Wilmington, Bradley-Bourbonnais link up for summer football action

It’s only July, but Bradley-Bourbonnais football coach Mike Kohl said he had goosebumps as the Boilermakers took their home turf at Doug “Barc” Barclay Memorial Stadium Wednesday evening to host Wilmington for a joint summer workout.

“You talk about Rich Zinanni at Bishop McNamara and Jeff Reents at Wilmington, those two coaches are two of the best coaches, I think, in the Midwest,” Kohl said. “ … I think to be on the field with him and his team, they act right and you can see why they win championships. He does a great job with his program and has great assistants."

The two programs met for an evening that consisted of scrimmages and one-on-one linemen drills. While a meeting between the Class 3A Wildcats and Class 7A Boilermakers might not seem like an obvious summer pairing on its surface, both coaches saw plenty of positives by the time they left the field.

For Reents and the Wildcats, who are coming off of a 12-1 season and state semifinal appearance, the abundance of speed the Boilers posses that has Kohl eager for the season gave Wilmington a look it usually doesn’t see.

“Being a smaller school, we don’t see that (speed) and we can’t duplicate that,” Reents said. “But you see it today and it’s just, wow. It was very clean today, that’s what I loved about it. A lot of respect between players and both coaching staffs.”

Wilmington’s signature double wing offense can be found throughout the state at smaller schools, but as program size increases, the frequency of the old-fashioned, hard-nosed offense is found less often. Kohl and the Boilers will see similar attacks on a few occasions this year, and always could once the postseason rolls around, something they hope to reach for the fourth straight year after a 9-4 2025 that included a trip to the quarterfinals.

“It was great for us to see that type of offense, which we see a little bit during the season,” Kohl said. “It makes us better and it was just a ton of fun.”

Kohl also praised the Wildcats for the physicality and toughness they brought to Wednesday’s proceedings while Reents also appreciated the welcoming atmosphere from a program that offered a different perspective. With scores more players in their program and approximately 1,500 more students in their school, the Wildcats and Boilers both saw the different approaches they take with the same passion.

“It’s great for our kids to see that culture, and I’m sure they’re looking at us with not as many kids and thinking that’s great too,” Reents said. “That’s what I love about local programs coming together and seeing each other. I’m sure they got something out of it, we got a lot out of it, but there’s some difference there and it’s great to see.”

Wednesday also provided the latest opportunity for each team to see their seniors serve in a leadership role during live competition. While senior wing back/linebacker Ryan Kettman has done just about everything in purple and white over the past three years, including an honorable mention All-State junior campaign, his enhanced leadership role as a senior is something new.

“It’s different, for sure,” Kettman said. “It’s weird. It’s different being the guys where everyone is looking up to you. You’ve gotta set a really good example for the younger guys and keep helping the underclassmen.”

The leader of the Bradley-Bourbonnais offense, senior quarterback Ellis Johnson, is new to the starting role but not the offense, working as a backup to Ethan Kohl as a sophomore two years ago and as the backup to Gavin Kohl last year. While he’s more than comfortable with an electric group of skill players, leading the huddle is new, and it’s something he’s embraced over the summer.

“I’ve been prepared for a long time, and that comes with the work I’ve put in each summer,” Johnson said. “I’ve been lucky enough to learn from Ethan and Gavin and I feel ready to go. ... In fourth-quarter situations when the game gets intense, I feel like I’m able to be level.”

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Wilmington's Hunter Kaitchuck, left, looks to run around Bradley-Bourbonnais' Nathan Lindsey during a joint summer workout at Bradley-Bourbonnais Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)