Wilmington finishes undefeated regular season, takes down Streator 56-18

WILMINGTON – The Wilmington Wildcats kept their hopes of a second consecutive undefeated season alive after cruising to a 56-18 victory over the Streator Bulldogs on Friday night, solidifying a top seed heading into the IHSA playoffs next week.

Wilmington, a No. 2 seed in Class 3A, will host Stillman Valley in the opening round.

The game began with a promising drive from the Bulldogs, who advanced to Wilmington’s 1-yard line but were hindered by penalties that pushed them back and ultimately prevented them from scoring.

The Wildcats seized the opportunity on their opening possession, going on an 84-yard drive that culminated in a 12-yard touchdown run by junior RB Ryan Kettman.

Again, Streator struggled with penalties on its next possession, going three-and-out, allowing Wilmington to capitalize again as senior running back Shawn James scored on a 5-yard run, extending the lead to 14-0.

In a bold move, Streator then attempted a fake punt pass from its own 15-yard line. It fell incomplete. Wilmington answered again on the very next play, with senior QB Lucas Rink connecting with senior RB Kyle Farrell for a 15-yard touchdown, making the score 21-0.

The Bulldogs finally broke through with a 2-yard touchdown run from senior FB Tristan Finley.

Streator was only down two scores with plenty of time left in the game. However, things quickly went from bad to worse in just a couple plays, as Kettman returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown.

Streator got the ball back, but senior quarterback Isaiah Weibel threw an interception to Wilmington sophomore linebacker Declan Moran, who returned it 18 yards for a pick-6.

From there, the momentum stayed on the hosts’ side, as they cruised the rest of the way, going up 49-6 by halftime and pulling their starters for the second half.

Wilmington scored in a variety of ways and with multiple players, as seven different Wildcats found the end zone.

Farrell said the team’s overall vibe after their unbeaten regular season and was excitement, as it was after seeing so many of his teammates find the end zone. The senior finished the game with eight carries for 86 yards and one 15-yard touchdown reception.

“We’re all just excited after finishing the season undefeated and getting a win tonight,” Farrell said. “It’s just really exciting to see your friends score and celebrate together. When everyone is succeeding, it makes the whole team feel a lot better.”

Wilmington head coach Jeff Reents praised the Bulldogs’ effort, particularly their passing game, as Weibel finished the night 17 of 40 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

“I thought their quarterback passed the ball really well. We had to mix things up defensively, but we improved as the game went on,” he said.

As it was senior night for the Wildcats, Reents emphasized the significance of this senior class, many of whom were part of the state championship teams during their freshman and junior years.

“They definitely have high expectations, but it’s a special group of kids who play well together,” he said.

Reents reflected on the game and the season as the Wildcats look ahead to the playoffs.

“It’s a great way to finish the season undefeated and head into the playoffs with momentum. The goal for us was to finish 9-0. The kids accomplished that, and I thought they played really well tonight.”

Streator – a highly unlikely playoff entrant even had it pulled off the upset – finishes the season 3-6 overall. It is a one-win improvement under first-year head coach Matt Cloe. Streator went 2-7 each of the previous two seasons. The Bulldogs finish sixth in the Illinois Central Eight Conference, which Wilmington won.

A good number of the Bulldogs’ starters can return in 2025, though many of this year’s top skill-position players – namely Weibel, Finley, leading rusher Jordan Lukes and the program’s all-time leading receiver, Matt Williamson – are among the Bulldogs’ 16 seniors.