Streator’s new weapon, Seneca’s opponent search and more: The Times Week 6 Notebook

More from the Week 6 sideline across The Times coverage area:

Streator FB Finley an emerging threat?

A fourth potent weapon, such as the one senior fullback Tristan Finley proved to be in a homecoming win over Lisle, could be just what the Streator offense has been looking for.

Tailback Jordan Lukes, wide receiver Matt Williamson and dual-threat quarterback Isaiah Weibel have been consistent chain-movers for Streator. It was Finley, however, who broke out in the second half with a pair of touchdown runs – including a 40-yarder right up the middle, splitting the defensive backs almost untouched – to allow the Bulldogs to pull away from Lisle, capping off his 10-carry, 82-yard night.

“It’s probably my fault,” Streator coach Matt Cloe said of Finley’s relatively quiet first half of the season. “We need to utilize him a little more. He is suffering from [a leg injury], so that’s one of the reasons we’ve tried to limit him a little bit, because we use him on defense too, but he’s a hard-nosed kid, a talent, and the trap was there tonight, hitting 6, 7 yards every time.”

“I just want to thank everybody, especially my linemen for those blocks,” Finley said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”

Seneca looking for opponent ... again

Seneca has been informed by Walther Christian, its scheduled Week 7 opponent, that the Broncos will be offering a forfeit for the third consecutive week to a Chicagoland Prairie Conference opponent.

The Fighting Irish currently sit at 6-0 overall before the forfeit. AD Ted O’Boyle said the school is looking for a possible replacement, but regardless of whether they find one, Seneca has clinched at least a share of the conference title heading into its Week 8 visit from the only team that could catch it, Marquette.

Marquette, not so coincidentally, is itself coming off a forfeit victory from Waltham Christian heading into this Friday’s visit from nonconference foe Aurora Central Catholic.

Forfeits have plagued the Seneca program in recent years during its ascendency to the status of small-school powerhouse. The Fighting Irish reluctantly accepted two forfeits (Westmont and Walther Christian) in 2023, one (Watseka) in 2022 and had to find a last-minute game against Clinton to avoid a forfeit (Watseka) in the fall of 2021.

This wasn’t the plan

Speaking of the Chicagoland Prairie and forfeits, due to Waltham Christian’s struggles fielding a team and Aurora Central Catholic’s scheduling of four games against Chicagoland Prairie teams, independent ACC will end the season having played twice as many Chicagoland Prairie teams (four) as Walther Christian (two), an actual member of the conference.

A winning salute to the troops

Like neighboring eight-man team Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland did back in Week 2, the Streator Bulldogs in Week 6 wore special uniforms honoring the Illinois Army National Guard provided by local recruiter Sgt. Kody Montoya.

Also like FCW the week they wore camouflage, the Bulldogs – decked out in olive green uniforms reading “Illinois” across the front and “National Guard” on the back – scored a decisive victory, theirs 41-13 over Lisle.

Even the coaches got in on the tribute with custom-made olive-green shirts with “U.S. Army” patches sewn above the left breast donated by his brother-in-law, veteran Steve Markham.

“I think we represented [the National Guard] well,” Streator coach Matt Cloe said. “I know we’re appreciative for what they’ve done for us, and the kids get excited about it.”

Ottawa and La Salle-Peru once again battle down to the wire

Like in any longtime rivalry, Ottawa and La Salle-Peru have had their share of games that the outcome hinged on the last couple of possessions and the Cavaliers’ 14-7 win over the Pirates Friday in the 126th all-time meeting added to the list.

A look back at the all-time results shows now 48 contests have been decided by seven points or less or almost 40% of the time.

Sandwich not quite done yet

Sandwich’s surprisingly lopsided 49-14 loss at Richmond-Burton last Friday snapped the Indians’ three-game winning streak and dropped them back to .500. It did not, however, halt the Indians’ hope of a second consecutive playoff berth.

At 3-3, Sandwich will all but clinch a playoff appearance with two wins over the next three weeks in matchups with Woodstock, Woodstock North and Marengo.

It should be noted, though, that even if it finishes 4-5, Sandwich might be a prime candidate to grab one of the dozen or so at-large bids for four-win teams Friday Night Drive editor Steve Soucie is forecasting may come to pass when the dust settles on Week 9. Outside of its conference playoff points (combined wins of opponents played), both of the Indians’ nonconference games this season came against teams - Manteno and Wilmington – that are still undefeated.