Streator celebration doesn’t last as Ottawa scores final 42 points of 42-14 victory

STREATOR – In his final words after having Streator’s football field named in his honor, Streator High graduate and Cleveland Browns legend Doug Dieken garnered a huge cheer from the sizable crowd with the closing, “Let’s go beat some Pirate booty.”

The Ottawa Pirates, however, didn’t cooperate in Dieken and the Bulldogs’ celebration plans.

After Streator scored the first 14 points on an impressive opening drive and an electrifying Aneefy Ford pick-6, Ottawa closed out Friday’s Route 23 Rivalry – the state’s third-oldest, dating to 1894 – with 42 unanswered to best the Bulldogs, 42-14, at the newly christened Doug Dieken Stadium.

“Streator made some plays there in the first half,” Ottawa coach Chad Gross said, “and we had a lot of self-inflicted stuff that we have to clean up, no questions about it. ... It was big night for Streator, field dedication, the crowd’s into it, and you kind of see our kids. How are they going to respond there down 14-0?

“And they did a great job, look within, and that’s the character of this team. That’s what I expect of them, and 42 unanswered [points], that’s just a phenomenal job by these guys tonight.”

Like it did the week before in a win over Plano, Ottawa (2-0) dominated possession of the ball in the second half, at one point running 23 offensive plays to Streator’s six before the Bulldogs strung together a few fourth-quarter first downs with the game out of reach.

The Ottawa offensive line – Michael Mills, Tanner Coglianese, Alex Perez, Henry Alexander and Payton Carretto – and running backs Ryder Miller (15 carries for 103 yards, three TDs) and Julian Alexander (13 carries for 105 yards) took over a game in which the Pirates converted 27 first downs to Streator’s 11 and outgained the Bulldogs in yards from scrimmage, 431-145.

“I think we’ve got to do a better job managing our emotions – can’t get too high, can’t get too low,” Streator coach Kyle Tutt said. “Our guys are talking about that, it’s not something I’m talking about, so I think our guys understand where we’re at.

“Ottawa did an excellent job containing, I thought their defensive game plan was great, they beat us up on special teams with the way they controlled field position. When you’re in those situations and then you turn the ball over five times, four in the second half? It makes it real difficult.”

Ottawa quarterback Colby Mortenson ran for 30 yards, and passing was 11 of 13 for 146 yards, two touchdowns and the aforementioned interception. His main targets were Packston Miller (four catches, 93 yards and a TD) and Levi Sheehan (four receptions, 40 yards and a touchdown). Garrett Cupples recorded 2 1/3 tackles for loss for the Pirates defense, Sheehan had an interception and a pass defensed, and Conner Price added interceptions No. 8 and 9 of his varsity career in a dominant second half.

“After that pick-6, everybody was down, we just weren’t ourselves,” Price said. “I was just like, ‘Come on, come on, you guys got to get up, we’re not out of this game,’ and that’s exactly what we did. We scored 42 unanswered points, and we came here and did what we needed to do.”

After a hot start that included the dedication ceremony followed by Streator (1-1) taking the opening kickoff and driving 78 yards on nine plays, culminating in a 7-yard touchdown connection, Christian Benning to a transfer from Ottawa this school year, DJ White, the Bulldogs’ defense added another TD. Ford jumped a Mortenson deep ball, intercepted it at his own 15 and returned it 85 yards up the east sideline for a pick-6. Isiah Brown’s 2PAT run made it 14-0 in favor of the hosts.

That was the end of the celebrating for Streator, however, as Ford was limited to 34 yards on 16 carries, Benning finished 7-of-20 passing for 65 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions, and the Bulldogs managed only six more first downs after converting five on their opening drive.

Streator will be back in action Friday for its Illinois Central Eight Conference opener at Herscher. Ottawa will be on the road as well Friday, visiting Harvard for a Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 crossover.