Football Preview: Wheeler Bearcats vs. Gary West Side Cougars
The Wheeler Bearcats will square off against the Gary West Side Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.
Gary West Side is hoping to do what Boone Grove couldn't on Friday: put an end to Wheeler's winning streak, which now stands at three games. Wheeler enjoyed a cozy 38-20 win over Boone Grove.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Wheeler to victory, but perhaps none more so than Jayden Ortiz, who rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Another receiver making a difference was Bryce Compton, who picked up 213 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Wheeler wouldn't let Boone Grove keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Wheeler can thank Tyne Vettickal and Conner Welch for forcing both of them.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Gary West Side). They breezed by Whiting on the road to the tune of 54-12 on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Cougars, who have now won three games by 26 points or more so far this season.
Gary West Side got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Monte Moore Ii out in front who rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. Moore Ii didn't just play on offense: he also forced a fumble and made a tackle. Another player making a difference was Guiseppe Moore, who threw for 140 yards and a touchdown on only ten passes.
Gary West Side's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged three passes before it was all said and done. It was truly a group effort as Aizayah Sanders, Ladarrion Newell, and Newell picked up one apiece.
Wheeler now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Gary West Side, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Wheeler strolled past Gary West Side in their previous meeting back in September of 2023 by a score of 42-24. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Moore, who rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Wheeler still be able to contain Moore? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
