A very young Washington Panthers football program got off to a rough start this fall and Coach Daryl Crouch says his team could've packed it in and looked to next year but instead, they fought and finished the year strong at 6-3.

Coach Crouch says the first three weeks of its season offered three great challenges for its program and despite a 1-2 start, his team finished winning five of its final six games.

Coach Crouch has a very young offensive line as well as underclassmen scattered at various other key positions across the field.

Coach Crouch has been very pleased with the way his defense has played to finish out the regular season and hopes to see them continue that heading into the first round of the 6A playoffs.

Washington will play one of the few Friday night games in the first round when they travel to Midlothian-Bremen for a 7 pm kickoff.

Other first round matchups...

Class 1A

Madison (5-3) at Ridgeview (9-0)

Brown County (5-4) at Tuscola (7-2)

Villa Grove (6-3) at Jacksonville Routt (7-2)

Central A & M (6-3) at Sesser-Valier (7-2)

Rushville-Industry (6-3) at Toledo-Cumberland (7-2)

Class 2A

Chicago North Lawndale Charter (5-4) at Maroa-Forsyth (9-0)

El Paso-Gridley (7-2) at Farmington (7-2)

Bloomington Central Catholic (6-3) at Aledo (7-2)

Clifton Central (6-3) at Tri-Valley (7-2)

Chester (5-4) at Decatur St. Teresa (9-0)

Athens (7-2) at Carmi-White County (7-2)

Auburn (6-3) at Pana (8-1)

Fairfield (6-3) at North Mac (8-1)

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (7-2) at Vandalia (7-2)

Belleville Althoff Catholic (5-4) at Shelbyville (8-1)

Class 3A

Paxton-Buckley-Loda (5-4) at Prairie Central (9-0)

Harrisburg (5-4) at Tolono Unity (8-1)

Monticello (5-4) at Mt. Carmel (8-1)

Olympia (5-4) at Benton (8-1)

Robinson (6-3) at St. Joseph-Ogden (6-3)

Carlinville (5-4) at Williamsville (8-1)

Beardstown (5-4) at Eureka (7-2)

Class 4A

Effingham (5-4) at Rochester (8-1)

Mt. Zion (6-3) at Breese Central (7-2)

Spring Valley Hall (5-4) at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (9-0)

Class 5A

Ottawa (5-4) at Mahomet-Seymour (9-0)

Jacksonville (6-3) at Metamora (6-3)

Dunlap (5-4) at Highland (8-1)

Decatur MacArthur (5-4) at Peoria (8-1)

Class 6A

Quincy (7-2) at Chatham-Glenwood (7-2)

Champaign Centennial (7-2) at Crete-Monee (7-2)

Class 7A

Normal Community (6-3) at #14 Rockton-Hononegah (7-2)