Wilmington completes undefeated season

PEOTONE – The messaging started early Friday night as veteran Wilmington coach Jeff Reents addressed his team, particularly his seniors, with a simple battle cry.

“How do you want this to end?”

The Illinois Central 8 Conference’s decision to end the football season a week early, coupled with the fact there are no state playoffs this season, meant that win or lose, the season was coming to an end for Wilmongton and Peotone at the conclusion of Friday night’s matchup.

And in the end, this group of Wildcats ended things pretty much the same way they started and played in between, putting forth a punishing defensive effort and a meticulous and effective offensive attack in a 24-0 victory that allowed them to capture the conference crown and finish the season undefeated at 5-0.

“Both teams played tough. Its usually smashmouth football with us, and that’s what it was tonight,” Wilmington coach Jeff Reents said. “We played a tough opponent, and we came out with the win. We were very concerned coming off the big win last week [over rival Coal City] about being able to maintain that, especially being on the road.”

It didn’t take long to shake off those concerns. Wilmington got a solid kick return to start the game and needed only three plays for Cody Franzen to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead on a 35-yard touchdown run.

“That was a great play from Cody to really get us going,” Reents said.

Peotone (3-2) tried to respond, but when one of the few sustained drives the Blue Devils were able to get going against the punishing Wilmington defense flickered out, the Wildcats ground out enough positive yardage to set up a 36-yard successful field goal from Allen Richards to stretch its lead to 10-0.

And when Wilmington got the ball back quickly after another stifled Peotone possession, Richards showed he has hands as well, latching onto an 11-yard touchdown reception from Jack Narine to put Wilmington up, 17-0, at the break.

The score stayed that way for a long time because of the efforts of both defenses. Neither team seemed inclined to give up much more than a few yards here or there. And although Wilmington controlled the scoreboard for much of the game, it barely cracked the 200 yard barrier of total offense in the game.

Peotone’s offensive struggles were more severe, as the Blue Devils didn’t crack the century mark until the fourth quarter and only finished with 125 yards of total offense.

“I thought our defense played really well,” Reents said.

Franzen scored his second touchdown of the game from 3 yards out early in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

“We’re very happy – 5-0, especially in this league, couldn’t be happier,” Reents said. “I’m very thankful we had a chance to coach the kids, but it was just a lot of different tonight. They are in a thing of sadness because they know it is it. But hey, we got five games in, and I know a lot of schools didn’t get that. We went undefeated and won the conference, so in that circumstance, goal achieved. And goal achieved in some tough, tough circumstances.”