'I am excited for our league': Akron City Series high school football's memorable Week 1

The East, Firestone, Garfield and North football teams combined to accomplish a rare feat last Friday.

All four City Series teams won in Week 1, giving the Akron Public Schools four winning teams to open the season for the first time since 2002.

East beat Youngstown Chaney 14-13, Firestone defeated Cuyahoga Falls 15-0, Garfield beat Springfield 22-20 and North won 28-0 over Coventry.

"This goes back to what everybody said at [City Series Football] Media Day," North coach DeMonte Powell said. "Everybody was supporting each other and pushing each other to go out there and do well outside the city. I definitely think this is a positive thing. Now, we can all see what we are doing and we can continue to push for success outside of the city."

A look back at Akron City Series Week 1 football winners in 2002

The 2002 City Series opening-weekend winners were Buchtel (over Lake), Central-Hower (over Garfield Heights Trinity), Firestone (over Springfield) and Kenmore (over Rootstown).

Since then, Ellet and Buchtel have had the most Week 1 wins. Central-Hower and Kenmore are no longer APS high schools, but the buildings remain in use for educational purposes.

Marvin Causey Jr., Sigmund Felding lead Akron North to football win

Powell, 30, was a 9-year old safety and running back for the Patterson Park Vikings B Team in 2002.

North's most recent season-opening wins were in 2013, 2009 and 2006.

At Coventry last Friday, junior Marvin Causey Jr. totaled nine carries for 161 yards, two touchdowns, 245 all-purpose yards and a two-point conversion to lead North. Other key Vikings were:

• Sigmund Felding - six carries for 86 yards, two TDs, one two-point conversion and six solo tackles;

• Jaydein Echols - blocked punt to set up a TD;

• Tyreon "T.Y." Jones - two sacks;

• Bernard Jackson III - two sacks;

• Micah Freeman - two tackles for loss;

• Nikiye Jones - five solo tackles.

"This shows the competitiveness of the Akron City Series," Firestone coach Eric Mitchell said. "It shows that there is still a lot of talent here in Summit County."

Daniel Peterson, Dionte Younger guide Akron Firestone to football win

Mitchell's Falcons last won an opener in 2020 (vs. North) and, before that, 2007 (vs. Revere). Leading Firestone to its win over Cuyahoga Falls were:

• Daylyn Taylor - TD pass to Daniel Peterson;

• Dionte Younger - TD run, 13 tackles (three for loss);

• Isaiah Ramer - two-point conversion;

• Rachelle Athey - extra-point kick;

• Kahlil Hayden - interception;

• Brandon Foster - eight tackles (two for loss).

Ibraheem Kamara, Ziaire Stevens lead Akron East to football win

Before Friday, East's recent Week 1 wins were in 2018 and from 2005-08.

"This is a good thing that happened," East coach Marques Hayes said. "It is Week 1, so you don't want to put the cart before the horse, but I think it is great that four teams won because obviously that was the goal going into Week 1. ... We definitely have a one-game-at-a-time mentality, but I am excited for our league. The more wins that we can rack up then the more people are going to look at our league differently."

East beat Chaney with senior Ibraheem Kamara returning an interception for a touchdown and making two PATs and junior Ziaire Stevens running for a touchdown and 185 yards on 18 carries.

Others coming up big for East were:

• ZiVelle Thomas - 10 tackles, forced two fumbles;

• Antonio Rosser - 12 tackles, recovered one fumble;

• Cochise Griffin - six tackles (two sacks);

• Jaden Bell - six tackles;

• Latrelle Allen - recovered one fumble.

Chaney went 10-2 last season and is in Division III, Region 9 with East.

"Our talking point for Youngstown Chaney was the fact that Canfield, who won the state championship last year in Division III, had a record of 14-1 and the only loss that they had came by the hands of Youngstown Chaney [in Week 5]," Hayes said.

Isaiah Matthews, Kevin Strickling guide Akron Garfield to football win

Garfield coach Kemp Boyd won his fourth Week 1 game Friday with the Rams' win at Springfield. Boyd's prior season-opening wins were with Kenmore in 2016, Kenmore-Garfield in 2021 and Garfield in 2022.

Garfield junior Kevin Strickling threw two touchdown passes against Springfield, one apiece to junior Brima Barry and junior Isaiah Matthews. Others leading the way for the Rams:

• Matthews - 126 yards on 17 carries, interception to end the game;

• Thomas Walker - TD run;

• Kaden Billman - PAT, field goal;

• Darrin Brown Jr., Santura Foreman, Jamir Jenkins - combined for four sacks, six tackles for loss;

• Jenkins - forced fumble

• James Thompson - fumble recovery.

"Our league is strong and this shows the resiliency of each City Series team," Boyd said. "We know what is going on in our city when we talk about our youth and the youth violence. For these young men to come out and rise above that, especially when you talk about East — they had the lightning and got rained out on Thursday and then came back at noon on a Friday to finish the game, and then to hold them [Youngstown Chaney] off, that is huge.

"This is a credit to our young men across the city of Akron and it also a credit to the coaches in the City Series. Hats off to coach Hayes over at East. Hats off to coach Powell over at North. He wanted to be at North. He is a North guy, and those guys are responding to his energy and excitement.

"Coach Mitchell does a great job over at Firestone, too. I am really proud of the city as a whole and what we have accomplished. I thought collectively as a league we were all good enough to be 6-0 in Week 1. The coaching is really good in our city and we have really good players."

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron City Series football teams deliver memorable OHSAA Week 1