When two high school football teams separated by eight miles go at it, it’s always an important game for both neighboring, all-too-familiar schools. The Route 9 Rivalry game between Tremont and Dee Mac is such a game, and it kicks off the 2017 IHSA high school football season on our Red Zone Game of the Week presented by Illinois National Bank on 95.5, GLO.
Added to the mix this year is Dee Mac is the defending Class 2A state champions. The high-scoring Chiefs broke through for their first football state title, after finishing runner up in 1987 and reaching the semifinals in 2010. Head coach Job Linboom is looking for new faces to step in and propel the Dee Mac offense, as most of the champion team’s starters graduated, like All Stater Jared Reese, from a prolific group.
Tremont has a new coach, former Dee Mac star player, Zach Zehr, who coached Arcola to a state football championship in 2015 over Stark County in Class 1A. Zehr brings a stellar 34-10 record from Arcola over to Tremont, where longtime head coach Lou Wicks retired after 20 years there.
Former Peoria Pirates assistant coach and starting lineman for the University of Illinois, Tony Johnson and I will be in Tremont for the main game. Red Zone veteran Tom Meredith will call some play by play and give scoring updates from our secondary game at Peoria Stadium, where the defending Class 5A state champion Peoria High Lions host Normal West. Jason Glick is back to track all the scores from all the other area games on opening night.
Listen every Friday night on our booming FM signal or, if you’re out of the area or know family, friends or alums who want to listen, go on line at this website or listen via smart phone by downloading our free station app.
The Friday night lights go on this week, and we’re ready with double header coverage. Pregame show, featuring interviews with Linboom and Zehr, begins at 6:30 pm, kickoff’s at 7. The Red Zone Game of the Week presented by Illinois National Bank on Peoria’s home for classic rock and football, 95.5, GLO.
Doc Watson
