Wildcats pick the right times for big plays

Wheeling answered Buffalo Grove's opening offensive salvo with some old-fashioned Mid-Suburban League defense Friday.

The Wildcats delighted a homecoming crowd with a 17-13 East victory that made them playoff eligible at 5-2 and set the stage for next week's showdown at Prospect for the inside track to the division title.

The Bison reached the end zone twice in its first three plays, but a holding penalty at midfield negated a 65-yard scoring dash on a direct snap to running back Josh Hampton on the game's first play from scrimmage. Two plays later, J.P. Kulick (16-of-32 for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns) connected on a 60-yard touchdown to Mike Cornely (6 catches for 136 yards and both BG touchdowns) just 25 seconds into the contest.

For nearly the remainder of the game, BG bent the Wheeling defense but couldn't break it until Kulick and Cornely connected again on a 32-yard pass with 1:30 left in the game.

Wheeling's opportunistic defenders picked off 4 Kulick passes, 2 each by Matt Splon and Mike Widmer, and recovered a fumble.

Splon, defending Cornely most of the game, outfought his taller opponent twice, once in the end zone. A possible third pick was ruled out of bounds near the goal line late in the game.

"They weren't looking for any other receiver all night," Splon said. "He was running fades," on both interceptions.

Both of Widmer's picks came on tipped passes, one by Mike Zimmer, the other his own tip.

"The quarterback rolled out, and I tipped it once," Widmer said. "I high-pointed it (grabbed it at its highest point in the air)."

Quarterback Matt Holmes was an efficient 9-of-14 passing, including touchdowns of 1 yard to Zimmer and 6 yards to James Kurtz (5 catches for 44 yards). He rushed for 110 yards on 27 carries and kicked a 32-yard field goal that put the Wildcats (5-2, 3-0) ahead 17-7 with 2:33 left in the game.

"I'm just happy," Holmes said. "Everybody knew this would help us with the playoffs."

A second consecutive trip to the playoffs wasn't on Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar's mind.

"This is about homecoming," Dunbar said. "We'll take it one thing at a time. "

While the loss doesn't eliminate BG (3-4, 1-2) from playoff consideration, the Bison are in a tough spot, having to defeat Elk Grove and Rolling Meadows to become playoff eligible.

"We let controlling our destiny get away," Farrell said. "That's not how we wanted to go into Week 8.

"We were careless with the ball. You can't turn it over 5 times and beat anybody in the Mid-Suburban League."