Random Thoughts: strictly HS football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of Random Thoughts centers entirely around high school football, including new non-conference opponents, bonus football, 8-man to 11-man and preseason polls.

Back-to-back/MAC to MAC

Crestview has a new Week No. 2 opponent this year and it won’t be an easy one. Four-time defending state champion Marion Local will come to Convoy August 29. Not only have the Flyers won four consective small school state championships, they’ve won seven of the last nine state titles. Oh, and they’ve won 64 consecutive games, which is currently the longest streak in the entire nation.

Marion Local is replacing McComb on Crestview’s schedule but it’s just a one-year deal. In 2026-2027, the Knights will play another MAC school, Minster in a home-and-away series.

Other new opponents

A handful of area high school football teams will have different non-conference opponents this season.

For instance, after opening with Fort Recovery since 2021, Wayne Trace will face a different MAC school in the season opener – New Bremen.

Spencerville played Ridgemont in the season opener last year but will travel to Anna in Week No. 1 this year.

Allen East will host Fort Recovery in Week No. 2. Last year, the Mustangs played Newark Catholic in the second week but will face the Green Wave in the season opener this year as a replacement to Toledo Scott.

Last year, Delphos Jefferson opened the season against Cincinnati North College Hill. This year, the Wildcats will hit the road to play Evergreen in the season opener.

Bath opened with New Bremen last year but this year the Wildcats will host Indian Lake in Week No. 1.

After hosting Columbus South in the season opener in 2024, Celina will begin the new season with a trip to St. Henry.

Wapakoneta opened the 2024 season at home against Toledo St. John’s, a team that finished 1-9. This year, the Redskins will open the season at home against another team from Division II, Region 6 – Oregon Clay. Last year, Clay went 8-2 during the regular season. 

Four time defending state champion Marion Local has two new non-conference opponents – Crestview in Week No. 2 (the Knights are replacing Franklin) and in the opener, the Flyers will host South Adams (IN).

Bonus football

I call it bonus football. It’s a list of games that will be played one night earlier than the majority of games in Week No. 1.

This year’s list of games on Thursday, August 21, includes Columbus Grove at Pandora-Gilboa, Napoleon at Defiance, Lima Central Catholic at Shawnee, and Leetonia at Vanlue. For those who don’t know, Leetonia is very close to Youngstown and will travel three hours to play in the Thursday night game. 

8-man to 11-man

While out of the area, I found this interesting. Toledo Christian has played 8-man football since the 2018 season but is transitioning back to the standard 11-man game this year. The Eagles were very successful at the 8-man game but enrollment is growing, so the decision was made to switch back. A change like that is usually very difficult. Once a program goes to the 8-man game, it’s a move that almost always becomes permanent.

In any case, the Eagles are back and are playing as an independent this season. What does that look like? Putting together an independent schedule in football, especially for a Division VII school, is very challenging and often not ideal.

The five home games for Toledo Christian: McComb, Richmond Heights, Blackhawk Christian (IN), Hardin Northern and Fremont (IN). The road games: Rootstown (east of Akron, nearly three hours by bus), Lakota, Ridgemont (8-3 last season), Upper Scioto Valley (9-2 in 2024), and Cory-Rawson.

Preseason polls

If all goes as planned, the VW independent’s exclusive annual NWC and WBL previews/preseason polls will be published this week. A big thank you to all of the coaches who have graciously supplied information about their respective teams. That’s a big part of the previews and polls.

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above topics, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.