Week 1: High school football games to watch

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Believe it or not, the high school football season is upon us. WKBN has triple the coverage of live high school football this weekend:

On Thursday, Ursuline plays host to Walsh Jesuit .

Friday, you picked the game, it’s Brookfield at Hubbard .

On Saturday, WKBN heads across the border for a pair of district champions from a year ago – Hickory travels to face the mighty Farrell Steelers .

Who’s playing this week? Week 1 schedule.

Other games to watch
August 22
Harding at Canton McKinley, 7 p.m.
Last year, Harding’s season opened on Thursday against McKinley at home. The outcome wasn’t ideal as the Bulldogs ran away with a 33-14 win . The Raiders are seeking their first season-opening win since 2016 (def. Shaw, 35-0). Harding’s last winning season came in 2020 (6-4); since then, the Raiders have compiled an overall record of 12-21. The Bulldogs are seeking their 10th straight playoff appearance.

Crestview at Western Reserve, 7 p.m.
Two teams focused on achieving goals that had been set some time ago when camp first opened. Crestview won five of its final 7 games last year. This year, they’re after the MVAC Grey Tier title and a deep run into November. Western Reserve saw success in the post-season last year before having their run ended against a Lowellville team that they had defeated during the regular season. This year, the Blue Devils are after an outright Scarlet Tier crown and an even deeper run in 2024.

August 23
Lake Catholic at Cardinal Mooney, 7 p.m.
Mooney has defeated Lake Catholic in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Cardinals began the season with a 3-point win over the Cougars (29-26).

Springfield at South Range, 7 p.m.
The rivalry between South Range and Springfield has lasted over a stretch of years where they were both competing for the same league crowns that have evolved into intense non-conference games. The Raiders have won its last three matchups with Springfield. South Range has compiled a home record over nearly the past six years of 31-1. The Tigers have accumulated at least six consecutive wins in each of the past five years; they’ll look to start the season with a victory over the rival-Raiders.

Win totals over the past eight years
South Range: 84
Springfield: 78

Canfield at West Branch, 7 p.m.
Canfield opens their first season without Mike Pavlansky leading the team from the sidelines since 2000. It’s Joe Ignazio’s debut game as the head coach of the Cardinals. His team will be put to the test against an experienced-West Branch group that’s seeking a deep run this year. Canfield has won its last two matchups with the Warriors. In 2022, the Cardinals won a wild 35-31 matchup in Beloit. Last year, Canfield doubled-up West Branch (38-19) after winning the previous years state title.

Notes to look for:
– Canfield has won its last seven season openers; the last loss on opening day dates back to 2017 (to Louisville, 21-17). The Cardinals have their last 33 games when they compile 28 points or more. Last season, Canfield finished 2-2 on the road during the regular season.
– West Branch coach Tim Cooper has accumulated a winning percentage of 85.2% (23-4) during his first two years at the helm of the Warrior program. The Warriors have won more games within the past three years (36) than they have ever in school history during that span of a three-season period. West Branch has won its last 13 games at home while averaging 47 points during the span at Clinton Heacock Stadium.

Sharon at Mercyhurst Prep, 7 p.m .
The Tigers and Lakers meet for the first time since the 2018 playoffs. Sharon is coming off of its first 9-win season in five years while Mercyhurst Prep finished the regular season a year ago with an unblemished record as they scored an average of 60 points per contest. However, this game may be won on the defensive side of the ball. Each defense finished the 2023 campaign with six shutouts. Mercyhurst Prep held their foes to a total of 52 points in 11 games, while Sharon didn’t allow a single opponent to register 21-points or more.

Last meeting
Nov. 10, 2018 – Sharon, 29-28 (District 10 semifinal)
-The Tigers’ Jordan Wilson ran for 234 yards in Sharon’s victory.

There are a total of eight new head coaches leading teams this weekend in the area. Here’s a listing of the games that will have new leadership this coming season:

Canfield – Joe Ignazio (at West Branch, Friday)

Champion – Ken Parise (McDonald, Friday)

Kennedy Catholic – Julian Cox (Cambridge Springs, Saturday)

Lakeview, PA – Blake Reddick (Northwestern, Friday)

Leetonia – Matt Altomare (Fairport Harding, Friday)

Lisbon – Bill Meek (Windham, Friday)

New Castle – Fred Mozzocio (General McLane, Friday)

Warren Harding – Matt Richardson (at Canton McKinley, Thursday)

Get updated high school football scores throughout the season on the WKBN scores page .

Track the latest conference battles on the WKBN high school football standings page.

You can also watch interviews and get player profiles from some of the best players in the Valley by visiting the WKBN Big 22 page .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.