Top high school football game for each week of the regular season
Volume 1 Issue 4
Week 1: Toledo Central Catholic @ Lakewood St. Edward’s
Week one starts the season off with a bang with two of the top teams in the state going at it. The Fighting Irish will be battling last year’s Division I state champions in rematch from a year ago. Last year’s TRAC champions Fighting Irish lost at home 10-33 to St. Edward’s. The Eagles defense is lead by linebackers Michael Kilbane who is committed to Northwestern and Wyatt Gedeon who is committed to Coastal Carolina.
Other notable games: Anthony Wayne vs. Findlay; Tiffin Columbian vs. Fremont Ross; Clyde vs. Toledo St. Francis; Defiance vs. Napoleon; Eastwood vs. Ottawa-Glandorf; Carey vs. Hopewell-Loudon; Maria Stein Marion Local vs. Wapakoneta
Week 2: Bellevue vs. Canfield
The 2021 SBC-Lake champions will take on the Cardinals of Canfield at home in these two schools first ever match up. The visiting Cardinals are lead by Indiana quarterback commit Broc Lowry who threw for over 2,000 yards last year.
Other notable games: Toledo Central Catholic vs. Cleveland Benedictine; Clyde vs. Parma Heights Holy Name; Liberty Center vs. Napoleon; Perkins vs. Elyria Catholic; Archbold vs. St. Henry; Findlay Liberty-Benton vs. Columbus Grove
Week 3: Otsego vs. Liberty Center
The Otsego Knights will host the Liberty Center Tigers in a battle of black and orange rivals. The Knights are the defending NBC champions while the Tigers made it to the Sweet 16 where they lost to the eventual state champion Carey Blue Devils. Both teams are now Division V so this may be a preview of a playoff game come November.
Other notable games: Anthony Wayne vs. Whitmer; Sandusky vs. Fremont Ross; Bellevue @ Shelby; St. Marys Memorial vs. Wapakoneta; Wauseon vs. Napoleon; Lima Central Catholic vs. Defiance Tinora; Columbus Grove vs. Patrick Henry
Week 4: Van Wert vs. Wapakoneta
These two schools shared the WBL title a year ago and had a shootout of a game that Van Wert won 55-45. Both schools will be looking to bounce back and get a hold of outright league crown.
Other notable games: Findlay vs. Toledo Central Catholic; Toledo Rogers vs. Walsh Jesuit; Perkins @ Warren JFK; St. Marys Memorial vs. Ottawa-Glandorf; Wauseon vs. Liberty Center
Week 5: Lima Central Catholic vs. Columbus Bishop Hartley
These two catholic schools highlight week five as it is Bishop Hartley’s only game against an NWO opponent this year. The Hawks have continually been a thorn in NWO teams’ sides as Toledo Central Catholic is the only area school to beat them since 2015.
Other notable games: Findlay vs. Whitmer; Van Wert vs. St. Marys Memorial; Liberty Center vs. Archbold; St. Henry vs. Coldwater; Columbus Grove vs. Allen East
Week 6: Anthony Wayne vs. Perrysburg
The Generals were last year’s NLL champions but a strong Yellow Jackets squad is looking to go for the title. Perrysburg will be on the road but they are being led by University of Toledo commits Connor Waldenzak and Grant Zimmerly.
Other notable games: Fremont Ross vs. Findlay; Perkins vs. Clyde; Ottawa-Glandorf vs. Van Wert; Colonel Crawford vs. Carey; Columbus Grove vs. Leipsic; Hopewell-Loudon vs. Lima Central Catholic
Week 7: Haviland Wayne Trace vs. Antwerp
Last year Antwerp broke a twelve year losing streak to their cross county rivals and finished with their best record in decades. They look to continue that momentum this year while the Raiders look to swing things back in their direction.
Other notable games: Bellevue vs. Perkins; Huron vs. Oak Harbor; Western Reserve vs. Norwalk St. Paul; Arlington vs. McComb; Lima Central Catholic @ Lucas
Week 8: Edon vs. Norwalk St. Paul
The Bombers were TAAC champions a year ago and lost to the Flyers by a point 45-44. This late season non-conference match up will likely provide similar excitement but this time it is St. Paul who has to make the two hour trek.
Other notable games: Whitmer vs. Toledo Central Catholic; Perrysburg vs. Sylvania Northview; Patrick Henry vs. Liberty Center
Week 9: Archbold vs. Wauseon
The two titans of Fulton County will once again meet late in the year in a game that will likely have NWOAL title implications on the line. Archbold swept through the league last year but Wauseon is looking to be back on top.
Other notable games: Sylvania Northview vs. Anthony Wayne; Toledo Central Catholic vs. Fremont Ross; Perkins vs. Tiffin Columbian
Week 10: Coldwater vs. Maria Stein Marion Local
It’s hard to ever find a game more looked forward to than this one. Last year Marion Local defeated Coldwater by three in what ended up leading to an undefeated season and 12th state title. Meanwhile the Cavaliers also made it to the state title game where they were defeated by Carey. This game will certainly have large implications and may once again feature two state championship worthy teams.
Other notable games: Fremont Ross vs. Whitmer; Sylvania Northview vs. Sylvania Southview; Bellevue vs. Clyde; Eastwood vs. Otsego; Ottawa Hills vs. Edon; McComb vs. Findlay Liberty-Benton
Leading Updates
Trevor Harris (Waldo/Marion Pleasant) was named CFL Player of the Week.
Matt Wisler (Bryan) put on 15-day IL by the Rays.
Cardinal Stritch has dropped football for the 2022 school year.
Ross Adolph (Van Buren) was placed on a rehab assignment with the Rookie-Class Astros.
Lima native and football star William White dies at age 56 after a battle with ALS.
Zavier Simpson (Lima/Lima Senior) signs exhibit contract with the Orlando Magic.
Notable Game Updates
On July 25th Andrew Chafin (Wakeman/Western Reserve) pitched one inning for the Tigers, facing four batters and recording two strikeouts.
On July 26th and 27th Jase Bowen (Northwood/Toledo Central Catholic) had two hits and two RBIs both nights for the Single-A Bradenton Marauders.
On July 27th Seth Lonsway (Celina) pitched four innings, throwing seven strikeouts with no earned runs for the Single-A San Jose Giants.
On July 28th Trevor Harris (Waldo/Marion Pleasant) threw for 288 yards and one touchdown in a loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Interesting Reads
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2022 high school football: Which Toledo-area team has the toughest schedule?
Basketball star Easter to stay at Emmanuel Christian for sophomore season
How Rookie Center Luke Fortner Has Already Earned the Jaguars' Trust
Think Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt is hard to hit? Try catching him
Just For Fun
Highlights from Farmer HS (Defiance County) winning the 1946 Class B State Championship