Stepping into leadership role

Updated: August 25, 2011 11:11PM

Many a team has faced Wheeler over the last three seasons with visions of being the one. The one to finally hand the Bearcats a loss in the Greater South Shore Conference. Or the one to snap a growing and ridiculously long regular-season winning streak.

And some have talked a big game. On the field, too.

Wheeler senior Robert Hurd has heard it. But he sees no need to talk back. Not when the score ends up being 47-13 or 63-0 or 75-0, all real scores from the past three seasons. And all Bearcats victories.

“Coach always says we’re everybody’s Super Bowl,” Hurd said. “Everyone wants to knock us off. I love it, actually.”

Wheeler has won 35 straight regular-season games, including three straight years with a perfect 9-0 mark in the regular season. Since the GSSC came into being in 2007, the Bearcats have not lost a game, a run of 28 games. Their average margin of victory in their four years in the GSSC has been 48.5 points. In 2009, Wheeler was scored on just once in GSSC play, recording a shutout in its six other league contests.

The Bearcats’ dominance continued with a 51-7 nonconference, opening-week victory against fledgling Boone Grove, which was playing its first official IHSAA varsity contest.

It wasn’t much of a test for Wheeler. Then again, few regular-season games over the last four seasons have been for the Bearcats. The test has always come in the sectional. And despite going undefeated in the past three regular seasons, Wheeler didn’t win a sectional title during any of those years. The Bearcats’ only sectional title came in 2007.

Wheeler has fallen to Rensselaer the last two seasons in the championship game of Class 2A Sectional 25. This year, however, Andrean has joined the Sectional 25 mix, having dropped from 3A to 2A with realignment.

An additional storyline for the Bearcats centers on the graduation loss of quarterback Sam O’Shea, who rewrote the school’s passing record book, and the disciplinary loss of running back Jake Hidalgo.

And, sure enough, even though 11 kids line up on each side of the ball for Wheeler, the answer to whether those impressive win streaks continue, and whether a sectional title is within reach, and whether the player losses can be overcome seemingly points to Hurd and his speedy legs and jaw-dropping playmaking ability.

Because this is Hurd’s time.

As much as Wheeler coach Dan Klimczak might like to sugarcoat Hurd’s importance to the team, Klimczak is actually rather straight forward when describing his go-to senior.

“He’s a guy we’re going to have to go to,” Klimczak said. “If we are going to be successful this year, a large part of it will be because Robert makes plays. Everyone on the team has a role, but Robert has to step up this year.”

The line on Hurd last year was impressive. He caught 45 passes for 1,131 yards (25.1 yards per catch) and 14 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 19 times for 305 yards (that’s a whopping 16.1 yards per rush).

“He’s a guy who has the ability to stretch the field vertically and horizontally,” Klimczak said. “He’s got outstanding speed. He’s a team leader. And he has outstanding strength.”

But, Hurd doesn’t have O’Shea and his laser precision behind center this year. Senior Nick Naspinski has taken over at quarterback. He had an impressive opener against Boone, running for four touchdowns and passing for another. But he’s not the passer O’Shea was.

And, Hidalgo isn’t there in the backfield to take some of the pressure off the passing game. He amassed more that 1,100 yards of offense last year out of the backfield and scored 21 touchdowns. Officially, he is no longer with the team for violating the school’s athletic code, Klimczak said.

As a result, Hurd will find himself in the backfield more this season, playing as a running back. But he also will be split out as a receiver. It’s going to be a mixed bag, for sure.

“We’re going to move Bob around a little bit,” Klimczak said. “Sometimes he’ll be in the backfield, and sometimes he’ll be in the receiver set. He’s going to be used in a variety of ways. He’s going to return some kicks and some punts, and he’s going to play a large role on defense.

“Last year, we had a bunch of playmakers. We still have playmakers this year, but Robert’s definitely our leader, a big-play threat who has to come up with big plays.”

Asked if he thought he would have more receiving or rushing yards this season, Hurd paused for a moment.

“Man, that’s a good question,” Hurd said. “I think probably about the same.”

One thing is certain; Hurd has his teammates’ ears. It’s his turn to guide and help shape this team.

“It’s kind of fun being a senior,” Hurd said. “You get to take the team and put them under your wing. We control the pace in practice and make things more intense and get everybody fired up.

“Those are the things you’ve got to do as a senior leader. And I learned that from the guys in the past. You can’t really be a good leader if you’ve never followed good leaders.”

And while Klimczak realizes the burden that Hurd shoulders, he doesn’t bemoan the graduation losses from last season or the disciplinary loss.

“I don’t think we’re approaching anything any different,” Klimczak said. “I’m happy with what all the guys are giving us. Our personnel is outstanding. You put your people in the best situation and run the offense or defense that suits your talent the best. And that’s what we’re doing.”

Wheeler still is the clear favorite in the GSSC. But some might wonder if the Bearcats are vulnerable. As for the 35-game regular-season streak, that could be in jeopardy tonight against visiting Kankakee Valley. Or not.

“We’ve never even discussed keeping the streak going,” Klimczak said. “Our focus as a team is always to be better than the other team and beat the other team. Our focus is to be the best that we can be. The chips will fall as they will.

“Eventually, sure, somewhere down the line, we’re going to lose a game in the regular season, and we’re going to lose a conference game. We’re just hoping it’s not the next one.”

But what about Andrean? No matter what the Bearcats do in the conference and regular season, the 59ers, who won four straight sectionals in 3A before this season and who won the 3A state title in 2004, will always be waiting.

“Yeah, I know they’re a great team,” Hurd said. “But they’re just like any other team out there: They’re working hard, and we’re working hard.

“It would be a great game. I’m excited to hopefully play them.”

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