Wheeler earns second straight outright GSSC title

Wheeler 35, Griffith 13

By Paul Honeycutt

GRIFFITH — If two high schoolers that aren’t related can have an unspoken connection on a football field, they’re going to be mighty hard to stop.

Wheeler senior quarterback Caleb Klimczak and senior wide receiver Bryce Compton have been torching Region defenses, Greater South Shore ones in particular, all year because of this connection.

“They’re both kinda weird, so they probably do, but this whole team gets along and they’ve grown up playing together,” said Wheeler coach Nick Testa. “They’re Wheeler kids.”

That connection was showcased on Friday night in Wheeler’s 35-13 win over previously undefeated Griffith after the two connected for two touchdowns in the first quarter to propel the Bearcats (7-2, 4-0 GSSC South) to their first time winning consecutive conference titles since 2011.

“We were just trying to send a shot early and make them think,” said Klimczak, who leads the Region in passing and added to that total with 158 yards and the two scores. “If you watch any of the scramble drills that we do, it’s always going to one dude, Bryce Compton.”

The first score came at the 6:25 mark after Compton got open on a slant and Klimczak hit him on a 4th-and-11.

The second came on the next Wheeler drive after Klimczak used his legs to gain a crucial first down on an 11-yard run and then a couple plays later, he hit Compton again for a 7-yard score.

Compton agreed with Klimczak’s assessment.

“I mean, he’s been the starter almost all four years,” said Compton, who added his sixth and seventh TDs of the season. “He’s been quarterback my entire life.”

Seeking their first undefeated regular season since 2005, the Panthers (8-1, 3-1) responded with a 42-yard TD pass from the sophomore connection that will cause chaos for the next couple years for GSSC teams in Ryan Bullion and Jason Quillin.

Wheeler fired back with a long drive capped by a Levi Murray 1-yard plunge to make it 21-7 at the half.

Ortiz was held to just 16 first-half rushing yards.

In a tale of two halves, it was the Ortiz show in the second half after he ripped off electrifying touchdown runs of 59 and 83 yards, respectively, on his way to 213 rushing yards, including 197 in the second half. 

“Man, wooh, I’ll tell you what, he is a very patient runner and the offensive line did a great job,” said Testa. “He lets his blocks develop and he’s a wrestler, so he has great balance and he’s just hard to bring down.”

Ortiz said his line really picked it up in the second half while sticking with the gameplan by trying to keep Griffith off balance with the pass.

“The whole front line stepped up,” said Ortiz, who added his 20th and 21st scores of the season. “They (Griffith) were stacking the box and we still ran all over them.”

Bullion finished 168 passing yards while senior Jason Dillon combined for 132 all-purpose yards and junior running back Ventris Tetter ran for a 1-yard touchdown in third quarter.

Winners of seven straight, the Bearcats are playing some of the Region’s best football and they roll into the first week of sectionals by traveling to a dangerous Boone Grove (6-3) team that bested Noll 48-6 in its finale to win the GSSC North.

Back in Week 5, Wheeler beat Boone Grove 38-20 behind Klimczak’s 281 passing yards, Compton’s 213 receiving yards and Ortiz’s 106 rushing yards and three scores.

Testa loftily praised Boone Grove QB Mark Rowland and said his team will be up for the challenge.

“That is our rival and this might be controversial, but I think Mark Rowland can play at any school (in the) Duneland, NCC, he’s that good,” he said. “They know us. We know them. We’ll be ready.”

Wheeler 35, Griffith 13

Wheeler; 14 7 7 7 – 35

Griffith; 0 7 6 0 – 13

W – Bryce Compton 11 pass from Caleb Klimczak (Tyne Vettickal kick), 6:25 1st

W – Compton 7 pass from Klimczak (Vettickal kick), 2:26 1st

G – Jason Quillin 42 pass from Ryan Bullion (Ryan Rose kick), 7:33 2nd

W – Levi Murray 1 run (Vettickal kick), 2:42 2nd

W – Jayden Ortiz 59 run (Vettickal kick), 10:24 3rd

G – Ventris Tetter 1 run (kick failed), 6:57 3rd

W – Ortiz 83 run (Vettickal kick), 3:14 4th

Wheeler;Griffith

First Downs;16;18

Total Yards;433;281

Rushes-Yards;35-275;34-113

Passing;158;168

Comp.-Att.-Int.;9-19-1;13-31-0

Penalties-Yards;7-55;11-107

Fumbles-Lost;2-0;2-0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – WHEELER, Jayden Ortiz 22-213, Levi Murray 8-39, Caleb Klimczak 5-23. GRIFFITH, Jason Dillon 19-89, Ventris Tetter 6-16, Ryan Bullion 7-4, Jaxon Lawson 1-3, Jalen Wilson 1-1.

PASSING – WHEELER, Caleb Klimczak 9-19-158-2-1. GRIFFITH, Ryan Bullion 13-31-168-1-0.

RECEIVING – WHEELER, Bryce Compton 3-59, David Diaz 1-36, Tyne Vettickal 2-31, Conner Welch 2-27, Jayden Ortiz 1-5. GRIFFITH, Jason Quillin 2-49, Jalen Wilson 4-46, Jason Dillon 5-43, Colton Strezo 2-30.