Adversity Hits Wheat, but It Can’t Stop Him

The one-man show ended in one-tenth the time it takes Anthony Wheat to run from one end zone to the other.

He had already made a run at the record books by intercepting four passes in a game -- one away from tying the Southern Section record -- when Wheat was finally stopped in the fifth game of the season.

By a knee injury.

A double-threat quarterback and free safety at Compton Dominguez High, Wheat tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last October while being flushed out of the pocket, losing any chance he had at the Southern Section record of 17 interceptions in a season.

College recruiters also lost interest in Wheat, backing off when they heard the results of his MRI test.

That’s debilitating news for most high school seniors, but not necessarily for Wheat. In the big picture of his life, an injury was hardly a setback.

Wheat has never met his father. He doesn’t know where his dad lives. He doesn’t know where he works. He doesn’t devote much time to thinking about his father.

“I don’t even worry about that,” he said.

He has lived with his grandparents since his mother, Andrea, gave birth to him when she was 13.

“They were there for me, telling me what to do, what was good and what was bad, putting me on punishment if I did something wrong,” Wheat said. “They’ve been special.”

It was an easy decision for Allen and Josephine Brown to become the cornerstone of their grandson’s life. They knew their daughter would need help with little Anthony. She was about to enter 10th grade when he was born.

“His grandfather and myself have been mom and dad,” Josephine Brown said. “We’ve been right there with him.”

Wheat sees his mother, who lives in nearby Gardena, at least once a week, but most of his memorable experiences have been shared with the Browns.

They were the ones who dropped him off for his first day of school. They were the ones on the sidelines when he started playing flag football in grade school. They will be the ones who help him pack when he leaves for college.

The Browns didn’t attend many games in Wheat’s high school career -- they don’t fully understand football -- but coaches have never stopped telling them about Wheat’s talent on the field.

In one game last season, a 20-0 victory over Compton, Wheat intercepted four passes, returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, threw two touchdown passes and forced a fumble. The only time Wheat came out of the game was on kickoffs and punts.

“That’s when people started looking at me,” Wheat said. “But then I got hurt the next game.”

In his shortened season, Wheat, 6 feet 1 and 205 pounds, returned two kickoffs and a punt for a touchdown. He scored and passed for a combined 12 touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted seven passes.

Too many schools to name were chasing Wheat.

Nebraska told him he’d back up Jammal Lord at quarterback and replace him when he leaves. USC wanted him for its traditionally strong secondary. California, Washington, Michigan State, Illinois all wanted Wheat.

Then came the ACL tear. The nightly phone calls slowed to a trickle.

Oregon State, one of the few schools that still pursued, was the winner in Wheat’s mind.

“They were there from the start and after a couple schools started dropping off, they kept coming, saying they really wanted me,” Wheat said.

Wheat accepted a scholarship to Oregon State. He leaves in two weeks.

“I plan on going up there and starting,” Wheat said. “I don’t want to relax on the bench. I want to get some playing time.”

Last season, Dominguez was expected to challenge for the Southern Section Division III title but had to retool when Wheat went down, scrapping its down-the-field spread offense for a run-oriented wing-T attack.

The Dons were OK in league play but lost in the quarterfinals, where Wheat could have made a difference.

“It was rough for me, sitting on the sidelines,” he said. “We were just getting started and everybody was getting together. We were ready to take it to the championship. When I got hurt I saw it all go down.”

Wheat is fully recovered. He was selected MVP of the annual 605 All-Star game in Whittier last month, rushing for 52 yards in five carries and throwing a touchdown pass. Said Wheat: “I feel like I’m real again. I feel even better than before [the injury].”

He will play in the secondary on the public-schools team in tonight’s Shrine All-Star game at Mt. San Antonio College.

It will be Wheat’s final game before he goes to college.

“Can’t wait,” Wheat said. “I’m really looking forward to my future.”

*

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SHRINE CLASSIC

Today, 5 p.m., FSN2

at Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut

* Fast fact: The game features the inaugural format of public-school players vs. private-school players from Southern California for the 52nd Shrine game. Previously the game had formats of North vs. South and California vs. Texas.

* Tickets: $12 general admission.