Sports

Free Throw Contest open to area boys and girls

Published by admin on Tue, 01/20/2026 - 3:45pm

All boys and girls ages 9 through 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition of the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship.
The Wilmington Knights of Columbus #11149 will host the local contest on Saturday, Jan. 24. Registration will be 8:30 a.m. and competition will begin at 9 a.m. in the St. Rose Parish gymnasium, 626 S. Kankakee St., Wilmington.
All young people, not in another local contest, are invited to participate. Each will vy for the best of 15 consecutive free throws.

IHSA Board calls special meeting of Legislative Commission to address 2026 football start date

Published by admin on Thu, 01/15/2026 - 10:02am

During its meeting on January 14, 2026, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors approved action for Board President Dan Tully to call a special meeting of the IHSA’s Legislative Commission on January 27.

Coalers rule the Rumble

Published by admin on Wed, 12/31/2025 - 2:33pm

The Coal City wrestling team won the 2025 Abe's Rumble trophy on Tuesday in Springfield, finishing 9-0 to claim their 4th Abe's Rumble Dual team title.

Jake Munsterman, Owen Petersen, Cooper Morris, Luke Munstersman, Max Christensen, Aidan Kenney, and Mason Garner all went 8-0 while Noah Houston went 7-0.

They improve to 32-0 and will wrestle at the Princeton Invitational Tournament January 9-10.

Strohm signs to pitch at JJC

Published by admin on Tue, 12/30/2025 - 12:20pm

IHSA expands football playoffs to 384 teams

Published by admin on Wed, 12/17/2025 - 12:13pm

Several significant changes have been approved by members of the Illinois High School Association, including expansion of the Football Playoffs from 32 teams per class to 48 teams per class, increasing the number of total playoff qualifiers from 256 qualifiers to 384 in 2026.

There are no changes to the number of playoff classes in football, which remains at eight. The season start date remains the same (August 10 in 2026), but the first regular-season games will be played one week earlier (August 20 in 2026), eliminating the Week Zero scrimmage.

Champions made by a town

Published by admin on Tue, 12/09/2025 - 3:13pm

Champions are not born, they are made.
And for the Wilmington Wildcats, this 2025 state championship was not forged in one night under the stadium lights. It was built slowly, deliberately, and with the combined strength of an entire town that believes in its boys, its coaches, and its tradition.
Champions are made during the quiet hours—the early-morning workouts in the weight room, the late-night film sessions by coaches, and the countless practices where no crowd is cheering.
They're made from blood, sweat but no tears. This is football, no crying allowed.

Wildcats are State bound

Published by admin on Tue, 11/25/2025 - 4:09pm

When Wilmington takes the field Friday for the IHSA Class 2A State Championship, they'll face one of the most tradition-rich small-school football programs in Illinois: The Maroa-Forsyth Trojans, a perennial contender with a history of deep postseason runs. The 1 p.m. title game sets up a compelling showdown—Wilmington's power-run, ball-control offense against a Maroa-Forsyth program that has made the state finals 12 times in school history, winning two state titles and finishing runners-up seven times under head coach Josh Jostes.

Coal City soccer caps historic season with a state trophy

Published by admin on Tue, 11/11/2025 - 3:06pm

The Coalers achieved a milestone in program history Friday, capturing third place during the 2025 IHSA Class 1A Boys Soccer State Finals.
After a tough semifinal loss to Mendota on Thursday night, they bounced back with a dominant 6-1 victory over the Chicago Academy Cougars on Friday at Hoffman Estates High School.
Coal City finishes with a 24-4 record. Their defensive performance stood out: entering the third-place game, they had allowed only 14 goals in 28 games (about 0.5 goals per game).

Fast attack ‘Cats to square off against undefeated Seneca

Published by admin on Tue, 11/04/2025 - 1:34pm

The Wilmington Wildcats will hit the road Saturday to face a familiar foe — the undefeated Seneca Fighting Irish (10-0) — in the second round of the Class 2A football playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Seneca.
Seneca, led by head coach Terry Maxwell, captured the Chicagoland Prairie Conference title this fall behind a dominant ground game and stingy defense. Through 10 games, the Fighting Irish have outscored opponents 439–165, averaging more than 43 points per game while allowing just over 16.

Coalers-Dixon to 'duke' it out again

Published by admin on Tue, 11/04/2025 - 1:06pm

One team has averaged 50.1 points per game while allowing just 7.1.
The other has averaged 43.7 while giving up just 12.3.
Sounds like quite the recipe for a playoff battle and for the second consecutive year, the Coalers will face Dixon in the playoffs, but this time it's on the road Friday night at 7.
The Dukes play in the always tough Big Northern conference where four teams made the playoffs. Their lone loss was to unbeaten Byron 28-7 in week two and they faced little resistance from Woodstock North in the opening round, winning 45-0.