Football: Stevenson ready to lead Wheeler

Updated: October 31, 2011 9:10PM

WHEELER — It’s a one-on-one battle that will never take place, but just for the sake of conversation, here’s the situation: Wheeler tight end Mitchell Stevenson catches a pass right in the middle of the field, ten yards away from the goal line with only one defender between him and paydirt: that would be Bearcat linebacker Mitchell Stevenson.

Who would win this epic battle of hard running ball carrier versus the man who Wheeler coach Dan Klimczak says is a “tenacious player and a ferocious tackler.”

Considering we’re talking about the same player, we would never know the answer, although Stevenson says he’s a better pass catcher than defender. But it would be fun to find out who would get the better of the other.

“He’s really solid on both ends and I know our offense wouldn’t be the same without him but neither would our defense,” Klimscak said. “I don’t know if I could make that call.”

In one of the best football seasons Wheeler has had, just one win away from a sectional title that has eluded the current senior class of which Stevenson is a member and a playoff run that includes one of the biggest playoff wins the school has ever had, a sectional opening win over unbeaten class 2A second ranked Andrean followed by beating a Rensselaer Central team that had eliminated them from the playoffs two straight seasons, there is one call that’s been constant: Mitchell Stevenson’s play on both sides of the ball being a key to the Bearcats staying unbeaten this year going into a sectional final duel with North Newton.

“We haven’t been there in the past few years losing in the sectional finals and that’s been hard on us,” said Stevenson. ‘We’ve used that as motivation during the off-season and during this season to reach a level me or my teammates haven’t reached in our high school careers.”

Reaching that level has not been without adversity, when talented quarterback Nick Naspinski was injured late in the season with a first round playoff duel with Andrean just around the corner. Klimscak needed on and off the field leadership and he got it from Stevenson who moved from tight end to fullback to help stregthen the Bearcat running game.

“ He was a very important presence when Nick got hurt,” Klimscak said. “He got to carry the ball a few more times and in the same token, we ran behind him in our wildcat set and a lot of the yards we got was behind Mitch and his blocks.”

Think that’s versatility? You should have been at the August 26th Kankakee Valley game when Stevenson had 17 tackles and over 100 yards receiving yards in a 35-12 win. And the jack of all trades talent doesn’t end on the football field where Stevenson is an “A” student, showing the same mastery over his government and math classes as he does the opposition on the gridiron.

Wheeler’s next on field class is Friday and it’s a course they have yet to pass the past few seasons. It’s the sectional championship excellerated course and standing in the way is a North Newton team the Bearcats beat 49-0 earlier this season(a win would also give the Bearcats 12 victories this season, which would be a school record). Even more promising is the fact that Naspinski made a triumphant return last week in their second round win over Rensselaer Central. And whether he would be asked to block, tackle, or catch a pass or two, Stevenson says he will be ready. As a senior, he’s been waiting for this one for a long time.

“With all the big numbers we put up during the regular season, and all the conference championships, it would defintely be great for us to win sectionals this year,” Stevenson said. “It’s definitely a top priority for us this season.”

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