Schedule change pits Panthers against playoff-caliber foe in Saturday contest

CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Central football team is prepping for the postseason with a playoff-like showdown thanks to a late-in-the-week schedule change.

North Greene will not field a varsity team this week due to “the large amount of injuries and players under team discipline,” according to a statement from the Spartans athletic department which was shared on Twitter on Wednesday night.

It means Saturday’s game at Central is scrubbed.

“With the limited number of players available, the majority being freshmen and sophomores, we feel that it is in the best interest of player safety that our young athletes do not compete at this level,” the statement read.

It didn’t take long for Central to find an opponent, one that promises to put the state-ranked Panthers to the test. Moweaqua Central A&M will travel to Camp Point to play at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Raiders were originally supposed to play Sullivan/Okaw Valley this week, but the program canceled its varsity season due to low numbers. Moweaqua Central A&M hadn’t found a replacement until this week.

The Raiders are 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the Central Illinois Conference and are coming off back-to-back wins in which they outscored their opponents 72-6.

Both of those opponents — Warrensburg-Latham and Macon Meridian — have winning records.

“Should be a great game and a great atmosphere getting ready for the playoffs,” Central coach Brad Dixon tweeted.

Moweaqua Central A&M coach Brent Weakly is in his seventh season at the helm, and he led the Raiders to the playoffs in both 2017, 2018 and 2019, with a Class 1A state championship game appearance in 2019. 

Central currently ranked fourth in the Class 1A state poll, while Moweaqua Central A&M is ranked eighth.