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Surging Wheeling captures third in a row

When Wheeling started out 0-5, Wildcats coach Brent Pearlman knew there were two options for his team.

"When we lost to Rolling Meadows in our first conference game, we had hit rock bottom," Pearlman said. "There were only two directions we could go. You could stay as you are or have the desire to still make something of the season. This team chose the latter."

The Wildcats topped Hersey 26-13 in Arlington Heights on Friday night to toss the Mid-Suburban East into a frenzy with only one week to go in the regular season.

The Wildcats will host Elk Grove next Friday.

"We just had to keep ourselves together as a team," said junior quarterback Jalen Dennis. "We just didn't give up after going 0-5. We knew we had to improve, and we did. It would be unusual to be a conference champ after being 0-5 but we are a unusual team."

Hersey (4-4, 3-1) looked to be in control after taking the opening kickoff and marching 67 yards in nine plays to score on Daniel Blair's 1-yard run with 9:11 left in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

The Huskies had a chance on their next series to score but quarterback Tommy Jackson was intercepted by Wheeling's Mao Gurney at the Wildcats 4.

A 71-yard burst by Josh Diaz on the next play set up Dennis' 25 yard touchdown run at the 4:59 mark to tie the game at 6-6.

Wheeling went ahead 12-6 at the 10:40 mark of the second quarter when Jason Shannon raced in from the Hersey 17 for a 12-6 lead.

The Huskies stumbled twice inside the Wildcats' 6-yard line, turning the ball over on downs on each occasion.

"We just didn't finish our plays well," said Hersey coach Joe Pardun. "We had two turnovers and they had none. Dennis played a great game for them. He showed some nice moves. At times on defense we could not get to them."

Dennis, who rushed 22 times for 127 yards and completed 8-of-10 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, gave the Wildcats a 18-6 lead with 7:39 left in the third quarter.

Driving from its 27-yard line, Wheeling ((3-5, 3-1) went 63 yards in 10 plays to score on Dennis' 21-yard pass to Shannon, who leaped above Hersey defender Sebastian Jackowski to make the catch.

Hersey fought back on Blair's second 1-yard run with 3:35 left in the quarter to narrow the gap to 18-13.

Blair was a workhorse, rushing 29 times for 254 yards.

But Wheeling iced the game on Diaz' 1-yard run with 6:51 left in the game. Dennis connected with Shannon for a 2-point conversion and the Wildcats' led 26-13.

"We had been shaky in our first five games," said Wheeling middle linebacker Dylan Draka. "We were just fed up from losing. We really felt we could win our last four games. Our defense played well in stopping them in the red zone four times. We didn't play as individuals, we played as a team."

Wheeling gave up 550 yards and accumulated 413 yards.

Hersey's defense was hurt by the loss of middle linebacker Nate Lebherz who sustained a shoulder injury last week and then had a season-ending hernia operation a few days ago.

"We still have a chance to make our goal of the playoffs," Pardun. "These kids have bounced back from a lot this year. I think they can respond."

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