With high school football season kicking off this week across the state, here are some key games involving Ashland County schools to watch this season.
Week 2, Aug. 29, Kirtland at Crestview
This should prove to be quite the test for Crestview in this early season nonconference matchup with the defending VI state champions in Kirtland (15-1 record in 2023). The Hornets will be in state contention again in 2024 and will ride into Crestview as the favorite in this game. For the Cougars, expect a much improved group this year (4-7 record in 2023), and with a number of all-district and all-conference performers returning, Crestview should be in good position to win a fourth Firelands Conference title in five years. A stern challenge awaits them in Week 2 and could prove to be just the type of opponent the Cougars need to push them to higher heights as the season goes along.
Week 3, Sept. 6, Columbia at Northwestern
Northwestern will be hungry for a bounce-back season in 2024, after going 1-9 last season with an inexperienced bunch. A year of more experience under their belt could serve the Huskies well. To get an idea of where the Huskies could be headed, a Week 3 home matchup with last year's 10-2 Lorain County champions Columbia just might provide that answer. The Huskies fell to the Raiders 57-22 last season and I know it will only be Week 3, but how Northwestern fairs in this game or where they stand after three games, could give us a glimpse of what 2024 could look like for the Huskies.
Week 6, Sept. 27, Loudonville at Danville
Speaking of another team looking to turn things around, and that would be Loudonville. After going 3-7 last season, Loudonville hired former Danville football coach Ed Honabarger to lead the charge, and he'll be returning to his former school in Week 6. After going 13-1, winning the Knox Morrow Conference with an undefeated league mark and a Division VII regional finalist last season, the Blue Devils will most likely be the toughest foe on the Redbirds schedule. We'll see where Honabarger has the Redbirds by the time we get to this one in Week 6.
Week 7, Oct. 4, Mansfield Senior at Ashland
From the bird's-eye view, this contest might just be the biggest game amongst any Ashland County school all season. Over the years, the games between Ashland and Mansfield Senior always seem to be highly-competitive, with last year's battle being a defensive slogfest in a 14-6 Mansfield Senior home win. This year should be no different. With both squads expected to compete for the Ohio Cardinal Conference title, this Week 7 matchup could have huge implications, as the Tygers will be looking to repeat as league winners and Ashland will be aiming to win the school's first league title since a three-way tie in 2020. The winner of this tilt might not clinch the OCC title at that time, but a win could certainly move them closer to doing so.
Week 8, Oct. 12, Crestview at St. Paul
This game could also have league title implications. This Crestview-St. Paul matchup will be between the last four Firelands Conference winners (Crestview from 2020-2022; St. Paul in 2023) and with both expecting to be among at least two of the top three teams in the league, this one has the makings of an all-important encounter toward the end of the regular season.
Week 10, Oct. 25, Norwayne at Hillsdale
A Hillsdale matchup with last year's Division VII state runner-up Dalton in Week 5 will also be an intriguing game to look out for but Hillsdale's home game against an always strong Norwayne team just might turn out to be more important. After going 10-2 and finishing second in the Wayne County Athletic League in 2023, many view Norwayne as the WCAL favorites to take the league title this season. Hillsdale (third in WCAL last year) has been consistently good for awhile now, and they should be right in the mix with Dalton and Norwyane, who have been the class of the conference for some time. With this game taking place in the last week of the regular season, the WCAL title could be on the line or for the winner (or even the loser) just might help prepare them even more for the playoffs.
jsimpson@gannett.com
Twitter/X:@JamesSimpsonII
James Simpson II is a sports reporter with the Ashland Times-Gazette, and was recently at the Mansfield News Journal. He is a self-published author and has gotten the opportunity to interview sports figures like Bernard Hopkins, Norm Nixon, Vince Dooley, Jimmie Johnson, etc., for stories at different publications. He also produced a pretty cool feature on late NBA great Wilt Chamberlain.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Key football games in Ashland County to watch this fall
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