EASLEY—As Easley head football Coach Chad Smith went over the 2010 season schedule, he noted that there are seven home games this year.

He also noted that the 2011 season, therefore, will have only four home games, with seven games on the road.

“You know what that means?” Smith said. “Our junior class will have to work hard as seniors to win enough games that we can host a few playoff games to make up for that.”

Gone from the schedule is Eastside, against whom the Green Wave recorded their only win in the past two seasons.

The Green Wave’s schedule includes seven teams that advanced to the state playoffs last season.

Easley’s first preseason scrimmage will be at home against Walhalla at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 7. Three days later, the Green Wave will participate in a three-way scrimmage against Berea at Palmetto.

Two days later, the Green Wave will host the annual Easley Jamboree. Teams and times will be announced later.

Again, Easley will begin its season a week earlier than other South Carolina High School teams, hosting West-Oak Aug. 20. West-Oak was 5-6 last season, losing to Greenville in the playoffs.

The next week the Green Wave hosts Daniel in the Lions’ season-opener. Daniel was 13-1 last year, losing to Clinton in the Upstate Championship game. Clinton went on to win the state title a week later.

The Lions will enter the season riding a 27-game regular-season winning streak

After a bye Sept. 3, Easley plays its first road game of the year, at Pickens Sept. 10.

The Green Wave will host Riverside Sept. 17. Riverside had a 6-6 record last season, losing to Greenville in the second round of the state playoffs.

Easley begins play in Region 1-AAAA Sept. 24, hosting Westside. Westside struggled to a 2-9 record last year. The Rams defeated Easley 29-9.

Easley then travels to Greenwood Oct. 1. Greenwood lost to eventual state champions Berkeley in the second round of the state playoffs last season. The Eagles shut out Easley 49-0 last year.

Because there are seven teams in Region 1-AAAA instead of six, as it has been for the past several years, each week one team has a non-region game, while the other six are paired up in region matchups. Easley’s turn comes Oct. 8, as the Green Wave host Hillcrest, from Region 2-AAAA.

Hillcrest defeated the Green Wave 28-14 in last year’s season opener for both teams. The Rams finished the season with a 4-8 record, losing to Irmo in the first round of the playoffs. Hillcrest is the only “Big 16” school on Easley’s schedule, providing the Green Wave with a chance to pick up extra points for the playoffs.

Easley returns to region play with back to back road games, traveling to Hanna Oct. 15, then to Laurens Oct. 22.

Hanna finished third in Region 1-AAAA last year, losing to Hartsville in the first round of the playoffs. The Yellow Jackets defeated Easley 41-13.

Laurens was 1-10 last season. The Raiders only victory of the season was over Easley, 41-14.

The Green Wave returns home Oct. 29 to face the newest Region 1-AAAA team, Woodmont. Woodmont struggled to a 1-9 record last year competing in the Western AAA conference, with the only win coming against Pickens.

Easley host defending Region AAAA champions Wren in the regular season finale Nov. 5. The two teams have faced each other two times a year for the past several seasons, but the non-conference matchup between the schools has been eliminated from the schedule.

Last year Wren broke through and earned a playoff spot for the first time since reaching the AAAA level. The Hurricanes lost in the first round of the state AAAA Division II playoffs in a wild 56-55 game against James Island.