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UWW prepares for Iowa Conference champions

If Lance Leipold wants to get his football players’ attention this week, all he had to do was show them game film from two weeks ago.

That is when Wartburg (Iowa) College defeated UW-Stevens Point, 26-21, on the Pointers’ field in an NCAA Division III first-round game.

Leipold’s UW-Whitewater team lost to the Pointers, 17-16, at home during the WIAC season.

Wartburg, which takes a 10-2 record into Saturday’s quarterfinal game at Perkins Stadium, followed its upset win over Stevens Point with a thrilling 30-28, second-round triumph last week at Midwest Conference champion Monmouth (Ill.). The Knights won on a 23-yard touchdown pass to from Nick Yordi to Justin Vetter with just seven seconds left.

Leipold is not overlooking the Iowa Conference champions.

“They beat a team that beat us,” Leipold said. “That’s eye-popping in itself.”

Yordi holds the Wartburg school record with his 219 completions and 2,832 yards passing this season.

Vetter has the single-season school records with his 77 receptions and 1,204 yards. He has scored 12 touchdowns.

Alex Boom is the team’s leading rusher with 576 yards on 174 carries, while Lamar Harvey has 509 yards on 139 carries.

Yordi finished with 276 yards passing against Monmouth, with Vetter catching 11 passes for 148 yards.

The Knights, who earned their 11th Iowa Conference title and fifth since 1999, average 26.5 points, while giving up an average of 17.5.

“(Yordi and Vetter) have confidence in each other,” Leipold said. “We have to stop them and contain them after the catch.”

The Warhawks, who have averaged 34.9 points while giving up an average of 11.8 in rolling to a 11-1 record, beat Willamette, 30-27, last Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals.

Whitewater has received a huge boost from former Madison Memorial High School standout Antwan Anderson. The 5-10, 190-pound Anderson rushed 34 times for 269 yards against Willamette and has 835 yards and a 7.2-yard per carry average and nine touchdowns.

“Antwan has done a great job,” Leipold said. “He’s been a big shot in the arm for us.”

Anderson has been the main rusher since freshman Levelle Coppage was injured two weeks ago. Coppage, a first-team All-WIAC selection, had 1,375 yards and a 5.1-yard average, with 20 touchdowns when he hurt his leg.

“Levelle is very doubtful for Saturday’s game,” Leipold said. “He did not suit up for (Tuesday’s) practice.”

Leipold said the Knights utilize different blitz schemes than the Warhawks are used to seeing.

“We were talking about who in our league they remind us of, and we haven’t come up with one,” Leipold said.

The Warhawks have the size advantage, but Leipold said that would only help Whitewater “if we can catch them.

“Our thing is to start fast and be physical for four quarters,” the coach said. “Hopefully that will be to our advantage.”

The winner of the game will play at the winner of the Washington & Jefferson (Penn.)-vs.-Mary Hardin Baylor (Texas) quarterfinal game in a semfinal game next Saturday, Dec. 14.