Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
EDWARDSVILLE – Monday was the traditional date that high school football players and coaches look forward to about this time of the year.
Teams all over Illinois began preseason workouts Monday in preparation for the Aug. 24 season-opening games that begin the road to the eight state championship games Thanksgiving weekend at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
Edwardsville’s Tigers were no exception to the beginning of the preseason training grind as players reported to begin the preparation for EHS’ season-opening game against McCluer North at Tiger Stadium Aug. 24.
“We’ve got a good turnout and kids working hard,” said Tiger coach Matt Martin. “The kids are eager to get better and learn; there’s a lot of positives.”
The Tigers were coming off a break following the 25 summer contact days that the IHSA allows teams prior to the beginning of preseason camps, including three seven-on-seven sessions against area schools. “We had a nice little break; we earned it, but now we’re back at it,” Martin said. “I enjoy being around the kids and I enjoy being around the staff.”
The goals for the first days of preseason are simple; get back into a football routine. “They’ve been off, so who knows how late they’ve been up every night playing video games or whatever,” Martin said. “Who knows if they’ve stayed acclimated the warm weather; the goal is just to get them back in routine and re-hit some of the basic fundamentals.
“In some ways, you backtrack, so you build up all summer; in some ways, you backtrack and try to re-hit some of the basics.”
The Tigers finished 9-4 last season (6-1 in the Southwestern Conference), reaching the semifinals of the IHSA Class 8A Football Championship after overcoming a 0-3 start to the year; the Tigers defeated Huntley, Palatine and Minooka to reach the semifinals in last year’s postseason, where they lost to Wilmette Loyola Academy 17-10 at home. Loyola fell to Frankfort Lincoln-Way East 23-14 in the state championship game at DeKalb’s Huskie Stadium.
The EHS schedule this year has a bit of a different look with Granite City’s departure from the Southwestern Conference; in addition to McCluer North on opening day, Edwardsville will visit CBC in a clash of two of the St. Louis area’s top teams in Week 2 and host Waubonsie Valley of Aurora in Week 4. The Tigers’ SWC opener comes in Week 3 against East St. Louis at home before the game against Waubonsie Valley before league games against Alton, at O’Fallon, at Belleville East, Belleville West and at Collinsville. The state playoffs begin the following week.
More like this:
