Stark County area's high school football games to watch | What to know about Week 5
Stark County is down to two unbeaten teams — Canton South and Massillon — as the the Ohio high school football regular season hits the midway point. The only other unbeaten team in the area is Malvern. All three face tough tests this week at home, with Massillon hosting Ohio's reigning two-time Division I state champions. Learn more about that game, as well as the rest of this weekend's games from around the area, which all kick off at 7 p.m.
Here's a look at this week's games:
5 OHSAA high school football games to watch this Friday around Stark County
St. Edward (4-0) at Massillon (4-0)
What to know: Likely the biggest game in the state this week, and this figures to be Massillon's toughest test in its schedule. Everyone remembers the last meeting at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium when the Tigers beat the defending champs on a late TD pass. ... Like last year, St. Ed's enters this game ranked No. 1 in the state. The all-time series between the two teams is tied 4-4. ... While Massillon is coming off a 55-0 shutout over Elkhart (Ind.) last Friday, St. Ed's defeated Cincinnati Elder on the road 34-33. ... Massillon's defense will be put to the test as they take on perhaps the best offensive line in the country. Three of St. Edward's starting five are Big 10 bound, starting with twin brothers of Devontae and Deontae Armstrong at left tackle and left guard. Both are committed to Ohio State. At right tackle is Ben Roebuck, a 6-foot-8 Michigan commit. ... Massillon's defense allows an average of just 8.5 points through four games. Stopping the run is Massillon's strength. The Tigers have yielded a combined 279 rushing yards this season. Dorian Pringle and Cody Fair have been the Tigers' leading tacklers, combining for 39 total tackles (10.5 for loss) and two sacks. Michael Wright Jr., who had five QB hits last week against Elkhart, will be the player to watch at nose tackle as he and Massillon's three-man front will take on St. Ed's massive offensive line. ... The Tigers' offense has produced nearly 500 yards of offense in each game. Massillon coach Nate Moore has continued to rotate his quarterbacks, Jalen Slaughter and DaOne Owens, as they've combined for 633 passing yards and 10 TD passes. On the ground, Owens is Massillon's leading rusher with 426 rushing yards and six TDs.
Canton/Massillon football power poll: Stark County-Area High School Football Top 5 Power Poll after four weeks of 2023 season
Green (3-1, 0-1) at Canton McKinley (3-1, 1-0)
What to know: After shutting down the wing-T of Perry last week in a 44-6 win, the McKinley defense must shift gears for the empty-backfield spread of Green. This will be the best passing attack McKinley has faced to this point of the season, led by senior QB Samino Manson and weapons such as Antonio Martin, Zach Baglia and Jarrett Taylor. ... McKinley coach Antonio Hall has been impressed with his team's preparation and focus for wins against Dublin Coffman and Perry the last two weeks, and that must continue for this Federal League battle of the Bulldogs. "Now it's about making sure we don't have a letdown after this week, getting ready for Green," Hall said. "Green has some dudes, they're well-coached and they're looking pretty good." ... McKinley's defense features a strong defensive line led by two-way starter Dior Garner at nose tackle. Senior LB Shaukeer Hatcher is a big hitter and McKinley's top tackler. ... Green has its own impact two-way lineman in junior Michael Schaal. He has team highs of 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. ... LB AJ Fortunato leads the Green defense with 26.5 tackles, while Martin and safety Josh Just have two interceptions each. Green has been impressive defensively, allowing 11.8 points a game, and that includes giving up a pick six in last week's 20-13 loss at Jackson. ... WR-S Keith Quincy is all over the field for McKinley. The junior leads the defense with two interceptions and has team highs of 16 receptions for 296 yards. He also handles McKinley's punting duties. ... Senior QB Keaton Rode is in a groove right now, and that makes McKinley awfully difficult to defend. Quincy, Dante McClellan and Xavier Harris all are big-play threats. Focus too much on them, and junior RB Nino Hill (7.0 yard per carry) will make defenses pay. "I think their balance in their run game and their ability to throw it is the best I've seen out of them in the past few years," Green coach Mark Geis said. Rode tied a McKinley single-game record with 301 yards passing last week. ... McKinley is 8-0 all-time vs. Green.
