UNION TOWNSHIP | A host of Wheeler Bearcats found the end zone Friday against Calumet.
Eight Bearcats scored touchdowns as Wheeler won its sixth-straight game, beating the Warriors 62-14 in the Greater South Shore Conference finale.
The Bearcats finished with a 443-138 advantage in total yards.
“We've got a bunch of guys who have spent a lot of time putting work into it, and to be able to give them some love and get them the ball in the end zone, that means a lot to them,” Wheeler coach Tony Klimczak said.
Jeremy Truchan accounted for four touchdowns. He took an option keeper 41 yards and also had touchdown passes of 12 yards to Riley Smith, 36 yards to Sam Bolla and 47 yards to Nate Standiford.
Truchan finished 7-for-8 passing for 178 yards, and he also added 59 yards on the ground on three carries.
The two squads came out of the gate quickly, scoring three combined touchdowns in the first 67 seconds of the game.
Keith Back started the scoring for Wheeler with 17-yard run on the second play from scrimmage. James Adams returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for the Warriors (0-9), but the extra point was missed.
Truchan’s touchdown run put the Bearcats up 14-6 before some of the crowd had even reached the stands.
“We definitely had to answer,” Truchan said. “I thought we had to return the favor and score a couple times.”
Bolla returned a fumbled Calumet snap 60 yards on the first play of the second quarter, and Derek Hartwig had a 29-yard run before halftime.
Hartwig totaled 78 yards on seven carries.
“He had his best night of the year running the ball,” Klimczak said of Hartwig. “The offensive line opened up holes. They got in front of guys and pushed them and gave our guys some room.”
Jason Graf scored on a 45-yard sweep, and Edgar Hedge recovered a blocked Calumet punt in the end zone for the Bearcats.
Adams also had a rushing touchdown for the Warriors. He finished with 59 yards on 11 carries.
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