Streator storms past Coal City to close season 10-3

COAL CITY — Some may choose to put an asterisk next to the accomplishments of student-athletes during this COVID-ravished 2020-21 high school basketball season.

But there were accomplishments.

And, most importantly, there was a season.

The 2020-21 Streator Bulldogs, in fact, wrapped up a pretty good one Friday in Coal City, defeating the host Coalers 63-45 to finish with the best record (8-2) in the Illinois Central Eight Conference and post the program’s best winning percentage (.769 with their 10-3 overall mark) since head coach Bill Davies’ Bulldogs went 20-4 (.833) in 1966-67.

“I know it’s a shortened season, half a season, but this is the best winning percentage we’ve had during my tenure,” said 12th-year Streator head coach Beau Doty. “We talked about these things — let’s try to have the best winning percentage, let’s try to finish atop the conference — and had all these little mini-goals.

“For a 29-day season, it’s definitely felt a lot longer than that, in a good way. ... This is a special group, and they can leave with their heads held high knowing they accomplished something great together.”

After a couple slow starts earlier this week in wins No. 8 and 9, Streator left no doubt about win No. 10. The Bulldogs came out like men on a mission, scoring the night’s initial nine points and shooting 90.9% (10 of 11) from the field in the opening quarter en route to a 25-8 advantage by the close of the period.

It was, for the most part, academic after that.

Streator was unable to keep up that insane first-quarter marksmanship, but it didn’t need to, continuing to score at a potent clip with 47.1% (24-of-51) shooting for the game and never allowing the Coalers a significant run. The closest Coal City — led by forward Kyle Burch’s nine-point, eight-rebound, four-steal effort — drew after the first quarter was 13 points, at 37-24, early in the third.

“All of us seniors have been working hard for four years now. For this to be it ... It feels like yesterday we were playing in middle school with each other.”

—  Streator boys basketball coach Beau Doty

The comfortable cushion allowed Doty and his father-son coaching staff of Harry and Bryan Park over the final minutes to bring his main-rotation Bulldogs off the floor one at a time to receive heartfelt congratulations and hugs from their coaches and teammates.

“We got a nice little bow on it at the end,” said Doty. “Obviously we weren’t home tonight, but it was one last time to see those eight (seniors) on the floor. It’s an emotional moment always, but this year it’s weird, because we went into practice yesterday knowing this was our last game, and how do you handle that and stay focused? ...

“It’s such a weird feeling, because normally you’re having this talk after a loss, you know? So it’s a bittersweet moment for sure, but I’m so proud they could go out with a win and at the top of the conference.”

Junior forward Jack Haynes closed out his second strong varsity season with a 16-point, six-rebound performance before being removed with 2:47 to play. Payton Benning dropped in 11 points and posted a game-high six assists, twin brother A.J. Benning contributed 10 points and a team-high four steals, and fellow senior Max Baker had a monster finale with 10 points, nine rebounds, three steals and five blocked shots.

“Today being our last game and knowing it’s going to be our last game, I’ve never had that feeling before,” Baker said in reference to the postseason-less 2020-21 season. “Last year after the regional (semifinal) we lost, it was super bitter. This year we wanted to win a regional, but we didn’t get that chance.

“All of us seniors have been working hard for four years now. For this to be it ... It feels like yesterday we were playing in middle school with each other.”

Seniors Amarion Ford (five points), Sawyer Good (five points), Logan Williamson (two points, three assists), Owen Mascal (two points, four rebounds) and Dewayne Nutall (two points) also scored in their final games as Streator Bulldogs.