Above photo by Russell Marwitz/True To The Cru/russellmarwitz.com
Previewing this week’s game presented by The Best of Belton
No. 1 UMHB at No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater
Date: Sept. 10
Place: Perkins Stadium, Whitewater, WI
Time: 12:00 p.m. CST
Streaming: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umhb/
Radio: 93.9 FM/1330 AM
Pregame reading
A look at Wisconsin-Whitewater entering the 2022 season
“It’s a national championship game”: 3 takeaways from Larry Harmon’s Monday press conference
About the opponent: No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks
Head Coach: Kevin Bullis (8th year)
Conference: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
Season Record (overall/conf): 0-1, 0-0
2021 Record (overall/conf): 13-1, 7-0 (Notable results: W @ Salisbury, 31-14, W vs UW-La
Crosse, 13-7, W vs Central, 51-21)
Week 1: Loss at No. 4 St. John’s, 24-10
Names to know (stats from Week 1 vs St. John’s):
OFFENSE: Sr. QB Evan Lewandowski (17-of-31 passing, 176 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT), Sr. WR Tyler Holte (6 receptions, 100 yds, 1 TD), So. WR Steven Hein (5 receptions, 37 yds), Offensive Line (Nathan Miller, John Pekar, Nathan Zak, Seth Roberts, Addison DeShambo)
*-UW-Whitewater does not have its top two running backs from Week 1, Tamir Thomas and Makaio Harn, listed on the two-deep depth chart
DEFENSE: So. DB Kyle Koelblinger (6 solo tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble), Jr. DB Egon Hein (3 solo tackles, 5 total tackles, 2 pass breakups), Jr. LB Hawk Heffner (4 solo tackles, 6 total tackles), Sr. LB Ryan Lizka (2 solo tackles, 4 total tackles, 1 quarterback hit)
About the No. 1 UMHB Crusaders
Head Coach: Larry Harmon (1st year)
Conference: American Southwest
Season Record (overall/conf): 1-0, 0-0
2021 Record: 15-0, 9-0 (Notable results: vs No. 10 Hardin-Simmons, W 34-28, vs No. 7 Linfield, W 49-24, vs. No. 4 UW-Whitewater, W 24-7, vs No. 1 North Central [Stagg Bowl], W 57-24)
Week 1: Win over No. 18 Muhlenberg, 62-13
Names to know (stats from Week 1 vs Muhlenberg):
OFFENSE: Sr. QB Kyle King (19-of-28 passing, 379 pass yds, 6 TD, 0 INT), Sr. RB Aphonso Thomas (13 carries, 87 rush yds, 6.7 yds/carry, 1 TD), Sr. WR KJ Miller (3 receptions, 64 receiving yds, 2 TD), Sr. WR Brandon Jordan (6 receptions, 120 receiving yards, 2 TD)
DEFENSE: So. LB Durand Hill (4 solo tackles, 8 tackles, 1.0 TFL), So. LB Johnny Smith-Rider (4 solo tackles, 5 total tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), Sr. DB Tommy Bowden (4 solo tackles, 6 total tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble), Jr. DT Tristan Green (2 solo tackles, 4 total tackles), So. CB Trashawn Adams (4 solo tackles, 9 total tackles)
The series
UMHB and UW-Whitewater have battled on eight occasions, six of which have been in the playoffs. The first two meetings in 2006 and 2007 were played in the regular season and won by UW-Whitewater, though UMHB has won two of the last three meetings. The Cru has never won back-to-back contests against the Warhawks, but is coming off a 24-7 win in the national semifinals in 2021.
Notable Fact
UW-Whitewater has won 42 consecutive regular season games at Perkins Stadium. The last time the Warhawks lost in front of a home crowd during the regular season was in 2012, when UW-Oshkosh emerged with a 28-13 win.
UMHB Two Deep Depth Chart (Per the UMHB Athletics Department)
*-Team Captain, L-Varsity Letter, SQ- Previously on varsity roster in past season(s) but has seen no playing time, TR- Transfer
Offense
Quarterback: Kyle King (Sr.-2L), Jackson Tingler (Jr.-1L),
Running Back: Aphonso Thomas (Sr. 1L), Kenneth Cormier Jr. (Jr.-2L)
Wide Receiver: Jerry Day (So.-1L), Jamaal Hamilton (Sr.-1L)
Wide Receiver: KJ Miller (Sr.-4L), Jerry Cephus (So,-JV)
Wide Receiver: Brandon Jordan (Sr.-2L), Marvin Young Jr. (Sr.-TR)
Tight End: Connor Mullins (Jr.-2L), Will McClintock (So.-TR)
Left Tackle: Reuel Tandoh (Jr.-2L), Kyle Wente (So.-1L)
Left Guard: Jesse Hoke (Jr.-2L), Joseph Montez (Fr.-HS)
Center: Jeffery Sims Jr. (Sr.-4L), Jacob Dailey (So.-2L)
Right Guard: Matt Sanders (Sr.-3L), John Schnautz (So.-JV)
Right Tackle: Ethan Ruckman (Jr.-2L), John Kazmierski (Sr.-3L)
Defense
Left Defensive End: Kobe Giles (Jr.-2L), Trey Belyeu-Witcher (So.-1L)
Left Defensive Tackle: Pete Smith (Sr.-3L), Preston Johnson (So.-JV)
Right Defensive Tackle: Tristan Green (So.-1L), Jose Fuentes (So.-JV)
Right Defensive End: Sante Parker Jr. (Sr.-3L), Dorian Pittman (Fr.-HS)
Weakside Linebacker: Johnny Smith-Rider (So.-1L), Chaise Ellis (So.-SQ)
Middle Linebacker: Durand Hill (So.-1L), Braegen Berry (So.-JV)
Strongside Linebacker: Omari Frazier (Jr.-2L), Dorian Williams (Jr.-TR)
Cru (Flex Safety): Jordan See (Jr.-2L), Diarva Brown (Sr.-TR)
Free Safety: Tommy Bowden (Sr.-3L), Cameron Mitton (Fr.-HS)
Cornerback: Titus Dunk (Sr.-3L), Trashawn Adams (So.-1L)
Cornerback: Chaka Watson (Jr.-2L), Tavion Page (Sr.-3L)
Special Teams
Kicker: Anthony Avila (Sr.-3L), Jack Bruner (Fr.-HS)
Punter: Kyle King (Sr.-2L), Jack Bruner (Fr.-HS)
Punt Returner: KJ Miller (Sr.-4L), Jamaal Hamilton (Sr.-1L)
Kick Returner: KJ Miller (Sr.-4L), Jamaal Hamilton (Sr.-1L)
Long/Short Snapper: Adam Strawn (Jr.-1L), Will McClintock (So.-TR)