AP football state poll: Hoban, Massillon, Canton South ranked in Associated Press high school football state poll
Perry (2-2, 0-1) at Jackson (3-1, 1-0)
What to know: The Polar Bears contained Green's five-wide spread offense in last week's win, their third straight. Now they ready for the wing-T of Perry. "It's two opposites, man," Jackson coach Jay Rohr said. "And neither one is what you would call traditional." Junior linebacker Jordan Warmath is the leading tackler (by far) for a Jackson defense that has allowed only 13 points the last eight quarters. In that same stretch the Polar Bears have scored 14 points defensively thanks to two interception returns for touchdowns by senior Anthony Fuline. ... Perry is coming off a humbling 44-6 loss to McKinley in which the Panthers were outgained 494 yards to 104. Perry coach Zach Slates is calling for better defense, of course, but it goes beyond that. "We've got to be able to control the ball," Slates said about his offense. "That's what our offense and defense are based off of. If we can't do that, we're in trouble." ... The Panthers didn't contain McKinley QB Keaton Rode last week. They'll try again with Jackson QB Lucas Ecrement, who has thrown for 947 yards and 10 TDs and run for another 228 yards and two TDs. Fuline, Kyle Benson, Noah Colando and Jamahl Phillips each have multiple TD catches this season in Jackson's spread attack. ... Perry has rushed for 735 yards, led by Ryder Hartshorn's 337 yards at 8.6 a carry. He's scored a team-high five TDs, followed by four from Marcellys Harris. ...LB Christian Ivanic, one of Perry's leading tacklers, has a team-high two interceptions. ... Jackson won last year's meeting with Perry 32-31 in overtime on a 2-point conversion. Perry leads the all-time series 32-30-4.
CVCA (3-1, 1-0) at Canton South (4-0, 1-0)
What to know: One of the top PAC-7 matchups of the season. Canton South and CVCA are among the five teams who shared the 2022 conference championship. This week’s winner will be guaranteed a share of first place. ... The Royals have rolled off three straight wins after a season-opening loss to Streetsboro. The defense recorded shutouts in two of the wins. ... With QB Poochie Snyder, WR Tavon Castle and RB Xion Culver leading the way, South represents one of the biggest challenges for CVCA’s defense. Snyder has thrown for 1,028 yards and 12 TDs and leads the Wildcats in rushing with 584 yards and four TDs. Culver has rushed for 423 yards and four touchdowns, while Castle has caught 36 passes for 578 yards and six TDs. Jerome Cox gives South an added threat at running back. He had his second 100-yard rushing game of the season in last week’s 45-14 win over Orrville. ... CVCA features a balanced running attack. Ricky Levak ran for 93 yards on just seven carries and two TDs in last week’s 42-0 win over Tuslaw. Charley Levak is also a threat as a rusher. He ran for two TDs against the Mustangs.
Sandy Valley at Malvern
What to know: Neighbors living up to high preseason expectations collide. "To me, Malvern-Sandy Valley is one of the better small-school rivalries around," Malvern head coach Matt Chiurco said. "The atmosphere should be absolutely electric." … Last year's Cardinals played only one senior. Now, five captains (Nick Petro, Chad Davis, Chapin Greer, Andrew Neary, Troy Snyder) lead a group of 15 seniors. "This is one of the best overall groups of leaders I've had," seventh-year head coach Brian Gamble said. … Division VII Malvern can get to 5-0 for the second time since 2009. … Malvern won 11 of the 12 meetings with Sandy Valley from 2002-13. Since then, Sandy Valley has won seven in a row. There were no games in 2020 and 2022, but plans call for playing every year going forward. … The 2023 Cardinals have been in exciting games against competitive teams with strong QBs, beating Fairless 29-22 and falling to Canton South 35-27. Malvern QB Jared Withrow went 21-of-27 for 277 yards and four TDs in Friday's 27-20 win over previously unbeaten Tusky Valley. Senior WR Dylan Phillips' fast start included 14 catches for 166 yards and two TDS. Big-play threat Rodney Smith added four catches for 97 yards and two TDs. … Sandy Valley beat Manchester and Minerva, both winless, by a combined 97-19 score. This one shapes up more along the lines of the last Sandy Valley-Malvern game, which came down to the last play with the Cardinals on top, 22-21. Then-sophomore Nick Petro was hurt and didn't play. Petro is healthy and thriving as a senior. "He'll probably be the best quarterback we'll see in the regular season," Chiurco said.
