5-3; C.J. Steele 4-4; Matt
Heagen 3-4; James Starks 4-2; Jonathan Spring 1-5; Ronnie Smith 2-2; Ryan Redman
1-3; Nick Sadler 1-3; Brad Pickens 3-0; Sam Jacobs 3-0; Nick Bucci 1-1; Zac
McKenzie 1-1; Brett Welch 0-2; Chase Holmes 1-0; Brian Porter 1-0; D. Alexander
1-0; Robbie Thayer 1-0; Evan DeLuca 1-0. UW-Whitewater-AJ Raedel 8-4; Ben Farley
6-1; Jace Rindahl 3-3; Matt Blaziewske 5-0; Andy Murray 3-2; Anthony White 4-0;
Ryan Orgizovich 3-1; Tristan Borzick 2-1; Lane Olson 1-2; Max Ford 2-0; Mike
Dufrane 1-1; Keegan Brennan 1-0; Brady Remseier 1-0; Brady Pittz 0-1; Nick Romeo
0-1; Luke Wilson 0-1; Jon Baldwin 0-1; Justin Ankley 0-1.