Whitewater expects tough game from North Central

Lance Leipold has been saying all the right things. He's not about to say anything to make North Central College's football team mad now.

So why is it that North Central got the No. 1 seed in the region for the NCAA Division III playoffs and coach Leipold's University of Wisconsin-Whitewater team didn't, even though both teams are undefeated and the Warhawks are the defending national champions?

“All I know is we have to get on the bus on Friday,” Leipold said in Wednesday's conference call. “The game will be played Saturday and that's where it's going to be decided. All those other feelings aren't relevant.”

Then maybe experience is a factor. After all, the Cardinals (12-0) are in the quarterfinals for the first time, and the Warhawks (12-0), did we mention they're the defending national champs?

“They've been in the playoffs, they've got an experienced staff,” Leipold said. “It's not like when you kick off you're not in a college football game.”

Leipold doesn't seem to care about all the other stuff. He just sees a “well-coached football team that is executing at a high level” with “probably the quickest defense that we've seen all year. They're fast and physical.”

The Warhawks are no pushover either, especially with running back Levell Coppage, a junior from Oak Park who rushed 38 times for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns in last week's win.

“Anytime you have a player like Levell Coppage, it's special,” Leipold said.

The Cardinals counter with a pair of Naperville natives at running back, Nick Kukuc and Jordan Tassio, both of whom ran for more than 100 yards last week.

“If you can't stop the run, no matter what type of team you face, you're in for a long day,” Leipold said. “We're going to have to be assignment sound, gap sound and play our most disciplined football game yet.”

The game will be played at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium at noon Saturday and will be broadcast live on NCTV17.