Other Week 5 Stark County-area high school football games
North Canton Hoover (3-1, 0-0) at GlenOak (1-3, 0-1)
What to know: After beating Louisville 34-10 at home last week, Hoover knows the game changes a bit stepping into Federal League play at Bob Commings Field. "We need more consistent play out of the offensive front and defensive front," Vikings coach Brian Baum said. "We've got to keep the run game going offensively, and defensively you've got to shut the run game down in the Federal League." ... GlenOak has dropped three straight games and the goal is simple for coach Scott Garcia's crew: "We just have to eliminate mistakes," he said. "That's really what our season has come down to." GlenOak fumbled away the opening kickoff of last week and it led to Lake's only touchdown in a 10-7 Blue Streaks win. GlenOak outgained Lake by 159 yards but saw it all go for naught because of a red-zone turnover and drive-killing penalties. On the bright side, Garcia felt his defense's performance (allowing only 132 yards and eight first downs) was GlenOak's best in his three years back as head coach. That defense will try to prevent Hoover's big plays. Vikings QB Carson Dyrlund is a dual threat. He accounted for three touchdowns and 214 yards running and throwing in Hoover's 41-31 win against GlenOak last year. Hoover's Mason Ashby returned a kickoff for a TD in that game, while Zach Braucher caught a 43-yard TD pass. ... Jamar Johnson had TD runs of 69 and 37 yards in that game for GlenOak. He leads the Golden Eagles with 291 yards at 8.8 a carry this season. Avantae Burt has 444 yards and four TDs rushing and receiving combined. ... Hoover's back seven on defense is dealing with the loss of junior safety AJ Dolph for the season to a knee injury. It helps to get senior LB Cooper Westfall back this week from injury for the first time this season. GlenOak hopes to return junior QB-LB Adrion "Milk" Burt, who's been out since Week 2 because of injury. Burt tied a school record with four sacks in GlenOak's season-opening win against Cincinnati Western Hills. ... Hoover has won five straight against GlenOak and leads the all-time series 30-19.
Louisville (1-3) at Lake (3-1)
What to know: It hasn't been pretty for the Blue Streaks, but they're finding ways to win thanks mostly to their rugged defense and a couple of clutch kicks from senior Celton Dutton. He kicked a 23-yard field goal to beat Brecksville in double overtime two weeks ago and made a 38-yarder in the fourth quarter last week to beat GlenOak 10-7. ... Lake hasn't thrown for a touchdown this season and needs a spark in the passing game, which could take some pressure off of Nate Baker. Since moving to tailback in Week 2, the receiver-turned-runner Baker has carried the ball 80 times. His 430 yards on the season lead the Federal League. Senior Cale Jarvis and junior Noah Kubasky are splitting snaps at QB. ... Lake got senior DE Dane Jarvis back from injury last week. As he rounds into form, he could make quite the edge-rushing duo with Ryan Lippe, who leads the area with 13 tackles for loss. ... This is the second of five straight games against Federal League opponents for Louisville, which lost 34-10 to Hoover last week. ... Louisville QB Owen Burick found Cooper Rice for a 55-yard touchdown last week. Burick has thrown for 723 yards and five TDs on the season. ... Lake has won three straight against Louisville and leads the all-time series 11-4.
Central Catholic (2-2) at Alliance (3-1)
What to know: Central has won two straight and the Crusader offense runs through QB Brennan Betz. He is 24-of-58 passing for 414 yards with five TDs and five interceptions this season. Betz has also run for a team-high 182 yards on 35 carries with a TD. … Alliance QB Brendan Zurbrugg (Oklahoma) is having a solid senior season. Zurbrugg is 47-of-75 passing for 689 yards with seven TDs and one interception. Zurbrugg has also run for 363 yards and three touchdowns.
