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It's never too early to start thinking about the Washington football season.
Time to take a glance at the schedule, which, beginning this year, features the two non-conference games in weeks one and two (Aug. 27 and Sept. 3).
The Panthers, coming off an 11-1 season in 2009, play three straight road games to open the '10 campaign before playing four of their final six in the regular season at Babcook Field.
The signature game obviously is Oct. 15, when Washington goes to Malone Field to face defending Class 4A state champion Metamora.
Last year, the Darrell Crouch-coached Panthers ended Metamora's five-year run atop the Mid-Illini Conference by trouncing the visiting Redbirds Sept. 4, 28-7.
Another game that stands out is the second-week trip to Peoria, where Richwoods will try to reverse recent history. Washington won three of four games in a non-league series that ran most recently from 2004-07.
The Knights are 45-11 (.804) over the last five years, including a 5A state semifinal appearance a year ago.
In four of the last five weeks this fall, the Panthers will face a team that missed the '09 postseason.
After back-to-back state quarterfinal appearances in the last two seasons and a 21-3 cumulative record, hopes are appropriately lofty for Washington.
Bryan Veginski is the Tazewell County Sports Editor for TimesNewspapers.
It's never too early to start thinking about the Washington football season.
Time to take a glance at the schedule, which, beginning this year, features the two non-conference games in weeks one and two (Aug. 27 and Sept. 3).
The Panthers, coming off an 11-1 season in 2009, play three straight road games to open the '10 campaign before playing four of their final six in the regular season at Babcook Field.
The signature game obviously is Oct. 15, when Washington goes to Malone Field to face defending Class 4A state champion Metamora.
Last year, the Darrell Crouch-coached Panthers ended Metamora's five-year run atop the Mid-Illini Conference by trouncing the visiting Redbirds Sept. 4, 28-7.
Another game that stands out is the second-week trip to Peoria, where Richwoods will try to reverse recent history. Washington won three of four games in a non-league series that ran most recently from 2004-07.
The Knights are 45-11 (.804) over the last five years, including a 5A state semifinal appearance a year ago.
In four of the last five weeks this fall, the Panthers will face a team that missed the '09 postseason.
After back-to-back state quarterfinal appearances in the last two seasons and a 21-3 cumulative record, hopes are appropriately lofty for Washington.
Bryan Veginski is the Tazewell County Sports Editor for TimesNewspapers.
