Wheeler set for challenge from Calumet

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VALPARAISO -- Dan Klimczak has always pulled for the little guy.

"I always root for the underdog," the Wheeler coach said.

Well, he must not like his own team much, because his Bearcats haven't just been favorites week in and week out, they've been foregone conclusions.

58-6. 55-6. 66-6. 75-0. 54-0. 59-27.

Those are the final scores in each of Wheeler's six Greater South Shore Conference victories this season. And that's with the varsity on the bench by the middle of the third quarter most weeks.

The Bearcats have been simply overwhelming.

Tonight, that might finally change.

In a rare bit of serendipitous scheduling, the GSSC gets a true conference championship game tonight, as Wheeler (8-0, 6-0) hosts Calumet (7-1, 6-0) in the regular-season finale.

It's also homecoming for Wheeler. And parents' night. And senior night. And the school's first undefeated regular season is on the line.

And it's a chance to silence the ever-present doubters, who chalk up Wheeler's spectacular scores to a less-than-spectacular schedule.

"It's a little different this week, we're a little more jacked about it," said senior linebacker Riley Kenney. "But we're just taking it as another game, the same as the last few games. And hopefully it'll be like all the other games."

It shouldn't be. Not with an opponent the caliber of Calumet. Not with the dynamic duo of George Ezell and Darcell Ballentine in the Warriors backfield.

Calumet's been awfully good all year, too -- its only loss came by one point to Clark way back in Week 2.

So football fans from around the region are looking to this game before they finally give Wheeler its due.

And that's fine with the Bearcats. They welcome the scrutiny -- and they certainly welcome the competition. It's been seven weeks -- a Week 2 victory over Class 4A Kankakee Valley -- since the Bearcats have been challenged, since they've had to play four quarters.

"That's what we want," said junior defensive back Kyle Kellar. "I think everybody on this team would love to play Andrean and Portage. Even if it was Lowell and we got spanked, we want the competition. We think we can handle it. We beat KV and they beat Andrean and almost beat Hobart. We want that competition."

The question is, are they ready for it? After all, it's been nearly two months since Wheeler's starters -- many of whom play both ways -- have had to play a full game. The Bearcats pride themselves on being among the best-conditioned teams in Northwest Indiana, but there's a difference between regular conditioning and fourth-quarter conditioning -- especially against a solid opponent.

But Klimczak is quick to point out that his team faced the same issue last year, then played -- and won -- four hard-fought, four-quarter games in a row en route to a sectional championship.

And that started with a 44-32 victory over Calumet in the season finale.

"The leaders of this team and a lot of our starters are battle-tested," Klimczak said. "They were there through the sectionals last year, and everyone said the same thing heading into sectionals last year -- 'Oh, look at the schedule they played.' Then we went out and we didn't give up one offensive touchdown last year in sectionals, and dominated all the way through the sectionals.

"I'm not saying that's automatically going to happen again. But Clay Duarte was running for those touchdowns last year, and Mike DeSimone was throwing for those touchdowns last year, and Riley Kenney was one of those guys shutting opponents out. They're battle-tested and they know what needs to be done."

And it begins with Calumet, in the first of what the Bearcats hope will be many battles. They've already discussed first-round sectional opponent North Judson -- which has won four straight -- at length. And they've thought about potential showdowns with Seeger and Rensselear, too.

Most of all, they've thought about entrenching themselves among the region's elite, and silencing their doubters once and for all.

If that is going to happen, it's got to start tonight.

"People said last year was going to be a one-time thing," said junior lineman Alex Vives. "But we're here to stay. Now's the time to prove it."

Contact Mark Lazerus at 648-3140 or mlazerus@post-trib.com