Wheeler stays undefeated in GSSC play

Updated: September 3, 2011 6:24PM

VALPARAISO — Wheeler’s Derek Hartwig did just about everything right in the Bearcats’ 53-0 trouncing of visiting Whiting on Friday night. The 5-foot-7 junior intercepted a pass, caught a touchdown and ran for a touchdown. Heck, in his postgame comments he even remembered to thank the Quarterback Club mothers for their great cooking.

But, he also threw an interception. That’s right; on a half-back option, Hartwig rolled right just like a real quarterback, but uncorked a duck that was picked off by Whiting’s Rudy Wanek early in the second quarter. Luckily, Wheeler’s defense bailed him out by stopping the Oilers — as it had all night — and Hartwig was off the hook.

“I don’t know if I’ll be throwing too many more passes,” he said. “We practice it all the time, but I usually don’t throw a pick.”

Wheeler was happy to have Hartwig’s heroics, but it hardly needed them.

Whiting played the Bearcats fairly evenly through the first quarter, staunchly defending Wheeler’s (3-0 overall, 1-0 Greater South Shore Conference) high flying offense. However, Wheeler’s quarterback Matt Naspinksi broke the scoring seal with 2:25 left in the first quarter on a 16 yard run. The floodgates opened from there.

After a Matt Pappas 4-yard scoring run early in the second quarter, Naspinski went to the air with TD connections to Mitchell Stevenson for 52 yards, and Robert Hurd for 13.

Naspinski threw for 188 yards, three touchdowns, and rushed for another two as he tallied 74 yards rushing on 10 trips. Robert Hurd had five catches for 64 yards including one score, and 30 yards rushing on five carries to help spring the Bearcats.

The win was Wheeler coach Dan Klimczak’s 50th as the Bearcats’ head coach, and 29th consecutive Greater South Shore Conference victory.

“It’s a compliment to the program,” Klimczak said. “The players and the coaches have all bought in to help us make a nice run.”

Whiting (1-2, 0-1) sputtered on offense much of the night, typically starting each possession deep in its own territory.

Ethan Young provided some late spark with 39 yards rushing on 13 carries.

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