RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesWASHINGTON, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) -- He's not a new player but his teammates still consider Noah Garcia one of the young guys.
The junior quarterback had a break season last year, leading Washington to the state quarterfinals with a 10-2 record as a sophomore. In his first season as a starter, he threw for 11 touchdowns and ran for 11 more.
"Noah is technically young. He's younger than me but I don't see that. I see him as 100 percent equal," said senior receiver Dan Gorman.
But Garcia is more than just a solid quarterback. He's only halfway through his high school career and he's become a bona fide leader for the Panthers.
"Definitely a leader in our locker room, a leader on our team. He tells us what to expect," continued Gorman. "He shows up early, he stays late. Honestly, he is like an offensive coordinator on the field. He knows what to do and exactly what to look for."
Garcia will have to really be a leader on the 2026 Panthers.
Washington returns only four starters on offense and two on defense as it tries to win the Mid-Illini Conference title for a fourth straight year. The Panthers will have to replace their entire linebacking group and secondary, according to coach Todd Stevens.
"He's a great leader, especially for being a younger guy," said senior center Wade Leman. "He has really stepped up and filled that role for us."
The 6-foot-1 Garcia is a dual threat quarterback who threw for nearly 900 yards last year while rushing for over 700. He'll have returning tight end Cam Vescogni as a top target this fall.
Even with the holes needing to be filled this preseason, the Panthers are confident Garcia will be solid in his junior season.
"He's just been the guy we needed," said Leman. "It's nice knowing we've got that guy and there's not many people better than him."
Washington opens the season at home against Wheaton North on Aug. 21.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.