The time finally came, and in fact the time came with just a few minutes left in the first half.

This was the Men’s DII College final, and leading into halftime Wisconsin-Whitewater was leading 7-3. Only 7-3.

The Warhawks had started on fire, pressuring with their superb runners and kicking game, and then sending hands out to fullback Garrett Shibiliski for a very nicely-executed try.

But Furman, playing on their home field, rebounded quickly and held firm on their defense. They got a penalty goal from Jacob Milchuck. Whitewater didn’t like it, and even as they tried to push the pace of the game, they weren’t getting tries, and their body language showed clear frustration.

But then from a scrum the Warhawks sent it through the hands and wing Alec Treuhardt turned the corner and slid in. Moments later, Treuhardt spotted a tiny gap in the Furman line, and off he went to the corner.

Suddenly it was 17-3, and the Whitewater team was smiling again.

In a torrid game that featured two teams trying to play a fast, open style in wet, very cold conditions, Whitewater was the winner. The Warhawks have a backline that has seven of the best backs in the DII game. 

It was perhaps one game too far for a Furman team that should be proud of an excellent season, but this was Whitewater’s time.

Furman didn’t go away. A brilliant try from Hunter Branch made it a 17-8 score in the second half. But Whitewater built on their lead when flyhalf Eric Pachowitz punted the ball down the field, and as Furman’s defenders tried to kick the ball to touch, Levi Van Lanen was there on the chase to grap the ball and go over the line. Prop Ariano Marcogliese scored to make it 22-13, but Whitewater stayed on the attack almost all the time.

Furman battled, but the physicality of their close win over Minnesota-Duluth Saturday started to tell, and as time wore on, they pressed, eventually seeing UWW flanker Connor Bell nabbing a bobbled ball and going in under the posts. 29-13 final score.

For Whitewater, which had lost to Duluth in the last two national finals, this was a sweet moment.

“It was an incredible experience,” said No. 8 John Grams, who had a strong game, often in spots that don’t often get the glory. “We played pretty strong in the pack, but Furman was really tough. We knew early on we needed to be playing better and cleaning up our mistakes, but it was a good fight on both sides.”

Grams said those two Treuhardt tries at the end of the first half gave them some crucial breathing room.

On a team where players such as Robbie SIndic, Tim Grams, Pachowitz, Treuhardt, Shay Haase, and Zach Smith were very good, lesser-heralded players such as Van Lanen also shone. Van Lanen’s try basically sealed the game.

“With the weather being the way it was we knew we needed to concentrate on our ball handling and get it done,” said Van Lanen. “On that try, when we got the ball Eric and I made eye contact and we knew it was time to kick. He put it in the perfect sport and luckily enough I was able to get in there.”

For Furman, disappointment, but a big ovation from their home crowd as they showcased some impressive rugby. Prop Jeffrey Tonge, scrumhalf Austin Willis, No. 8 Thomas Trankle, and center Adam Miller all showed well. Meanwhile, all of the Whitewater players confessed to being delighted and relieved. They had felt the sting of losing the final, and felt this was their year.

And it was.

 

UW-Whitewater 29

Tries: Treuhardt 2, Shibiliski, Van Lanen, Bell

Convs: T. Grams 2

 

Furman 13

Tries: Branch, Marcogliese

Pens: Milchuck

 

 

Furman Starting Lineup

1 Jeffrey Tonge, 2 Aidan Clarke, 3 Ariano Marcogliese, 4 RJ Bradley, 5 Dylan Bostock, 6 Miles Lerner, 7 Mike Sharpe, 8 Thomas Trankle, 9 Austin Willis, 10 Jeffrey Rein, 11 Ryan Conlogue, 12 Jacob Milchuck, 13 Adam Miller, 14 Hunter Branch, 15 Matthias Newman

University of Wisconsin Whitewater Starting Lineup

1 Brandon Lopez, 2 Jacob Huskission, 3 Kenneth Ewert, 4 Zachary Smith, 5 Hunter Nelson, 6 Conor Bell, 7 Shay Haase, 8 John Grams, 9 Tim Grams, 10 Eric Pachowitz, 11 Alec Treuhardt, 12 Robert Sindic, 13 Levi Van Lanen, 14 Jack Healy, 15 Garrett Shibiliski