Hearts to Open 2023 Season at Robinson (UPDATED TO INCLUDE STARTERS)

The Effingham Hearts will open the 2023 football season on the road Friday night.

The Hearts will travel to Robinson to take on the Maroons. Kickoff is now set for 8pm, but that could be pushed back if sufficiently cool temperatures aren't seen by kickoff. Whenever the game starts, it will be aired on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. The remainder of the regular season games will have a 7pm kickoff.

The Hearts open the season minus more than 20 graduated seniors from last year's squad.

The schedule is also significantly different for Effingham this season, as Decatur St. Teresa and Highland are no longer non-conference opponents and Lincoln has left the Apollo Conference to return to the Central State Eight. In their places are Robinson, Mt. Carmel and Centralia. The Apollo Conference has just six members. 

Robinson is a former member of the Apollo and helped establish the conference in 1970 with Charleston, Newton and Paris. Charleston is the last remaining charter school in the conference. Robinson left the conference with Newton for the 2012-2013 season. 

Effingham joined the Apollo Conference in 1981, leaving the Mid-State Conference.

Both Effingham and Robinson reached the playoffs last season.

The Hearts finished last season with a 5-4 record, then lost in the first round to Rochester.

Brett Hefner begins his ninth season as Hearts' varsity coach, heading into the season with a 50-28 record and four playoff appearances as the Effingham mentor. 

Here are the starters for tonight's game:

OFFENSE:

LT--Carson McBride  LG--Landon Wallace  C--Brian Westendorf  RG--Maddox Burner  RT--Seaton Hall  TE--Colton Webb  WR--Brodie Belcher  WR--Andrew Lotz  FB--Hunter Reed  TB--Weldon Dunston  QB--Gaige Gillum  

DEFENSE:

DE--Kayden Mietzner  DT--Eli Middendorf  DT--Charlie Ring  DE--Michael Love  LB--Spencer Fox  LB--Kaden Koeberlein  DB--Camden Raddatz  DB--Logan Kessler  DB--Zach Donaldson  DB--Wade Bushur  DB--Jacob Weaver

SPECIAL TEAMS:

LS--Brock Meltabarger  Punter--Jacob Weaver  Kicker--Maicol Sefton  Punt Returner--Zach Donaldson  Kick Returner--Jacob Weaver  Kick Returner--Weldon Dunston

Here's the Week 1 schedule involving area games:

EFFINGHAM _____ at Robinson ______

Herscher _____ at CHARLESTON _____

MAHOMET-SEYMOUR _____ at Morton _____

MATTOON _____ at Troy Triad _____

Bartonville Limestone _____ at MT. ZION _____

TAYLORVILLE ____ at Olney Richland County _____

Ft. Branch, IND _____ at Mt. Carmel _____

Breese Mater Dei ____ at Columbia _____

Centralia _____ at Salem _____

Shelbyville _____ at Newton _____

Cerro Gordo-Bement _____ at Cumberland _____

Carmi White County _____ at Flora _____

Vandalia _____ at Pana _____