Triad adds Granite City to football schedule
By Anthony Jones
The Illinois High School Association officially released statewide football schedules recently, including the Triad schedule that is listed below. All games are scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
8/30 at Granite City
9/6 versus Mt. Zion
9/13 versus Alton
9/20 versus Waterloo
9/27 at Jersey
10/4 versus Mascoutah
10/11 at Highland
10/18 at Civic Memorial
10/25 versus Collinsville
The Knights will begin their 2024 campaign on the road against a new face on their schedule: Granite City. The Warriors squad finished with an 0-9 record last season. Granite City’s last winning season came in 2018, culminating in a 5-5 record.
The two programs last met in the spring season of 2021, when the Knights rolled to a 35-14 victory. Their meeting came as part of the six game season after the fall season was canceled due to pandemic restrictions.
Triad’s home opener will come in week two against Mt. Zion, an Apollo Conference opponent. The Braves finished their most recent campaign with a 8-3 record and a second-round playoff exit.
When the two teams met last season, Mt. Zion scored a 39-28 home victory. Their two previous meetings, coming in 2018 and 2019, also resulted in Brave victories.
For the second consecutive season, Triad’s schedule features Alton. Their week three visitors finished last fall with a 1-8 record, marking four consecutive seasons with a single victory.
The lone Redbird victory of the season came against the Knights in a 28-24 final. Their win over the Knights featured a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of action.
Mississippi Valley Conference play opens in week four, which Triad will open with a hosting of Waterloo. The Bulldogs, who finished third in conference standings, finished with a 4-5 record last season.
In their most recent meeting, Triad never trailed enroute to a 41-21 victory. With that win, the Knights extended their winning streak over the Bulldogs to six games.
The following week, Triad will end their two-game road stretch to visit Jersey. When the two league foes met last season, the Knights took an early 28-0 edge and ultimately outlasted the Panthers 28-21.
Triad is riding a four-game winning streak against Jersey, with their last loss coming in a 12-7 final in 2018. The Knights trip to Jerseyville will be their furthest distance traveled during the regular season.
Kicking off the backstretch of their season, the Knights will host Mascoutah in week six. The Indians finished last season with a 2-7 record that included a 1-4 showing in league play.
Their loss to Triad came in a 34-17 decision. The Knights are currently riding a two-game win streak in the matchup, dating back to a 34-14 win in 2022.
Week seven will serve as rivalry week for the Knights, as they will travel to Highland. The Bulldogs are fresh off a 10-2 season that saw them reach the third-round of playoff action.
Their last meeting saw the Bulldogs record a 36-7 win, the lone difference between the top two teams in the Mississippi Valley Conference standings. With their win over Triad last fall, Highland now holds a 2-3 record in their last five bouts with the Knights.
Closing out Triad’s conference and road slate is a week eight contest with Civic Memorial. The Eagles finished last in league standings last year and finished 2-7 overall.
A 51-6 loss to Triad was one of several tough outings last fall for Civic Memorial, who saw the wrong side of a running clock six times. The Eagles’ last winning season came in 2021, when they reached the playoffs with a 7-4 record.
Triad’s regular season will close out against the Collinsville Kahoks. This matchup will mark the twenty-first consecutive season the non-conference opponents have met, with the Knights winning 14 of those 20 contests
Triad won last year’s meeting in a 36-35 final on a last second field goal. The Kahoks amassed a 6-5 record that featured their second playoff victory in program history.
Schedules for other Mississippi Valley teams are listed below:
Highland Bulldogs
8/30 at Breese (Central)
9/6 versus Mahomet (Seymour)
9/13 versus Rochelle at Illinois Wesleyan
9/20 versus Mascoutah
9/27 at Waterloo
10/4 versus Civic Memorial
10/11 versus Triad
10/18 at Jersey
10/25 versus St. Teresa
Mascoutah Indians
8/30 versus Belleville West
9/6 at Sacred Heart-Griffin
9/13 versus Riverview Gardens
9/20 at Highland
9/27 versus Civic Memorial
10/4 at Triad
10/11 versus Jersey
10/18 at Waterloo
10/25 versus Carbondale
Waterloo Bulldogs
8/30 at Mt. Vernon
9/6 at Columbia
9/13 versus Centralia
9/20 at Triad
9/27 versus Highland
10/4 versus Jersey
10/11 at Civic Memorial
10/18 versus Mascoutah
10/25 at Chester
Civic Memorial Eagles
8/30 versus Marquette
9/6 versus East Alton Wood River
9/13 at Roxana
9/20 versus Jersey
9/27 at Mascoutah
10/4 at Highland
10/11 versus Waterloo
10/18 versus Triad
10/25 versus Pontiac
Jersey Panthers
8/30 versus Roxana
9/6 versus Freeburg
9/13 at Charleston
9/20 at Civic Memorial
9/27 versus Triad
10/4 at Waterloo
10/11 at Mascoutah
10/18 versus Highland
10/25 at Columbia
Isaac Ackerman uncorks a pass last season. (Photo by Anthony Jones)
