Playoff repeat? Wheeling hopes so

Certain standards have been set at Wheeling after successive playoff trips for the first time in school history.

Now it's up to a relatively new group of players to make sure they continue to be met.

"We accomplished something we haven't been able to do and these seniors have taken a lot of pride in that," said Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar. "They want to play hard and do their best, whatever their best would be, but they understand how we expect to do things now."

And the expectations are a bit different after losing talented players such as Mike Zimmer (Illinois State), Mike Barton, James Kurtz, Matt Holmes and Danny Vargas.

"At the beginning you could really tell the difference with a lot of positions," Dunbar said. "Especially on defense."

Defensive end Mike Widmer, cornerback Joel Rangel and free safety Matt Splon are the only returning starters. Tony Peak played some and junior Chris Johnson takes over at middle linebacker.

"It's the same old, same old, we're undersized but we have really good speed," said defensive coordinator Brian Hauck. "We have to fly around and get 11 kids to the ball. The biggest thing is we have to mature quickly.

"They're progressing pretty quickly but we have to keep building that momentum."

One of the top returnees in the Wildcats' offense is the dangerous Weston Ross at running back.

"He's a freak athletically (4.39 40)- and he could be the best running back we've had since I've been here," said offensive coordinator Matt Mishler. "He has explosive speed and he's a horse to bring down. If we can move people up front and let him run we'll be OK."

The Wildcats expect to do that with an experienced group led by three-year starter Tim Schalz and two-year starters Dan Gutierrez and Jack Hurley will also look to make the transition easier for sophomore quarterback Tyler Brady.

"He's showed he picks things up every day and improves," Mishler said. "He gives us a little more explosiveness and the potential is there."

Potential to sustain the winning tradition Wheeling has built.