Volume 2 – Issue No. 8

If we had known how the game was going to evolve, we could have billed it as the “Steve Liaromatis Show”. Many young athletes have dreamed of being in a situation where something happens in a game, and all of a sudden they find themselves in the spotlight. Something like being at the plate with the bases loaded and two out with the tying run at the plate. Steve was up to the challenge and delivered big-time. So did some others. In our first 7 games, Steve had carried the ball a dozen times total for 133 yards and 2 TD’s. Friday night, he had 25 carries for 144 yards and 2 TD’s.

Jeremy Bailey only touched the ball twice in the Coal City game, and the first of those didn’t count because of a holding penalty. The second one went for 27 yards and set up Jayson Conlin who took it in on the next play to bring us even with the Coalers at 6-6 for the moment. On that second carry, Bailey came away limping and didn’t return the rest of the night. With Bailey a spectator, Liaromatis was pressed into service at Jeremy’s wingback spot.

That created an opening at tight end where Steve usually hangs out, but senior Ryan Osburn came in and did a nice job blocking. The injury bug wasn’t done biting the Wildcats for the evening. Early in the second quarter, Ty Farmer went down and ended up riding off the field on the fire department’s six-wheel buggy to a waiting ambulance. Senior Bobby Warren came in to take over Farmer’s duties in the O-Line and did a good job.

Coal City came out throwing and jumped into the lead in the first two minutes, but Trent Howard blocked the PAT (the first of his two blocked Coal City PAT’s). Less than five minutes later, Conlin scored, and Berndt’s PAT put us into the lead. On the strength of three more passes, Coal City responded and re-took the lead less than two minutes later.

Blake Olson returned the ensuing kickoff to the Coalers’ 17, and 59 seconds and two plays later Liaromatis took it in from the 11 to give us a 14-13 lead. Our defense stiffened and recorded their first three-and-out as the first period neared an end. This time it was Ty Anderson who came out throwing and connected on a 46-yarder to Trent Howard. Two plays later, Ty sneaked in from the 2 to increase our lead to 21-13.

The Wildcat defense got it going after that score. Coal City’s four possessions of the second period resulted in two three-and-outs, a fumble on first down, and a safety on a play that started third-and-five at the Coaler 9-yard line. Coal City punted to us after the safety and we used up the rest of the first half on a drive that ended with junior Trae Berndt adding a 23-yard field goal as time ran out. We had them doubled, 26-13, at intermission.

Coal City scored first in the third period to close to 26-19, and then missed a 30-yard field goal that would have closed the gap to 26-22. We took over at the 20, and started on what was arguably our best scoring drive of the season. Our guys covered the 80 yards on 13 plays, all on the ground. Steve Liaromatis got the call on nine of those, with Garrett Saulters and Ty Anderson each carrying once. The other two rushes, including the 6-yard score, belonged to Jayson Conlin.

We simply ran the ball down Coal City’s throat. They seemed to know that Steve was going to get the ball, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it. Alex Peterson and Bobby Warren blocking on that right side opened up some huge holes.

Coal City has a nice passing attack. They have a tall junior QB who has a stable full of talented pass-catchers. Their running game, however, was almost MIA. On 16 rushing plays for the game, they netted a total of just 7 yards. All six of their first downs came through the airways.

Our pass defense had a tough first quarter allowing 6 of 7 completions for 124 yards, but the rest of the game, our defense limited them to 6 of 18 for 113 yards and a pick.

It was a true team effort. Nick Anderson’s punts continue to get longer and higher. Even when he hit a short one, it bounced up and hit a Coal City player in the back, so we retained possession. Ty Kane was effective on D, and juniors Kyle Bardel and Will Jansen shared a spot on the O-line effectively. Trae Berndt kept his perfect streak of good PAT’s alive and has hit 41 of 41, plus three field goals, in the first eight games.

Well, this coming week we head up to Sandwich where the two teams will put their 2010 undefeated records on the line. Wilmington also has a streak of 30 consecutive regular season wins heading into this one. As you pass through Plano on the way there, you might want to toot your horn and invite Plano to come to Wilmington if they want to watch playoff football.

This is the week that the analysts go through reams of paper trying to sketch out playoff possibilities. Before this week’s action 162 playoff spots have already been secured, with 94 yet to be claimed. Thirty-eight teams are 8-0, including four tentatively penciled in the 3A field.

The Sandwich Indians sure appear in the papers to be much stronger than in several years. The last time our Wildcats lost to them our current seniors were still in diapers. It was 1993, the year before Mr. Reents became the head coach here. Before that, we’d dropped eight games in nine from 1985 to 1993, so don’t apologize for having won the 14 games with them.

The Varsity Players of the Week for the game against Westmont were juniors Al Peterson (#57) on Offense, and Brennan Bryan (#29) on Defense, although both of them play both ways. From the fresh-soph game, which we won by a 38-7 score, the coaches selected Josh Fowler (#52) as Player of the Week. On Tuesday of last week, our freshmen defeated the Lockport Central freshman “C” team 24-6, and Zane Davis (#85) won this week’s medal for Freshman POTW.

In the fresh-soph game up at Westmont, during kickoff return coverage, Wilmngton’s No. 7, Tyler Bruciak, sustained a season-ending injury. Our coaches were on the field almost immediately, and never can I recall coaches calling for an ambulance that quickly. From our vantage point in the bleachers, it appeared that his foot was pointing in an odd direction in relation to his leg and body. It was broken, but he is expected to heal completely. Coach Reents spoke glowingly of the help from the Westmont staff and ambulance crew.

Congratulations to senior Ashley Howard who represented WHS at the State Golf Tournament at Decatur last weekend. Her 36-hole score of 186 placed her in a tie for 42nd place among the 108 girls competing. Except for six girls from Westmont, Ashley was the only I-8 golfer in Class A. The only Westmont gal to beat her carded a score of 172, which placed her 19th. The Medalist was from Byron with a score of 156. She had 22 pars, 13 bogeys and a birdie in her 36 holes. That would make plenty of adult men envious.

Getting to Sandwich is not tough, especially if you compare it to Westmont! I’d suggest getting on I-55 northbound at New River Road and exiting onto Route 59 at Shorewood. In Shorewood, take Route 52 west to Route 47. Turn right onto Route 47 and go through Yorkville to the intersection of Route 34. Turn left onto 34 and travel west all the way through Plano and about 2.5 miles more to Sandy Bluff Road. Turn left and go south about .75 of a mile to Lyons Road. Turn right onto Lyons Road and the high school will appear on your right in about a half-mile.

On the way home, you might want to take Route 47 all the way to Morris and come home through Lorenzo because they’re doing paving work on southbound I-55 at night. Watch for slow-moving farm machinery and fast-moving deer.

Bill Francis

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