A common thread runs through the now century-long history of Peoria High School football beyond the green and gold threads all Panthers wear.
No matter what the team on the field has, in terms of size and speed, the Panthers go onto the field with a belief they will find a way to win. And while the city has grown from open fields to a teeming suburb with younger schools and flashy football programs, Peoria High remains the centerpiece and representative of Old Town.
Peoria coach Will Babb has seen it through different eyes over more than four decades — as a child in the early 80s, star quarterback of the 1986 and 87 state champions and decade-long coach of a smaller school still connected to the tradition
