High School Football Schedules Released

The Illinois High School Association and MaxPreps released the 2017 football schedules for this fall.

The 2017 season culminates with Destination DeKalb, as the IHSA Football State Finals (November 24-25) return to Northern Illinois University's Huskie Stadium in DeKalb. But before the state games can take place, there is a nine-week regular-season to determine the 256 playoff qualifiers.

Effingham High School opens the season Friday, August 25 by traveling to Breese Mater Dei for the 7 p.m. contest.  The Hearts will be on the road for the first three games heading to Taylorville September 1 and at Mount Zion September 8.

Then it's three straight home games against Lincoln September 15, Macomb September 22 and Mahomet-Seymour September 29.

The Hearts go on the road again October 6 for a game against the Trojans in Charleston.

EHS will then finish out the regular season at home hosting Mattoon October 13 and Salem October 20.

EHS competes in the Apollo Conference and those games have been split up this season. EHS opens with a non-conference opponent in Mater Dei before taking on three straight conference opponents in Taylorville, Mount Zion and new to the conference, Lincoln. Following the non-conference game against Macomb, EHS then plays another new conference matchup against Mahomet-Seymour before meeting conference opponents Charleston and Mattoon. Then it's a non-conference finale against Salem, out of the conference but still a Hearts' opponent.

Lincoln and Macomb replace Jerseyville and Highland on the Hearts' football schedule.

Effingham Schedule

(* -- conference games)

August 25 -- at Breese Mater Dei, 7 p.m.

September 1 -- at Taylorville, 7 p.m.*

September 8 -- At Mount Zion, 7 p.m.*

September 15 -- Lincoln, 7 p.m.*

September 22 -- Macomb, 7 p.m.

September 29 -- Mahomet-Seymour, 7 p.m.*

October 6 -- at Charleston, 7 p.m.*

Octber 13 -- Mattoon, 7 p.m.*

October 20 -- Salem, 7 p.m.

Cumberland Pirates

Cumberland, playing in the Little Okaw Valley Southeast Conference, will hit the road for four straight games at Decatur Lutheran, Sullivan-Okaw Valley, Niantic Sangamon Valley and Martinsville.

The Pirates open the conference season at Martinsville then play host to Palestine Co-op and Oblong in conference action. They are at Oakland Tri-County Co-op for a conference matchup October 6.

Cumberland then finishes out regular season play hosting Villa Grove in a conference contest October 13 and hit the road to Argenta-Oreana for a non-conference matchup to end the regular season.

Cumberland Schedule

(* -- conference games)

August 25 -- at Decatur Lutheran, 7 p.m.

September 1 -- at Sullivan-Okaw Valley Co-op, 7 p.m.

Septmeber 8 -- at Niantic Sangamon Valley Co-op, 7 p.m.

September 15 -- at Martinsville, 7 p.m.*

September 22 -- Palestine Co-op, 7 p.m.*

September 29 -- Oblong, 7 p.m.*

October 6 -- at Oakland Tri-County Co-op, 7 p.m.*

Ocotboer 13 -- Villa  Grove, 7 p.m.*

October 20 -- Argenta-Oreana, 7 p.m.

Newton Eagles

Newton competes in the Little Illini Conference along with Red Hill (Bridgeport), Casey-Westfield, Flora, Lawrenceville,  Marshall, Olney, Paris and Robinson.

The Eagles open with a non-conference contest at home against Georgetown-Ridge Farm August 25 and will then open conference play at Casey-Westfield.

Newton then has seven straight conference games. The Eagles host Lawrenceville, travel to Red Hill, host Robinson and Flora then hit the road to Marshall before finishing out the home portion of the regular season against Olney October 13. The Eagles travel to Paris for the regular season finale October. 20.

Newton Schedule

(* -- conference games)

August 25 -- Georgetown-Ridge Farm, 7 p.m.

September 1 -- at Casey-Westfield, 7 p.m.*

September 8 -- Lawrenceville, 7 p.m.*

September 15 -- at Red Hill (Bridgeport), 7 p.m.*

September 22 -- Robinson, 7 p.m.*

September 29 -- Flora, 7 p.m.*

October 6 -- at Marshall, 7 pm..*

October 13 -- Olney, 7 p.m.*

October 20 -- at Paris, 7 p.m.*