Ohio high school football is back. In the Greater Akron area, several teams will be looking to make a push for a state title . At the top of that list is Archbishop Hoban, which reached the state title game before losing 7-2 to Massillon .
Who could get there this year? It all starts this week . Before games kick off, here's everything you need to know about the 2024 high school football season.
Greater Akron high school football player rankings, preseason poll, best games to watch
Akron-area high school football team-by-team previews
- Archbishop Hoban Knights - Coming off the loss to Massillon in the Division II state championship game, Hoban is loaded again. Led by cornerback Elbert Hill IV, at least a dozen Knights have received Division I scholarship offers. Read more here .
- Barberton Magics - With 24 players lost to graduation off last season's 7-5 team, coach Tony Gotto is looking for young players to step up for the Magics, who have made the playoffs in seven of the past eight seasons. Read more here .
- Buchtel Griffins - Buchtel made the playoffs last season and has been in the postseason in three out of the past four seasons. With 24 returning letter winners, including senior Stevie Diamond back for a fourth season under center, the Griffins expect to keep their run of success going. Read more here .
- Copley - After playing a lot of young players in 2023, coach John Kromalic is looking for that to pay dividends this season. "We started a lot of sophomores last year," he said, "so we expect a lot out of them as juniors." Read more here .
- Coventry Comets - After just one win with a young team last year, Coventry is focused on getting back above .500. Second-year coach Rich Smith said he wants to get the Comets into the playoffs "anyway I can." Read more here .
- Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers - With a senior class featuring several multi-year starters and growing numbers of underclassmen, the Black Tigers hope to record their first win in the Suburban League American Conference this fall. Read more here .
- CVCA Royals - Coach Nick Cook expects the Royals to back in the Principals Athletic Conference title hunt in their final football season in the league before they move to the North Coast Conference. Read more here .
Ohio's best teams heading into season: USA Today Network Preseason Ohio Super 25 Poll
- East Dragons - Led by standout running back Ziaire Stevens, a Purdue commit, the Dragons enter the 2024 high school football season with continued high expectations under coach Marques Hayes, who is 65-41 and has made six OHSAA Division III playoff appearances in 13 seasons at the East helm. Read more here .
- Ellet Orangemen - Led by standout junior Brandon Knowles, who is getting some looks from Division I colleges, the Orangemen expect to take a step forward after finishing 3-8 in coach John Daraio's first season. Read more here .
- Firestone Falcons - Firestone is seeking its winning season for the first time since 2010. "Our goal is to have a better finish than we did last year," 10th-year coach Eric Mitchell said. "Last year we finished at 5-6, losing in Week 11 [to Walsh Jesuit], so what that looks like for us is bringing a City Series championship to Firestone High School." Read more here .
- Garfield Golden Rams - With 16 letter winners — most of them starters — back from last season's 2-8 team, the Golden Rams enter the 2024 high school football season looking to rise in the City Series standings under 11th-year coach Kemp Boyd. Read more here .
- Highland Hornets - The Hornets don’t change much, but why would they? The senior class is 34-6 at the varsity level and has logged three straight seasons of 11 wins or more. Read more here .
- Hudson Explorers - Despite graduating 23 seniors off last year's 9-3 team, Hudson's expectations remain high. The Explorers expect to be in the running for the National Conference title again and make a push in the Division II playoffs. Read more here .
- Manchester Panthers - With nine of 11 starters back for the second season under coach Kevin Stacy, the Panthers can expect more of a return to the winning tradition Manchester is used to. Read more here .
Ohio's best players heading into season: USA Today Network's 2024 preseason All-Ohio football team
- Nordonia Knights - With 20 returning letter winners, many of them starters, back at the skill positions and a group of very talented newcomers, the Knights' push to dethrone Suburban League National Conference champion Wadsworth and win a conference title is very much a realistic goal. Read more here .
- North Vikings - The Vikings are looking to take another step forward after finishing 1-9 in coach DeMonte Powell's first season at the helm. Powell said 38 players have attended offseason workouts this year, and the program has a different “energy” as he readies for his second season. Read more here .
- Norton Panthers - The three-time league Metro Athletic Conference champions have a 15-game regular season winning streak heading into 2024, and no one should expect the success to end anytime soon: The senior class is 31-5 and has won at least 10 games all three years. Read more here .
- Revere Minutemen - Revere is seeking its first winning season since 2018 and, with 16 starters — eight on offense and eight on defense — back from a playoff team, looks poised to achieve it. Read more here .
- Springfield Spartans - Job one in 2024 for the Spartans is ending a 26-game losing streak. "I think our kids are working themselves into some wins this year," second-year coach Corey Tanksley said. "They’re doing everything right. The kids are hungry." Read more here .
- St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish - Drastic turnover on the roster after the graduation of 22 seniors poses the greatest challenge to STVM at the outset of Doran Grant's coaching tenure. Read more here .
- Tallmadge Blue Devils - If the Blue Devils can stay away from the rough 1-4 start from a season ago, they’ll be in good shape. Considering Tallmadge flipped that record in the second half of the season to finish 5-5, it’s not too much to think the Devils can do it. Read more here .
- Twinsburg Tigers - The Tigers were the feel-good team of Greater Akron after coach Charles Saulter navigated Twinsburg to its first playoff appearance, other than the COVID season, since 2010. With senior Joey Pollock back behind center, the Tigers could be solid yet again. Read more here .
- Wadsworth Grizzlies - There could be another Suburban League National Conference title for the Grizzlies in the near future. With 24 returning letter winners and 13 of them coming back as starters, Wadsworth could be very good again. Read more here .
- Walsh Jesuit Warriors - The Warriors have reached the playoffs four straight seasons and have a renewed determination. The only two losses they had in 2023 came to Division II state finalist Hoban and, with 38 returning letter winners, hopes for the 2024 season are high. Read more here .
- Woodridge Bulldogs - While noting the strength of the Metro Athletic Conference, second-year coach Phil Martter is more focused on raising Woodridge's toughness and aggression. "My big goal is that everyday, every game that we get into, we want to let you know who we are," he said. "We have the capability to beat anyone that we play." Read more here .
Return of the 'Akron Holy War'?: St. Vincent-St. Mary, Archbishop Hoban football coaches want to renew 'the Akron Holy War'
The Akron Beacon Journal's sports staff covering high school football
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron-area high school football schedules, rankings and more: A guide to the 2024 season
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