MANSFIELD – Let’s go.
It’s officially Week 1. High school football kicks off this week with some interesting matchups kicking off the fastest 10 weeks of the year. If you haven’t planned your travels for this season yet, let’s see if we can make some decisions for you.
In this edition of Jake’s List, we look at the top 10 football games of the 2024 season. You might want to check them out.
10. Plymouth at Willard, Week 2
This game will be on my list every year these two teams play each other. And it will be for the exact same reason every time. Myself? I’m a Plymouth grad, a proud Big Red. My wife? A Willard grad. Crimson Flashes through and through. So this is a game where the house is divided. The winner doesn’t have to scrub the toilets until the outcome of the next game is decided. I’ve lost the last two seasons. I need a win here.
9. Ottawa Lake-Whiteford (MI) at Lucas, Week 10
The Cubs don’t appear on this list often, and rarely do, since they don’t have conference games and most small schools in our area refuse to play them. This year, they had to go out of state for two games, including this one in Week 10. Ottawa Lake-Whiteford is a state championship program in Michigan, which is Ohio’s Division VII equivalent, so this will be a great test before the playoffs begin, and an experience like no other for the Cubs players. Well, maybe not like no other. They’ll have to travel nearly five hours to play in Pennsylvania in Week 1, since no one within four states would play them.
8. Madison at Shelby, Week 1
This game is always entertaining and will be a good benchmark for both teams. The Whippets have a lot of players to replace at the skill positions, so they’ll want to see who comes out on top. Madison would love nothing more than to get a win against a great Richland County opponent to start their season turnaround off right. Shelby will have other plans as they prepare for a run at the championship. If it’s anything like the 2022 game, it’ll be a blast.
7. Lexington at Ashland, Week 10
If you’ve read my OCC predictions, you know I really like these two teams and their chances at the Ohio Cardinal Conference title. If both teams play well all year, this Week 10 matchup could be do-or-die. When the junior years of these two schools were in junior high, they were constantly battling for the league championship in every sport. This one could be just as fun.
6. Kirtland in Crestview, Week 2 (Thursday)
Kirtland is a small, powerful state school program and comes to Olivesburg on Thursday night as it was selected as the game of the week by the Greater Cleveland area television stations. The Cougars are looking for a win in the Firelands Conference and what better way to prepare for that success than by playing one of the state’s top schools and a likely state champion? What the Cougars gain from this game is priceless.
5. Mansfield Senior at Ashland, Week 7
If you’ve read my OCC predictions, you know I think very highly of both of those programs as well. The Tygers are the defending OCC champions and are heading to Ashland for a second straight year of important OCC play (we’ll look at the other game later). The Tygers defense will be up against the Ashland offense that features a quarterback with some pretty strong Division I offers. I’m in.
4. Crestview at Norwalk St. Paul, Week 8 (Saturday)
If everything goes according to plan for both teams, it could result in a battle for first place in the Firelands Conference. St. Paul ended Crestview’s streak of three consecutive FC championships last year, so the Cougars would love nothing more than to get revenge. Since it’s on a Saturday night and the only game in town, Norwalk is expected to see a full house.
3. Ontario at Shelby, Week 9
Remember last year’s game? Yes, it will be just as good and probably just as meaningful. I love that this game is coming so late in the year when both teams should be at their absolute best. Bodpegn Miller vs. Brayden DeVito. Shelby vs. Ontario. What more could you ask for? I fully expect this game to decide the MOAC championship once again.
2. Lexington at Mansfield Senior, Week 6
OK, I guess you can ask for a little more. Lexington has all the makings of an Ohio Cardinal Conference championship team. Mansfield Senior has a defense that should lead them to another league title. Strength against strength, and it’s at Arlin Field. You really can’t ask for more from a high school football game. This game gives both teams a fast track to the league title. See you there.
1. Lexington, Ontario, Week 1
In my opinion, the game of the year is in Week 1. It means nothing in terms of the league championship race, nor will it knock either team out of the playoff race, but the storylines are intriguing. Bodpegn Miller, who is headed to Ontario’s Ohio State, versus Lexington’s sensational junior Brayden Fogle, who has an offer from Georgia and will get even more from the best college football programs in the country. Two dynamic offenses that should light up the scoreboard, and two schools less than 8.1 miles apart. There are no secrets between these two teams, and the winner will have bragging rights next year. Ontario has won the last two meetings, including a walkoff field goal last year. Lexington last won in 2021 with a 45-0 thrashing. It’s going to be one hell of a football game.
2024 Richland County High School Football Schedule
Week 1, August 23 and 24
Clear Fork at Perkins
Seneca East at Crestview
Lexington, Ontario
Lucas in Smethport (PA), Saturday, 3:00 p.m.
Shelby-Madison
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary at Mansfield Senior
Oberlin in Plymouth
Week 2, 29 and 30 August
Clear Fork near Granville
Kirtland in Crestview (Thursday)
Shelby-in-Lexington
Hillsdale at Lucas
River valley near Madison
Mansfield Senior at Canfield
Centreburg, Ontario
Plymouth at Willard
Week 3, September 6
Lexington at Clear Fork
Crestview at Keystone
Lucas in Smithville
Ontario in Madison
Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph at Mansfield Senior
Plymouth to Wellington
Bellevue near Shelby
Week 4, September 13
Galion at Clear Fork
Crestview near Monroeville
Akron North near Lexington
Lucas in Warrenville Heights
Wooster in Madison
Mansfield Sr. at West Holmes
Ontario in the River Valley
Plymouth in the Western Reserve
Marion Harding at Shelby
Week 5, September 20
Clear Fork in Ontario
Crestview near New London
Wooster in Lexington
Willard at Lucas
Madison at West Holmes
Mansfield Sr. at New Philadelphia
St Paul’s in Plymouth
Shelby at Galion
Week 6, September 27
Pleasant at Clear Fork
South Central at Crestview
Lexington at Mansfield Senior
Lucas at Tiffin Calvert
Ashland in Madison
Ontario at Galion
Plymouth in Mapleton
Shelby at Highland
Week 7, October 4
Clear Fork at Marion Harding
Crestview in Plymouth
West Holmes in Lexington
Amanda-Clearcreek at Lucas
Madison in New Philadelphia
Mansfield Senior in Ashland
Ontario near Pleasant
River valley near Shelby
Week 8, 11 and 12 October
Shelby at Clear Fork
Crestview in Norwalk St. Paul (Saturday)
Lexington in New Philadelphia
North Central at Lucas
Dover-Madison
Wooster at Mansfield Senior
Marion Harding in Ontario
New London in Plymouth
Week 9, October 18
Clear Fork near Highland
Western Reserve at Crestview
Madison in Lexington
Lucas at Lakota
Canton GlenOak at Mansfield Senior
Ontario near Shelby
Monroeville in Plymouth
Week 10, October 25
River valley at Clear Fork
Mapleton at Crestview
Lexington-Ashland
Ottawa Lake-Whiteford (MI) at Lucas
Mansfield Senior at Madison
Ontario Highlands
Plymouth at South Central
Shelby at Pleasant
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