Football Preview: Gary West Side Cougars vs. Wheeler Bearcats
The Gary West Side Cougars will head out on the road to challenge the Wheeler Bearcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 825 yards in their previous games.
Gary West Side will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any points two weeks ago, then bounced right back against Whiting on Friday. Gary West Side blew past Whiting, posting a 54-12 victory on the road. That 42 point margin sets a new team best for the Cougars this season.
Gary West Side's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Monte Moore Ii, who rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. Moore Ii also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, forcing a fumble and making a tackle. Another signal caller 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.
Meanwhile, Wheeler had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 24.5 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They took down the Wolves 38-20.
Wheeler's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jayden Ortiz, who rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Tyne Vettickal got in on the action as well, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Wheeler wouldn't let Boone Grove keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Wheeler can thank Vettickal and Conner Welch for forcing both of them.
Gary West Side's victory bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Wheeler, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Gary West Side lost to Wheeler on the road by a decisive 42-24 margin in their previous meeting back in September of 2023. Can Gary West Side avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
