The Washington Blue Lions open the 2024 football season with a game at London against the Red Raiders.

The former South Central Ohio League opponents played last season at Gardner Park, with London winning that game, 62-14.

London went on last year to have a very fine season, going 11-1.

The Red Raiders won the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division, which included Bellefontaine, Jonathan Alder, Kenton Ridge Springfield Shawnee and Tecumseh.

London joined the CBC in 2018 after leaving the Mid-State League.

London won its first 11 games last season before falling to conference rivals Bellefontaine in the second game of the playoffs.

London defeated Chillicothe last year, 21-0 and then walloped Western Brown, 49-14.

The Red Raiders beat Shawnee, 26-14 and rolled over Graham Local, 41-3.

In the first meeting with Bellefontaine last year, London won decisively, 36-6.

London beat the Pioneers of Jonathan Alder in a shoot-out, 57-48 and then shutout Tecumseh, 63-0.

There followed a 48-0 win over Kenton Ridge and then to wrap up the regular season, London trounced Urbana, 49-7.

In the first game of the playoffs, London beat Columbus Beechcroft, 57-8.

The Blue Lions went 5-5 in the regular season last year under then first-year head coach David Everson.

Washington earned a playoff berth, traveling to Cincinnati Wyoming, where they fell, 42-0.

Washington has 14 seniors on this year’s team.

They are: Caleb Barton, offensive and defensive line; returning starting quarterback Gavin Coffman, who also plays defensive back; Kaden Craft, a tight end and defensive end; Charlie Eplin, a running back and linebacker; Gabe Grim, offensive and defensive line; Isaac Hood, running back and linebacker; Jakob Hoosier, wide receiver and defensive back, Jackson Keaton, offensive and defensive line; Gabe Perez, wide receiver and defensive back; Brayden Fiebelkorn, offensive and defensive line; Jacob Lindsey, offensive and defensive line; Jermain Lindsey, offensive and defensive line; Frank Maddux, running back and linebacker and Gage Merritt, a wide receiver and defensive end.

“Any time you come into a new environment, you take on a new head coaching job, it’s a process,” Everson said. “I thought last year was very challenging from the standpoint of not being familiar with the league opponents.

“Our kids came in and embraced the changes,” Everson said. “They really played hard. They got us off to a good start for what will hopefully be a bright future.

“I’m really excited about our senior class, as a whole,” Everson said. “We have 14 this year. I’m excited about the energy they bring each and every day in practice. The team chemistry is really getting stronger.

“It’s all due to the leadership of guys like Isaac Hood and Gavin Coffman and Gabe Perez, Jakob Hoosier,” Everson said. “We have a couple of new guys who have joined the program who are also seniors. I think it’s a really solid class of not only good athletes, but really good young men. I’m very proud to have them in the program.”