ARLINGTON Countdown to football

ARLINGTON2023 RECORD: 7-5 overall, 4-2 Blanchard Valley ConferenceKEY GAME: September 20, at Pandora-Gilboa. Despite being in the same league for over 50 years, expansion, contraction, realignment and reshuffling has created some quirks in league scheduling. One such oddity is the fact that Arlington and P-G, both usually among the upper division contenders in the BVC standings, have not squared off on the football field since the 2020 season. That changes this season, and it comes at a pivotal point on the schedule. This midseason matchup is P-G's only home game during a rugged five-week stretch of games. It is also Arlington's fourth straight road game before the Red Devils face Liberty-Benton, Elmwood, McComb and Leipsic back-to-back-to-back-to- back.INTERESTING FACT: Arlington will have a new head coach this season, but is turning things over to someone very familiar with the program and the players in it by elevating former assistant Nick Inbody to the top position. The move continues a "hiring-from-within" philosophy by the school that can be a cornerstone for building consistency and continuing tradition, especially in small-school programs. In Arlington's case, the Red Devils have achieved at least five wins a season for 27 straight years and the school's all-time record of 664-293-34 ranks among the 30 winningest prep football programs in the state.MAGIC NUMBER: 44. During the heyday of the Harold "Doc" Castor era (1933-1961, with a small three-year break in 1942, '43 and '44) Arlington once rattled off a 44-game unbeaten streak, starting with the sixth game of the 1945 season and extending through the end of the 1950 campaign. The Red Devils shut out 30 of those 44 opponents, with a 14-14 tie with McComb in 1949 the only non-decision during that stretch. The streak ended in the 1951 season opener when North Baltimore nipped Arlington 7-6.2024 scheduleDate Opponent Home/AwayAug. 23 Hardin Northern H 30 Riverdale* ASept. 6 Ada* A 13 Van Buren* A 20 Pandora-Gilboa* A 27 Liberty-Benton* HOct. 4 Elmwood* A 11 McComb* H 18 Leipsic* H 25 Arcadia* H*Blanchard Valley Conference games