Win or lose, the seniors on the Wilmington football team knew that when the Wildcats took their home field at Jeff Reents Stadium for Saturday’s IHSA Class 2A state semifinal against El Paso-Gridley, it would be their last time doing many of the football-related things that have come as second nature.

Their last run through the woods and parade of revved up motorcycles. Their last time celebrating touchdowns in the purple and white-checkered end zones. Their last time regrouping in their locker room at halftime.

But it won’t be the last time this group plays a football game together.

Thanks to yet another dominant effort on both sides of the ball, putting together five touchdown drives of two plays or less for the second straight week, the Wildcats (12-1) are headed to their third Class 2A championship game in five years after handling the previously unbeaten Titans 41-0.

“It’s insane,” senior OL/LB Zach Ohlund said. “The atmosphere we have, it’s a good way to go out. Last game, last time in this locker room, last time I’ll ever go out on this field with the fellas. It’s rough to think about, but we’ve got another game ahead of us.

“And it’s a big one.”

The Wildcats were tested out of the gate. The Titans showed their explosiveness immediately when Owen Adams and Chavon Maxon connected for a 29-yard pass, followed by a 14-yard pass from Adams to Braden Gibson and a pass interference in the end zone that promptly put the Titans in the red zone at the Wilmington 14-yard line.

But on fourth-and-6 from the 10, Declan Moran came blitzing from his outside linebacker spot to force Adams into a hurried throw for a turnover on downs. The Wildcats took nine plays to march 90 yards, with sophomore Hunter Kaitschuck’s first of three touchdowns coming on a 12-yard scamper that gave the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead that would only grow from there.

After an ensuing Titans three-and-out, Kaitshuck took the first play of the second Wildcats drive 61 yards untouched to the house. Following a turnover on downs, senior Ryan Kettman scored two plays later from 38 yards out to put the hosts ahead 21-0 after a quarter.

Kaitshuck’s third touchdown, a 38-yarder, came less than two minutes into the second quarter on the second play of a drive. Nate Cupples, who later added an interception, found paydirt on the second play of another drive for a 22-yard TD run midway through the second before Kettman’s 23-yarder – again on the second play of a drive – made the game’s final score with 1:42 in the half and led to a running clock all second half.

Kettman tallied 151 yards on 10 carries, while Kaitshuck (five carries, 122 yards) and QB Billy Moore (three carries, 103 yards) each broke the century mark. The Wildcats ran for 483 yards as a team on 41 attempts and didn’t attempt a pass.

Kaitshuck credited an experienced offensive line for consistently creating wide-open lanes with their dominance in the trenches.

“We have no holes in our offensive line,” Kaitshuck said. “When we go to our blocks, come cross (field), it’s all open.”

The Wilmington defense was just as dominant against a high-octane Titans (12-1) offense that hadn’t scored fewer than 24 points in any of itstheir first dozen games. Adams was 10-of-28 passing for 138 yards, while the run game was held to a net total of 48 yards.

Whether it was in coverage in the flats or creating pressure off the edge, Moran – who had a team-high eight total tackles and a sack – credited head coach Jeff Reents for putting the team in the right spots for success.

“Coach puts me in a good position, a good game plan, good reads,” Moran said. “You’ve got to be smart, got to be a good football player, just realize what’s going on, down and distance and just be aggressive. Coach told me to be aggressive, there’s guys behind me to make plays, and that’s what we did tonight.”

The Wildcats are now turning their attention to their third Class 2A title game since 2021, the first two wins. In their fifth-ever title appearance, the three-time state champions will face Maroa-Forsyth, which defeated Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond 28-6 on Saturday.

“I think they have high expectations,” Reents said of his team. “We’ve got some kids in this group that were on the last team that went to state, and they’ve carried that with them. They’ve carried it in their training in the offseason, and we’ve maintained a high level of play.

“I’m proud of the kids, and I think that’s why we’re at where we’re at.”

The Titans will regroup after their best-ever season, and after bidding farewell to a few vital seniors like RB/LB Nolan Whitman and WR/DB Owen Bergquist, will turn the page to a 2026 season that will include a good chunk of this year’s core.

“It just sucks to not have film on Monday morning, followed by breakfast and going to school,” Titans coach Tanner Benedict said. “We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of time spent with each other this year, and for it to come to an end now is hard. I’m really proud of their effort though.

“This is a special group. They accomplished more than anyone thought, and that mentality they brought day in and day out will carry them forever.”