The Washington football team is anxious to pursue a third consecutive season with double-digit victories.
After back-to-back state quarterfinal appearances, another deep postseason advancement also is high on the list of priorities.
And there is a Mid-Illini Conference championship to defend after the Panthers ended rival Metamora’s five-year title run in 2009.
Needless to say, Washington again is aspiring for greatness under sixth-year head coach Darrell Crouch.
After a busy offseason together, the Panthers are looking forward to seeing someone else on the other side of the ball.
Washington faces Central, now under former Woodruff coach Tim Thornton, Friday in the season opener.
“We’re ready to see where we’re at,” Crouch said.
The biggest question mark remaining is an offensive line that was unsettled heading into last week’s Inside Panther Night.
There are lots of other resounding affirmatives.
Junior quarterback Isaac Fisher returns after a first-team all-M-I season a year ago.
A multi-dimensional threat, Fisher threw for 1,450 yards and 19 touchdowns with only six interceptions as a sophomore. He also ran for 234 yards and four TDs.
Lacking only some individual work planned for this week, Fisher is completely healed from a spring arm injury.
Washington lost nearly 1,900 yards and 35 TDs from the backfield when Justin Riley and Colton Underwood graduated.
Juniors Dylan Reel and Kyle Zimmerman and seniors Eric Jaszarowski and Connor Underwood give the Panthers many different options.
“We have to be able to run the ball to have a chance to win the conference, win in the playoffs,” said Crouch.
Good wide receivers are in abundance this season.
Seniors Ryan Grebner, Camron Johnson, Dashon Sinclair and Kyle Donarski, juniors Dakota Bullard and Kyle Dockery and sophomores Bryce Wright and Mason McCoy are among those capable of contributing in the aerial game.
Juniors Zach Little and Josh Clem are tight-end candidates.
The top two pass catches — Robert Izaguirre and Andrew Watson — combined for 55 receptions for 824 yards and 11 TDs as seniors.
The play of the offensive line will go a long way in determining the course of the season.
Junior Mike Ernst is at one tackle and Brad Kuchenbecker was emerging late last week as the top option at the other spot.
Seniors Matt Friend and Doug Schrock are guards. While Schrock has been out with heat-related issues, junior James Norlin stepped in at his position.
Keil Dossett, a junior, is the center with Friend as his backup.
Jake Moline and Brock Hoover, both sophomores, also are ready if needed at guard. Classmate Austin Miller is another potential offensive lineman.
The defensive line is part of a unit that figures to be fierce.
“We’re optimistic our defense should be pretty good against the run,” Crouch said.
Little is the strong-side end, senior Dylan Koonce is a chief run stopper at tackle, senior Dan Massengill, a second-team all-M-I performer with a team-high 10 tackles for loss, is the nose guard, and Kuchenbecker is lined up at rush end.
Schrock can play any of the four DL slots.
Junior Mason Wright is a possible rush end and seniors Trevor Craig and Nick Sizemore are available at nose guard.
Other D-line reserves are: senior Justin Lacey, juniors Kyle Wilson and Brett Rose and sophomore Kyle Clark.
At linebacker, Jaszarowski is on the strong side, Reel the weak side and Underwood in the middle.
In a first-team all-M-I season in ’09, Underwood topped Washington with 67 tackles and nine sacks.
Clem and junior Charlie Ludolph are second-string linebackers.
Free safety Fisher, coming off a three-pick campaign, and Grebner, a second-team all-conference recipient a year ago, lead the secondary.
Sinclair and Dockery are ready for action at strong safety.
Other defensive backs looking to contribute are: Bullard, Zimmerman and Donarski.
Taking over for first-team all-league kicker Toni Ramadani on extra points will be either Johnson or Fisher.
Chris Friend, a freshman, is getting some looks on field goals, and Fisher and Johnson are working on punting.
Metamora is the team with the strongest chance to unseat Washington in the Mid-Illini.
The teams meet Oct. 15 at the Redbirds’ Malone Field in what could be a battle of unbeatens if the Panthers get past early-season challenges such as Class 5A semifinalist Richwoods and Dunlap.
Crouch thinks the league is on an upswing this fall.
“The conference in general is better this year,” he said.
Career sacks leader Colton Underwood, a two-time first-team all-M-I defensive end, finished his prep career. He now is on Illinois State University’s roster.
Wide receiver Robert Izaguirre running back Justin Riley (twice), guard Mitchell Brown and tackle Grant Dingledine all are first-team picks gone from last year’s offense.
Also from the offense, Randy Bertelsen (guard) and Austin Nichols (tight end) were second-team choices who graduated.
Bertelsen was second on the team in sacks and he ranks fourth in that category on the career list.
Due to its recent success, Washington will get every opponent’s best effort. With the resources they possess, the Panthers should be up to the task.
