The daily pitch from Sports Editor Matt Daniels: Oct. 11, 2024

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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:

Three reasons we love sports today

➜ 1. Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman will join 'Monday Night SportsTalk,' at the Esquire from 5-6 p.m. on Monday at the popular downtown Champaign establishment. Can't make it out? Listen in on WDWS 1400-AM and 93.9-FM.

➜ 2. The Cannon is en route to Champaign . Even if Illinois football hasn’t owned it since beating Purdue in 2019, the two nearby Big Ten rivals have played for the trophy every year since 1943 and will do so again on Saturday.

➜ 3. Belated congratulations to Watseka golf coach Darin Hartman , who is retiring as the Warriors coach after 24 seasons. Without fail, Hartman consistently reported results to local media to have his student-athletes recognized. Thank you.

Numbers game: 2

area boys’ soccer teams who are No. 1 seeds when the IHSA postseason begins next week. Centennial holds that distinction in Class 2A, with the Chargers opening the playoffs on Oct. 22 with a regional semifinal match against host and ninth-seeded Charleston. In 1A, Oakwood/Salt Fork is a No. 1 seed and will face either No. 7 Hoopeston Area or No. 10 Schlarman in a regional semifinal match on Oct. 19 in Hoopeston.

Crowd control

Three events I’m paying attention to

➜ 1. Purdue at Illinois football . The Illini will wear their fourth different helmet this season on Saturday, with the four stars helmet worn by Dick Butkus in the 1960s, in use for Saturday afternoon’s kickoff.

➜ 2. Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony . Darrick Brownlow , Laura DeBruler Santos , Janelle Flaws , Robert Holcombe , Herman ‘Pete’ Velasco , Nick Weatherspoon , Frank Williams and Gary Winckler are the newest Hall of Fame inductees. They’ll be honored at 7 p.m. Friday in a free ceremony that is open to the public at State Farm Center.

➜ 3. Paxton-Buckley-Loda at Monticello footbal l. Illini Prairie Conference game should be a doozy on Friday night.

Coach’s corner

Three questions with St. Joseph-Ogden football coach Shawn Skinner. He and the Spartans host Pontiac at 7 p.m. Friday in St. Joseph:

➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are ... the Pittsburgh Steelers and St. Louis Cardinals.

➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are ... Dick LeBeau, Mike Tomlin and Tony Dungy.

➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is ... not being on time. A close second, according to my wife and kids, is not loading the dishwasher correctly.