Senior midfielder Grace Christos is Wheeler’s “engine,” according to coach Nate Anweiler.
A fourth-year varsity starter, Christos can keep that car running for one reason.
“I’ve put in the work on and off the field,” she said. “I’ve put in my blood, sweat and tears for this sport. To finally play such a big role in our program means everything to me.”
Christos leads the Bearcats (8-3) with 11 assists, and her eight goals rank second behind junior forward Jessica Surufka’s nine. If Wheeler is attacking, Christos is likely involved.
“She connects a lot of our outside players with the players up top, and it really helps a lot with how we function as a team,” Anweiler said. “She tends to be the one who sets up a lot of what we do offensively.”
One of those outside players is senior left wing Carmina Williams, who has four goals and three assists in her first varsity season. She raved about the passion that Christos brings to soccer.
“She’s always pushing us to give 110% on the field,” Williams said. “She puts her all into every game, and she’s always been like that. She’s the best captain I’ve ever had.”
Christos, who grew up watching the Bearcats, fondly recalls being a fan of their Class 1A state runner-up teams in 2017 and 2018. She could’ve made a year-round commitment to club teams but said she didn’t consider it.
“I’d always wanted to play at Wheeler when I was younger,” Christos said. “High school and club are totally different. High school is more of a close-knit community. You’re playing for your town and your school. There was no way that I wasn’t going to play for Wheeler.”
Christos is the one who finally convinced Williams to play for Wheeler.
“It was mostly her,” Williams said with a laugh. “Every year, in the summer, she’d be the one telling me that I should come play.”
Christos has an extensive background in club soccer too. She played for an Indiana Fire team based in Indianapolis for the past three years, a commitment that meant three or four weekly trips south along with some other club teammates who live in the area.
“We’d go to school all day, carpool down to Indianapolis, wouldn’t get home until 11:30 and then wake up and do it all again the next day,” she said. “Not many people get the opportunity to play on that team. There was a drive and motivation to get better as a player each day.”
That has made Christos, who is in conversations with NCAA Division I and Division II programs, not only better but more versatile.
“The beauty with her game is that she can strike the ball with her left foot just as well as her right,” Anweiler said. “It really opens her game up by being able to hit the ball with both feet just as well.”
Christos is all in as the Bearcats, who were regional runners-up last year, try to go further this season. She is determined to help Wheeler return to the lofty heights she remembers from her childhood.
“We’re all rallying around each other,” Christos said. “There are so many seniors on this team who’ve played together for so long that we don’t want this to end. We want to keep it going as far as we can.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
