Team Preview: Wilmington

EDGYTIM.com previews the 2017 Wilmington Wildcats here. For more in depth preseason coverage including state wide team coverage along with daily recruiting news and updates, make sure to subscribe to the EDGY Nation today.

School: Wilmington

Mascot: Wildcats

Conference: Interstate 8 Small Conference

Team Twitter:

Head Coach: Jeff Reents

Assistant Coaches: Barry Southall, Rob Murphy, Bob Bolser, Chad Farrell, Drew Tyler, Mike Bushnell, Mark Langusch, Russ Allred, Tom Fritz, Mark Shell

2016 results: 11-1 (5-0 Interstate 8 Small Conference). The Wildcats made the Class 3A state playoff field defeated Corliss and Byron before losing to Immaculate Conception in the quarterfinal round.

2017 Wilmington Wildcats schedule

8/25 Ottawa H

9/1 Manteno H

9/8 Westmont H

9/15 Peotone A

9/22 Seneca H

9/29 Lisle H

10/6 Reed-Custer A

10/13 Sandwich H

10/20 Coal City A

Returning Offensive Starters

Connor Dempsey/RB/5'9/168/2019

Josh Jones/FB/5'11/230/2018

Blake Geiss/OT/6'3/275/2018

Anders Almberg/TE/6'3/188/2018

Returning Defensive Starters

Connor Dempsey/DB/5'9/168/2019

Josh Jones/LB/5'11/230/2018

Matteo Lombardi/DB/6'0/170/2018

Newcomers to Watch

Jake Hill/OL/6'2/240/2018

Mason Van Duyne/DL/5'10/190/2018

Will Van Duyne/LB/5'10/170/2018

Top Impact Player for Wilmington in 2017? Senior FB/LB Josh Jones. Jones is one of a handful of two-way starters and impact players back for the Wildcats this coming season. Jones will be asked to anchor the Wildcats defense while also being asked to lead the Wildcats power running offense.

Biggest Concern heading into 2017? How well can the Wildcats reload this fall and how are the programs overall numbers? Wilmington had a very senior heavy team inn 2016 and this program has been able to reload year in and year out. Yet with overall declining numbers state-wide (and yes that includes football crazy Wilmington) can Wilmington just pick up and go again?

EDGYTIM's Way Too Early Take on the 2017 Wilmington Wildcats?

Year in and year out very few programs in the state have been as good and/or as consistent as the Wildcats. Wilmington has some questions heading into the season yet between the talent base and one of the state's best coaching staff, don't look for a decline in 2017.

EDGYTIM's Way Too Early regular season record prediction for the Wilmington Wildcats? 9-0/8-1