Here are the picks for Week 1 high school football games in the Lafayette area

LAFAYETTE — Week one of high school football has arrived and with it all the adrenaline, tackles, touchdowns, triumphant wins and heartbreaking losses.

Over the course of 10 weeks the Journal & Courier will predict three key games we are tracking along with the schedules of other Lafayette area teams competing this Friday.

An inside scoop, analysis and predictions of which teams will come out on top.

More: Harrison quarterback Lannon Nicoloff and wide receiver Jack Gonzalez work on timing

Strap in. Here are the Lafayette week one high school football predictions:

Harrison vs. West Lafayette 7:30 p.m.

Harrison travels to Gordon Straley Stadium for its first game against West Lafayette.

The Raiders pounded the Red Devils at home last year winning 42-6 and forced Carson Kitchel to throw two interceptions while Callix Dillon completed 13 of 15 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Both teams look much different with Dillon and Kitchel both graduated and new personnel comes in to lead each team's offense.

Analysis : Harrison junior quarterback Lannon Nicoloff steps in for the first time while senior Benny Speaker takes the ball under center for the first time after leading the Red Devils in receiving.

While both quarterbacks are relatively new, Speaker has had more time this summer to grow further in his offense. Nicoloff missed time during the summer to focus on club baseball.

Speaker should be more in rhythm with his offense but Harrison carries a size depth advantage on the defensive side of the football with pass rushers Evan Walker, 6-foot-8 Blake Jones and Division I recruit linebacker Jackson Mills.

West Lafayette while losing Carson and his tight end brother Cooper Kitchel return plenty of speed from last season with running back Kojo Steffey healthy sharing snaps with power tailback Dawson Martin.

The Red Devils speed is a huge plus while senior center Andrew Springer guides the blocking up front while David Curl III enters 2024 as a highly coveted linebacker.

Prediction: The game is much closer for West Lafayette but Harrison's defensive line proves too much a challenge for West Lafayette to contain at home. Mills, Walker and Jones disrupt West Lafayette's offense consistently while Nicoloff manages the game and stays turnover free behind offensive lineman Jaime Chavez. Harrison wins 20-13 .

Avon at Lafayette Jeff 7 p.m.

It's been 12 years since Lafayette Jeff squared up with Avon who comes to Tippecanoe Valley.

Lafayette Jeff comes into 2024 revamped with senior quarterback Keyen Crowder fully healthy after missing most of last season to a shoulder injury.

Omar Williams switches from defensive back to wide receiver to give Burns a 6-foot-3 he can target down field while senior linebacker and captain Ben Riva leads the Bronchos' defense.

Analysis: Countering Lafayette Jeff is Avon, which carried a highly deceiving 2-8 record. The Orioles played one of the hardest regular season schedules in Indiana matched up with Ben Davis, Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Westfield, Zionsville and Noblesville.

Avon ended the regular season beating both Westfield and Zionsville but graduated last season's starting quarterback Mason Reynolds and will relay on either senior Wyatt Pennington or Jace Cameron.

Leading the Orioles is 6-foot-3 defensive lineman Fawzy Omotoso and defensive back Brody Gray. Gray made 57 tackles with two for loss and one interception while Omotoso finished 2023 with 27 tackles including 4.5 tackles for loss.

Prediction: Lafayette Jeff has found consistency on both ends of the football with both high turnout and results shown by the program in practice. A quarterback like Crowder trying to prove himself with the mix of athletes of Omar Williams, and 5-foot-9 Andre Fancher and a more conditioned offensive line led by Daequan Viverette and 6-foot-4 Kyros Carr has the Bronchos looking in much better shape than a year from now. Avon also doesn't have tape yet on 6-foot-3 sophomore receiver Bryce Vanostran. A balanced defense and a strong start from Burns helps deliver Lafayette Jeff its first victory over Avon since 2012 with a late field goal by senior kicker Joel Garrido. Lafayette Jeff wins 27-24.

McCutcheon at Guerin Catholic 7 p.m.

McCutcheon is another program making a switch and quarterback. Head coach Josh Stasser has chosen senior and former linebacker Lonnie Griffin to take snaps.

Guerin Catholic has won five straight games against the Mavericks since 2019.

Will that trend change on Friday night?

Analysis: McCutcheon is led by senior defensive lineman Malachi Kenner who has been crucial in shaping the culture coach Josh Strasser has been trying to build.

Now that culture is going to be put on the forefront against Guerin Catholic who returns senior Malcolm Houze. In addition to playing quarterback, Houze is one of the state's top defensive backs with 31 tackles and three interceptions in 2023. He carries experience at quarterback, being the starter in 2022 and completed 117 of 231 passes for 14 touchdowns in 2022.

Offensively McCutcheon will lean into running backs Shamar Ray and Zach Crowe with senior Broderick Arnold playing safety but could also get reps at wide receiver.

The level of Griffin's poise in his first few possessions will determine whether McCutcheon stays in the game for fade.

Prediction: Griffin manages the game for the better part of four quarters but Guerin Catholic has proven to be a beast at home that McCutcheon has yet to wrangle. Guerin Catholic wins 24-17.

Week 1 schedule (all times ET)

Central Catholic at Seeger 7 p.m.

Delphi at Benton Central 7 p.m.

Irvington Preparatory Academy vs. Faith Christian at Delphi High School 7 p.m.

Twin Lakes at Plymouth 7:30 p.m.

Rensselaer Central at Kankakee Valley 8 p.m.

Attica at Culver 7:30 p.m.

Caston at Carroll 7 p.m.

Clinton Central at Frankfort 7 p.m.

Clinton Prairie at Frontier 7 p.m.

Covington at South Vermillion 7 p.m.

Crawfordsville at Parke Heritage 7 p.m.

Southmont at Fountain Central 7 p.m.

North Montgomery at North Putnam 7 p.m.

North Newton at Whiting 7 p.m.

North White at Taylor 7 p.m.

South Newton at Thomas A. Edison 7 p.m.

West Central at Winamac 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Here are the picks for Week 1 high school football games in the Lafayette area