Wilmington enjoys fast start in second-round Class 2A win at Tri-Valley

Wilmington hit the ground running as soon as it got off the bus at Tri-Valley on Saturday, opening up a large early lead and posting a 42-21 victory over the Vikings in a Class 2A second-round football playoff in Downs. The defending 2A state champion Wildcats (10-1) scored touchdowns on their first three offensive plays and owned a 35-0 lead by halftime, qualifying for the Class 2A quarterfinals for the fourth straight year. Just 12 seconds ran off the clock before Wilmington took a lead it would not relinquish. After Colin Strong returned the opening kickoff to the Wildcats’ 49-yard line, Hunter Kaitschuck took a handoff and ran through the Tri-Valley defense for a 51-yard touchdown.The Vikings’ first possession ended in a punt, giving the visitors the ball at their own 40. Kaitschuck answered the call again, taking a toss to the left and winning a footrace to the edge to score once again from 60 yards out. “The question we asked our kids (after the first score) was, ‘Can we keep tha