On a windswept Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field, in front of a large home crowd, the Crusaders missed a golden opportunity to gain ground on nemesis Wisconsin-Whitewater for second place on that list.
Fourth-ranked UMHB had a shot to beat No. 5 Whitewater for the first time in four tries and reach the Stagg Bowl for the second time in five years, but the Warhawks controlled all phases for a 39-13 semifinal victory that sent them back to Salem, Va., to defend their national championship against No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio).
Now, coach Pete Fredenburg and his Crusaders head into another offseason faced with the huge challenge of finding a way to get past Whitewater, which has beaten UMHB four times in the last three years - including two straight times in the semifinals - by a combined score of 103-37.
“Obviously, it’s a deal we’re going to have to get over,” said Fredenburg, whose team went 12-2 for the second year in a row. “If we’re going to reach the goals we’ve set for our program, we’re going to have to beat Wisconsin-Whitewater. But you can’t do that if you can’t move the ball consistently and play good, sound defense.
“We gave up some big plays on both sides of the ball, and you can’t do that in a championship match like this. It’s a deal where we didn’t play like we have to play to win a championship game.”
After dominating home games against Wesley (Del.) 46-14 and Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) 63-7 the previous two weeks to repeat as South Region champ, UMHB couldn’t deliver an encore performance against a steady, balanced Whitewater team that moved to 13-1 in reaching its fourth straight Stagg Bowl.
The Crusaders’ usually powerful offense recorded only 236 total yards, and their traditionally punishing defense allowed 395 yards - 220 passing and 175 rushing.
UMHB also suffered a special-teams disaster to begin each half, helping set up 11 Warhawk points and denting the Crusaders’ normally unbreakable confidence.
UMHB recovered from a rough start to take a 10-5 lead in the second quarter, but Whitewater marched for a go-ahead touchdown right before halftime and seized full control in the third quarter to turn a close battle into a rout.
“This couldn’t be a better way to end a career,” said Warhawks senior linebacker Jace Rindahl, who made eight tackles and whose team was aided by injuries to UMHB tailback Bryson Tucker and quarterback Josh Saenz. “Going into the championship game knowing it’s your last game, I think that’s how everybody dreams of finishing their career.
“It’s been an unbelievable ride. It’s going to be on our shoulders to take it to Mount Union.”
Meanwhile, the Crusaders likely will lick their wounds and re-evaluate how they do just about everything after losing again to what essentially has become their top rival.
They’ve been there before.
UMHB lost its first four games against American Southwest Conference rival Hardin-Simmons before breaking through in 2002, and the Crusaders have dominated the Cowboys ever since.
Fredenburg’s team was winless against Trinity in four tries - two in the playoffs - before beating the host Tigers en route to its magical road trip to the 2004 Stagg Bowl, which included a stunning victory at top-ranked Mount Union.
And UMHB was eliminated from the playoffs by Wesley in 2005 and ’06 before bouncing back to oust the Wolverines the last two postseasons.
Whitewater now stands prominently as the only team UMHB has played more than once but never defeated. So having found a way to overcome all of the other opponents who once had their number, where do the Crusaders go from here?
“The same place,” Fredenburg said in a determined tone. “We will recruit guys that will help us beat Wisconsin-Whitewater. That will be our catchphrase.
“As we move through the spring and into the fall, we know it will have been these seniors that set the standard. The legacy that all of our teams continue to leave is a pretty high standard.”
UMHB’s postgame news conference certainly had a sullen mood, but Saenz and senior safety Derrick Williams (Temple) tried their best to present the proper perspective.
“I’m never going to look at this season and only think about a loss to Whitewater,” Saenz said. “I’m going to remember that I got to play with Derrick Williams and Mark Balderas and all the seniors on this team. They’re my brothers. Even though we didn’t go all the way, I still love them. They’re my family.”
Added Williams: “This team, we went through so much this year. . . . The leadership on this team came together and bonded like never before and kept this team on a path that every team would like to take.
“It’s a horrible feeling right now, but this senior class is really special. It’s a bunch of guys I never want to forget.”
gwille@temple-telegram.com
