Two Rivers grad Justin Klinkner, pictured here in the Warhawks’ opener against Carleton (Minn.), won this season’s 3-way quarterback battle. The Warhawks, ranked No. 9 in the d3football poll open WIAC play by hosting No. 5 UW-La Crosse Saturday 1 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.
Pictured here in UW-Whitewater’s victory over St. Xavier (Ill.), Justin Klinkner will lead the unbeaten, No. 9-ranked Warhawks in their WIAC opener, hosting UW-La Crosse Saturday
Two Rivers grad Justin Klinkner, pictured here in the Warhawks’ opener against Carleton (Minn.), won this season’s 3-way quarterback battle. The Warhawks, ranked No. 9 in the d3football poll open WIAC play by hosting No. 5 UW-La Crosse Saturday 1 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.
WHITEWATER — Warhawk Justin Klinkner entered camp in a battle with two other quarterbacks for the starting spot.
The Two Rivers High School graduate was competing against Aidan Lucero, who spent three seasons at Division II school Grand Valley State (Mich.), where he redshirted in 2022, and Jake Frantl, an Erin, Wisconsin, native, who spent four seasons at the University of Pittsburgh.
“Everyday you just come with the mindset to compete for the No. 1 spot and take advantage of all your reps,†Klinkner said. “The other dudes are great too. We all push each other very hard at practice, trying to get each other to be the best.â€
Lucero came trotting out on the field as the starting quarterback in the Warhawks first game against visiting Carleton College, but his day didn’t last long. He completed one of three passes for two yards in the game. He also took two carries for 14 yards. When Klinkner’s name was called, he was ready.
Pictured here in UW-Whitewater’s victory over St. Xavier (Ill.), Justin Klinkner will lead the unbeaten, No. 9-ranked Warhawks in their WIAC opener, hosting UW-La Crosse Saturday
Klinkner completed seven of eight passes for 72 yards, but was a major threat in the rushing attack, gaining 107 net rushing yards on 19 attempts. The sophomore claimed the Warhawk’s first touchdown of the season with a one-yard rushing touchdown to give the team a 10-0 advantage over the Knights. Later in the third quarter he displayed his play-making skills with a 59-yard rushing touchdown.
“It was awesome,†Klinkner said of the opener. “It’s an experience like no other — especially in Division III — when you have all the fans behind you. They make it very easy when you know you have a bunch of people supporting you.â€
Though, before Klinkner could get to that point of playing in front of that rocking Warhawk crowd, and before he could practice with his teammates on the University of Texas’ football field ahead of the recent game against rival Mary Hardin-Baylor, Klinkner had to work for it.
“Ever since I could pick up a football, my dad got me into sports,†he said. “As soon as I could pretty much throw it, I was playing catch with him.â€
Then he took the natural progression of playing flag football to starting tackle football in fifth grade. Coming from such a small town, Klinkner never thought he’d get to play on a field like one at Texas’ Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, even if it was just for practice.
“It was just something different to be honest,†Klinkner said about practicing on the Longhorn’s home field. “It was a much different environment. It was something that you only ever experience really once in your life.â€
Shawn Eichorst, a former Warhawks football team captain in 1990 and now the Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Texas, made it possible for the Warhawks to practice on that field.
In high school, Klinkner competed in the state wrestling tournament three times, finishing fourth as a junior and taking first as a 175-pounder in his respective division as a senior. However, baseball and football were his primary sports.
“My entire life I was always between football and baseball. Then my junior year of football went really well, and it shifted to football instead of baseball,†Klinkner said.
According to , as a junior, Klinkner completed 155 of 219 passes (70.8%) for 2,647 yards, averaging 12.1 yards per completion, with 34 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a passer rating of 137.7, while averaging 203.6 yards per game.
Around that time is when playing college football started to become a real possibility.
Shawn Shillcox, a defensive back on Whitewater’s 2014 team, was Two Rivers safety’s coach, so he would talk to Klinkner about the Warhawks. Klinkner also did 7-on-7 drills on the campus of UW-Whitewater in high school and would talk with the Whitewater coaches.
UW-Platteville was another school interested in Klinkner. After touring their campus, he made the decision to become a Warhawk.
As a true freshman in 2024, Klinkner led Whitewater’s junior varsity team to a 3-0 record. With Lucero and Frantl transferring from bigger programs, there wasn’t any guarantee that Klinkner would get the starting position.
“When I came here I knew that there was going to be a chance for me to play at some point,†Klinkner. “I didn’t know if it was going to be this early on. Obviously you have the mindset that you can start at any point, but it’s kind of just worked out really well.â€
Through three games, Klinkner piled up 394 passing yards and six passing touchdowns and completed 37 of 51 attempts. On the ground, he’s picked up 209 yards, scored three touchdowns on 42 attempts.
Now Klinkner and the No. 9-ranked Warhawks (3-0) will look to stay undefeated when they take on No. 5-ranked UW-La Crosse on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.
