Hearts Hope for Happy Homecoming Against Mattoon

The Effingham Hearts can assure themselves a spot in the high school football playoffs for a third consecutive season with a win Friday night over the Mattoon Green Wave. 

Game time is 7pm. It's Homecoming at Klosterman Field. Hear the action on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The Hearts would improve to 6-0 with a win, and that would guarantee a playoff spot. Effingham opened its season with a win at Breese Mater Dei, defeated Lincoln, won at Jerseyville, claimed a victory over Mahomet-Seymour and won at Charleston last week. The Hearts are 3-0 in Apollo Conference play.

Mattoon is 1-4 on the season. The Green Wave lost at Troy Triad 41-7, then defeated Charleston 27-14 in their annual Coles County clash at Eastern Illinois University. Mattoon has dropped its last three games, 35-14 at Mahomet-Seymour, 50-7 to Mt. Zion and 34-13 last week to Taylorville. They are 1-3 in Apollo contests. 

Effingham is rated #8 in Class 4A in this week's state polling.

The Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned at halftime of tonight's game.

Next week, the Hearts begin a two-week road trip at Taylorville and then at Mt. Zion before wrapping up regular season action hosting Freeburg.

Here's a look at area Week 6 matchups:

MATTOON _____ at EFFINGHAM _____

CHARLESTON _____ at Salem ______

LINCOLN _____ at MAHOMET-SEYMOUR _____

TAYLORVILLE _____ at MT. ZION _____

Robinson _____ at Newton _____

Cumberland ____ at Oakland Tri-County ____

Quincy Notre Dame _____ at Breese Mater Dei _____

Casey-Westfield ____ at Lawrenceville _____

Olney Richland County ____ at Flora _____

Columbia _____ at Freeburg _____

Waterloo _____ at Jerseyville _____

Washburn ____ at Martinsville _____

Greenville _____ at Pana _____

Marshall _____ at Paris _____

Central A&M _____ at Shelbyville _____

Vandalia _____ at Hillsboro _____