You could do without panniers and use a small front rack with gear spread between both racks. Cyclo Cross aren't really designed to carry a lot of weight sitting on the rear wheel, not from a durability standpoint but handling. If you're thinking of heavier loads look to move more of it onto low rider front racks/panniers. With 150lbs you can hop off of curbs on any bike, it's all a matter how you land. Once you put dead weight on the bike you aren't hopping much.

Check out Revelate frame bags. If you have a 54cm frame the small will fit, if you've got a 56cm the medium fits. Those bags hold as much as I used to put in a tube shaped handlebar bag.

Regarding choice of wheels you can pretty much put on anything except very light wheels and have them last