The Charleston High School football team kicks off Apollo Conference play against Effingham tonight, aiming for its first Apollo Conference win since 2023. 

Of course, one of the losses in a winless 2024 conference slate was to the Flaming Hearts (2-1). However, there’s some key differences from last year’s matchup. 

With the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene impacting the on-field play, the game saw wind gusts as high as 56 miles per hour and heavy rain. Both teams were forced to keep the ball on the ground, which worked in the favor of Effingham’s run-heavy offense. 

But now with their unusually pass-heavy offense compared to past Effingham teams, the Flaming Hearts may be thankful that the chance of even a light shower is only marginal. 

Leading that air raid offense is the same starting quarterback from last year, senior quarterback Jaxson Bridges. But this season, he has already thrown for 815 yards which is 95 yards shy of his 2024 total, according to MaxPreps. 

However, despite being able to move the ball, Bridges has struggled to keep it in his team’s possession, throwing five interceptions and fumbling three times. Three of those interceptions and two of the fumbles came last week in the Flaming Heart’s 24-14 win over Mater Dei. 

“We need to get pressure on the quarterback first and foremost,” Charleston head coach Brian Halsey said. “When he gets happy feet, he tends to be a little bit arrant with his throws.” 

The Trojan defense have gotten an interception in two of their three games.  

Halsey said Effingham being reliant on the pass plays to his team’s strengths, and they want the Flaming Hearts to have to run the football to beat them. 

Charleston’s run defense has struggled this season, but the Flaming Hearts’ ground game is also struggling and hasn’t gained 60 yards in a game yet this season. In week one, Effingham only totaled 11 yards on 20 carries in a 42-7 loss to Breese Central. 

The passing game for the Trojans (2-1) has been steadily progressing. Junior Wyatt Gordon, who is playing his first ever season of organized football, has completed six passes each game but has progressed from throwing 44 yards in week one to 95 yards against Carterville, the No. 10-ranked team by the Associated Press in the Illinois High School Association’s 4A class, last week. 

“Wyatt [Gordon] finally had some time and threw the ball well,” Halsey said. “We threw the ball more than we have all year. But just keep building on what we do and giving kids confidence through repetition.” 

Improvement week-to-week has been a big focus all season, especially now after playing a ranked opponent in a higher class and heading into conference play. 

“The emphasis this week is not only physically getting better, but also mentally,” Hasley said. “When the body gets tired, it tries to take over the mind and we got to work through that and not make those mental mistakes.” 

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Trojan Hill tonight. 

Bryce Parker can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].