Ottawa Dominates Streator 50-14 in Rivalry Showdown

BREAKING: The Ottawa Pirates crushed the Streator Bulldogs with a stunning 50-14 victory on Friday night, marking their fourth consecutive win over their long-standing rival. This decisive triumph at King Field also highlighted Ottawa’s physicality, as the team rushed for over 300 yards for the second week in a row.

Ottawa head coach Chad Gross emphasized the need for a more physical approach this season, and his squad delivered. The Pirates (2-0) dominated the game, scoring 28 points in the second quarter alone. With this victory, Ottawa now leads the all-time series against Streator (1-1) with a record of 64-38-2 since their first meeting in 1894.

“The goal this season was to be more physical,” Gross stated post-game. “We’ve switched to a more wing-T offense, and our offensive line has really stepped up. It’s not easy to change from throwing the ball frequently to focusing on a ground game, but the players have adapted well.”

The game began slowly, with a scoreless first quarter, until Ottawa executed a 13-play, 67-yard drive capped off by a 7-yard touchdown run from Archer Cechowicz. The Pirates never looked back, taking a commanding lead and forcing Streator into difficult third and fourth down situations throughout the first half.

After Ottawa’s second touchdown, they capitalized on a Streator fumble during the kickoff, leading to a 17-yard TD pass from quarterback Mark Munson to Owen Sanders. By halftime, Ottawa had established a commanding 28-0 lead with a late 39-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Vercolio.

Streator coach Jay Slone commented on the tough matchup: “We struggled to stop them on critical downs. Ottawa played a great game. We need to improve on the little mistakes moving forward.”

In the second half, Streator attempted a comeback, scoring early with a 38-yard pass from Sam Lerette to Layzeric Moton, who then plunged in for a 1-yard touchdown. However, Ottawa quickly countered with touchdowns from Munson and Wes Weatherford, extending their lead to 42-6.

The final quarter saw Streator’s Lerette connect with Sharonn Morton for a 39-yard score, but Ottawa’s Jack Pongracz sealed the game with a 7-yard run, finishing the scoring at 50-14.

Ottawa’s ground game was led by Cechowicz and Logan Mills, who each rushed for 67 yards. Munson completed the game with 92 passing yards on 6-of-11 attempts.

Looking ahead, Ottawa is set to host La Salle-Peru next week in a non-conference matchup, while Streator will open Illinois Central Eight Conference play at Braidwood against Reed-Custer.

This thrilling rivalry matchup showcased Ottawa’s commitment to a more aggressive style of play, leaving fans eager for their next game. Expect updates on both teams as they prepare for their upcoming challenges.