Defense gets Wheeling a win

A spectacular defensive effort led Wheeling to its first win of the season on Friday night at Maine East.

The Wildcats held the Blue Demons without a completed pass in the game, and allowed the home team only 53 yards of total offense while posting a 42-0 shutout in Park Ridge.

Wheeling had 3 sacks and forced 3 fumbles, recovering 2.

"I thought our defense was outstanding tonight," said first-year Wheeling coach Brian Hauck, who earned his initial win as the Wildcats head man. "They rose to the occasion."

On the other side of the ball, junior quarterback Michael Best helped lead the way with 146 yards through the air and 3 touchdown passes.

According to Wheeling senior Freddie McLeod, one of the defensive standouts, the win is just the beginning of more success to come.

"We're legit hungry for more," McLeod said.

Wheeling took control in the first quarter on a 55-yard touchdown run by senior Solomon Kong and a 28-yard Best TD toss to Brandon Zettek.

A second-quarter touchdown pass from Best to Mao Gurney, this one from 33 yards, saw Wheeling take a 21-0 halftime lead.

It was all Wildcats in the third quarter as senior running back Jamiel Eggleston swept in to the end zone from 4 yards out to give the visitors a 28-0 advantage.

Wheeling put the game away on a tackle-breaking punt return for a touchdown by Zettek, then a 52-yard TD bomb from Best to Zach Hembd down the sideline.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats' "D" didn't let Maine East advance further than the Wheeling 30-yard line at any time during the game.

"It was like all our hard work came together tonight," said Willie Giles, a senior linebacker.

Kong had 77 yards on the ground for Wheeling.

"We used our play last week as our motivation," Giles added. "We were able to stay with Palatine for the first quarter and most of the second quarter, and we saw the potential we have on defense."