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Columbus-area high school football: Your guide to the 2023 season

From preseason practices through the state championship games, The Dispatch will be covering the high school football season every step of the way.

This page will be the place where you can find all of our coverage throughout the season. You also could subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Mark Biagi (10) and Dominic Purcell (6) celebrate during Watterson's Division III state semifinal victory.
Mark Biagi (10) and Dominic Purcell (6) celebrate during Watterson's Division III state semifinal victory.

Division III state championship game

'We just didn’t finish': Watterson falls to Toledo Central Catholic

All-Metro

Coach: Brian Kennedy 'humbled' by success at Watterson

Team: The best of central Ohio

Season and weekly predictions, team and player rankings, burning questions, takeaways and more from Dispatch high school sports reporters Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura (and other USA Today Network Ohio staffers)

Predictions: League championship picks | Week 1 games | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | First-round playoff picks | Regional quarterfinals | Regional semifinals | Regional finals | State semifinals | State finals

Burning questions, takeaways, what to watch: 5 burning questions for the 2023 season: part 1 | 5 burning questions for the 2023 season: part 2 | 5 things we learned in Week 1 | 5 things to watch in Week 2 | 5 things we learned in Week 2 | 5 things to watch in Week 3 | 5 things we learned in Week 3 | 5 things to watch in Week 4 | 5 things we learned in Week 4 | 5 things to watch in Week 5 | 5 things we learned in Week 5 | 6 burning questions for second half of regular season | 5 things to watch in Week 6 | 6 things we learned in Week 6 | 5 things to watch in Week 7 | 5 things we learned in Week 7 | 5 things to watch in Week 8 | 5 things we learned in Week 8 | 5 things to watch in Week 9 | 5 things we learned in Week 9 | 5 things to watch in Week 10 | 10 thoughts on the playoff pairings | 6 things we learned in Week 10 | 10 burning questions entering the postseason | 5 things to watch in first round of playoffs | 5 things we learned in first round of playoffs | Reporters roundtable: Thoughts on the playoffs | 5 things to watch in regional quarterfinals | 5 things we learned in regional quarterfinals | 5 things to watch in regional semifinals | 5 things we learned in regional semifinals | Reporters roundtable: Thoughts on the regional finals | 5 things to watch in regional finals | 5 things we learned in regional finals | 5 things to watch in state semifinals | 5 things we learned in state semifinals | Watterson vs. Toledo Central Catholic: 3 storylines entering Division III state final | Reporters roundtable: Thoughts on 2023 season

Top players to watch in 2023: Best in Ohio | Best in Columbus area | Defensive linemen | Linebackers | Quarterbacks | Wide receivers/tight ends | Offensive linemen | Running backs | Defensive backs | Kickers/punters | How Ohio State commit Garrett Stover is approaching senior season at Big Walnut | How Pickerington North is preparing Sam Williams-Dixon for Ohio State | 'I had to be the workhorse': Kentrell Rinehart emerges as star for Ready | Penn State getting meticulous QB in Olentangy's Ethan Grunkemeyer | Why Brian Robinson chose to play his senior season at Westerville North | Central Buckeye League all-conference honors | Quarterback Bradyn Fleharty powers Hilliard Bradley | OCC all-league honors | City League all-conference honors | Mr. Football finalist Dominic Purcell leads Watterson to state final

Super 7 poll: Gahanna Lincoln enters season at No. 1 | Three teams jump into rankings ahead of Week 2 | Dublin Coffman, Hilliard Bradley make 2023 poll debuts | Pickerington North closes gap on No. 1 Gahanna | Race for No. 1 heats up entering Week 5 | Canal Winchester, Olentangy Berlin make 2023 poll debuts | Unbeaten Watterson grabs spot in poll | Hilliard Bradley moves up to No. 2 entering Week 8 | Three teams battling for No. 1 entering Week 9 | Poll championship up for grabs heading into Week 10 | Gahanna repeats as poll champion

Associated Press poll: Pickerington North leads central Ohio in first statewide rankings | Pickerington North, West Jefferson are central's Ohio top-ranked teams | Watterson, London hold spots in D-III; Olentangy slips in D-I | Hilliard Bradley jumps two spots to No. 3 in Division I | Olentangy Berlin enters Division I rankings | West Jefferson moves into tie for No. 1 in Division VI | Gahanna earns central Ohio's highest finish in final poll

14-time state champion Maria Stein Marion Local

From rural farm town Maria Stein, football juggernaut Marion Local towers over Ohio

Marion Local captures third consecutive state championship and 14th overall

Schedule, scores, live coverage for Columbus-area high school football

2023 weekly schedule for Columbus and surrounding areas

Here are the games to watch during the 2023 season

Scores, quick hits from Week 1

Scores, quick hits from Week 2

Scores, quick hits from Week 3

Scores, quick hits from Week 4

Scores, quick hits from Week 5

Scores, quick hits from Week 6

Scores, quick hits from Week 7

Scores, quick hits from Week 8

Scores, quick hits from Week 9

Scores, quick hits from Week 10

Scores, quick hits from first round of playoffs

Scores, quick hits from regional quarterfinals

Scores, recaps from regional semifinals

Scores, recaps from regional finals

Scores, recaps from state semifinals

More central Ohio high school football coverage

High schools, police team up on fan safety, security at football games

Top 23 Ohio high school football programs in 2023

2023 conference breakdown

Best uniforms in central Ohio

New head coaches this season

'Bring the juice': Columbus-area teams open practice

Stanley Jackson puts stamp on Westerville North

Gahanna prepares for role as Columbus-area favorite

DeSales' Sergio begins 55th straight season as coach

Community celebrates life of West coach Aaron Owens

Remembering former Eastmoor, Reynoldsburg coach Bob Stuart

'All about unity': Athletes get lift from new weight rooms

Olentangy Liberty, Pickerington Central enter new eras

West promotes Eric Robinson to head coach

Thomas Worthington honors memory of former Ohio State player Dimitrious Stanley

'Still in shock': Thomas Worthington graduate Reese Dykstra treasures Long Island scholarship

Ohio State matchup awaits former Columbus-area high school players

No league of their own: Columbus area's independent high school football teams go it alone

'Storybook kind of thing': Hamilton Township football on verge of perfect regular season

Gahanna Lincoln, Pickerington North primed for battle of unbeatens

Behind the scenes, scout team players prep starters for action

'Working for this all year': Watterson aims for Division III state title

Olentangy Orange coach Zebb Schroeder steps down after 10 seasons

Coach Geron Stokes stoking success at Dublin Coffman

Veteran offensive line powers West Jefferson

'Incredible balance' leads Harvest Prep back to state semifinals

Hilliard Bradley embraces underdog status in state semifinal

Olentangy Orange coach Zebb Schroeder steps down after 10 seasons

Westerville Central coach Ed Miley steps down after two seasons

Jeff Hartings steps down as Worthington Christian coach

Westerville South coach Matthew Christ resigns after seven seasons

National Signing Day 2023: Which colleges did central Ohio players choose

The Columbus Dispatch's high school sports staff

Reporter Frank DiRenna: fdirenna@dispatch.com; @DispatchFrank

Reporter Dave Purpura: dpurpura@dispatch.com; @dp_dispatch

Editor Andy Resnik: aresnik@dispatch.com; @DispatchPreps

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio high school football: Your guide to the 2023 season