Hearts Host Mt. Zion on Military Appreciation Night Friday

The Effingham Hearts will be looking to post their first victory of the football season when they host the Mt. Zion Braves Friday night. It will be Military Appreciation Night, with proceeds from T-shirt sales benefiting Effngham Disabled American Veterans Chapter 7. Players will be wearing special camo jerseys.

Game time is 7pm at Klosterman Field, as the Hearts close out a three-game homestand to start the season. Hear the action on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Friday's game is also WCIA-TV's feature game of the week. They are conducting a collection of non-perishable food items at the high school. Items being sought include canned meats, canned complete meals like ravioli and Spaghettios, canned beans and other vegetables, canned fruit, boxed meals and peanut butter. Central Illinois Foodbank will set up a table at the front gate of the game site to collect money and food items. They will also use volunteers to collect donations during the game. 

Effingham is 0-2 on the campaign, having lost 26-19 to Breese Mater Dei on Opening Night, then lost 64-20 to Taylorville in the conference opener as the Tornadoes poured it on in the fourth quarter.

Mt. Zion is off to a 2-0 start, with a heavy emphasis on defense. The Braves beat Bartonville Limestone 12-6 in their opener, then won 13-3 over Lincoln in their conference opener last week.

The Hearts rolled up 330 yards in rushing and receiving last week, split almost exactly evenly between passing and rushing.

Next week, Effingham begins a three-game road trip with action at Lincoln.

Here's the schedule for this week (APOLLO CONFERENCE SCHOOLS IN CAPS):

MT. ZION _____ at EFFINGHAM _____

CHARLESTON _____ at TAYLORVILLE _____

LINCOLN _____ at MATTOON _____

MAHOMET-SEYMOUR _____ at Mascoutah _____

Red Hill _____ at Olney Richland County _____

Casey-Westfield _____ at Newton _____

Flora _____ at Robinson _____

Arcola _____ at Cumberland _____

Belleville Althoff _____ at Breese Mater Dei ______

Gillespie ______ at Pana ______

Vandalia _____ at Greenville _____

Murphysboro _____ at Carterville _____

Farmer City-Blue Ridge _____ at Macomb _____