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No. 1 Warhawks want it all

UW-Whitewater coach Lance Leipold has his team expecting the unexpected on Saturday against UW-Oshkosh.

At the end of the 1 p.m. game on J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium, the Warhawks likely will have completed what was expected of them this season.

With a victory, the Warhawks will clinch the undisputed Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. The No. 1-ranked Warhawks, 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the WIAC, became only the second team in conference history to gain at least a share of six straight titles with its 27-14 victory over Stevens Point last Saturday.

La Crosse accomplished that feat from 1949-1954.

Platteville, Stevens Point and Oshkosh are tied for second with 3-2 records. The Warhawks have defeated Platteville and Stevens Point, and a victory over the Titans would clinch the undisputed title with a week to go in the WIAC season.

Oshkosh (4-4, 3-2) is coached by Pat Cerroni, who is in his fourth season with the Titans.

Leipold and his staff are preparing the Warhawks for everything.

"What to expect is the unexpected," Leipold

hey have a fast-paced offense and like to pull out every gadget they can pull.

"Defensively, you might face two defensive linemen with their hands on the ground, linebackers stacked up with four defensive backs playing deep. Offensively, they run unbalanced lines, with double reverses and double passes.

"You have to be disciplined and keep expecting the unexpected. It's a big part of their game."

The Warhawk defense, which ranks No. 1 in the WIAC in allowing an average of just 201 yards a game, will focus on Oshkosh sophomore quarterback Nate Wara.

Wara leads the league in total offense, with 535 rushing yards and throwing for 1,706 yards, for a per-game average of 280.

Wara has completed 154 of 230 passes for 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

"Wara is a very talented young player," Leipold said. "Their offense is designed to keep the ball in his hands as much as possible. If he's not the top quarterback in the league, he's right there in the conversation."

The Warhawk defense is coming off of the home victory Stevens Point. Last week's challenge was stopping Point's talented wide receiver Jared Jenkins, who ended up with six catches for 85 yards, but he did not get into the end zone.

Matt McCulloch, the Janesville Parker High School graduate, was responsible for covering Jenkins most of the afternoon.

"Matt has had a fine season, and he rose to the challenge very well," Leipold said. "In one game, that is the most snaps Matt has ever played here. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of that matchup."

Joining Wara in any conversation about the WIAC's top quarterback is the Warhawks' Matt Blanchard.

The junior has replaced Jeff Donovan without missing a step. Blanchard tops the WIAC in passing efficiency, completing 133 of 183 passes for 17 touchdowns and no interceptions. He ranks second behind Wara in total offense with 145 rushing yards and 1,771 passing yards for an average of 229.5 per game.

Leipold credits offensive coordinator Steve Dinkel and quarterbacks coach Josh Gehring with putting together a passing game that matches Blanchard's skills.

"Matt has executed the game plan," Leipold said. "He's made solid decisions."

Whitewater, which leads the league in rushing, averaging 303 yards per game, should take advantage of a Titan defense that ranks fifth in the WIAC, allowing an average of 171 yards.