Northwest (2-2, 1-0) at Fairless (2-2, 1-0)
What to know: The season is looking brighter for two teams who got off to 0-2 starts. Who will emerge with a three-game win streak and a share of the PAC-7 lead? ... Connor Satterfield has been a two-way force for Northwest this season. He has three 100-yard rushing games and a 13-tackle performance that helped wrap up a come-from-behind win over Louisville in Week 3. Satterfield and Parker Kraft give Northwest and formidable duo in the backfield. Kraft ran for 147 yards and Satterfield rushed for 142 yards in last week’s 42-21 win over Manchester. It has been a matter of survival for Fairless in recent weeks. The Falcons held off a Claymont rally to earn their first win and rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Triway in overtime last week. With the absence of injured back Peter Killy, QB Carson Colucci and Anthony Stutler have powered the running game. Colucci has rushed for a team-leading 379 yards and six TDs. Stutler ran for a game-high 135 yards and two TDs in the win over Triway.
Triway (1-3, 0-1) at Tuslaw (2-2, 0-1)
What to know: Tuslaw returns home after CVCA beat the Mustangs 42-0. Tuslaw is 2-0 at home. ... Tuslaw's top playmakers include RB Joey Medure, QB Ethan Haer and WR Spiros Smith. Medure has rushed for 336 yards and four TDs on 73 carries. Haer has thrown for 369 yards and three TDs. Smith has caught all three TDs, and also has two TD runs. He has a team-high 12 catches for 209 yards (a 17.4 average). ... Jacob Lyons leads Tuslaw with four tackles for loss.
Manchester (0-4, 0-1) at Orrville (1-3, 0-1)
What to know: The Panthers and Red Riders both could really use a win. Orrville was one of five teams who shared the 2022 conference title. Any victory would feel like a championship for Manchester. The Panthers have lost 15 straight games. ... With RB Cody Hostler helping to lead the way, Manchester averages just over 19 points. The Panthers hope to get their running game going against an Orrville defense that allowed 444 yards rushing in last week’s 45-14 loss to Canton South. ... Sawyer Hamsher is a dual-threat quarterback for the Red Riders. In Orrville’s 50-6 win over Springfield two weeks ago, he threw for 237 yards and three TDs.
Minerva (0-4) at Southeast (4-0)
What to know: Minerva has lost 23 consecutive games. … The Lions have scored seven points or less in three of their four games this year. … Southeast has scored 30 points or more in every game this season.
Akron Garfield at Carrollton
What to know: Carrollton's 41-7 loss to Garaway was one of the stranger blowout scores. The Warriors ground out running yards all night, getting 101 yards and a TD from Ryan Kiko, and 220 yards overall, but could not finish drives. Carrollton led 50 minutes to 18 in time of possession. The run defense held up, but the Warriors were stung by Garaway QB Brady Geibel's big plays. … Ending a three-game losing streak could help start afresh heading into the EBC opener against Marlington. … Garfield, with only four seniors, is coming off a 40-13 loss at Mayfield. The Rams fell 40-13 at Carrollton in Game 5 last year. Their 2023 win was at Akron Springfield in the opener, 22-20.
Howland (0-4) at West Branch (3-1)
What to know: Howland is looking for its first win under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Jones. The Tigers have lost seven consecutive games overall. … Howland has a big starting quarterback with 6-foot-5 passer John Perry. … West Branch has a big quarterback of its own in 6-6 Beau Alazaus. Alazaus is 104-for-155 passing this year for 1,175 yards with 12 TDs and three interceptions. … West Branch WR Joey Jackson is closing in on 500 yards receiving. Jackson has caught 36 passes for 479 yards with six TDs this year.
Garaway at East Canton
What to know: The Hornets' Inter-Valley Conference arrangement calls for one game against an IVC South team, which doesn't count in the league standings, followed by five games against the IVC North. This year's IVC South draw, Garaway, is a tough one. The Pirates are 4-0 coming off a 41-7 win at Carrollton in which junior QB Brady Geibel passed for 255 yards. Garaway was 12-0 last year before losing in the Division V playoffs. … Garaway won the last meeting 35-0 in a 2020 season opener. … East Canton's 2023 losses are to Toronto, United and Southern, which are a combined 10-2. The Hornets rolled to a 40-8 win at winless St. Thomas Aquinas last week.
St. Thomas Aquinas (0-4) at Windham (1-3)
What to know: Aquinas will try to stop a 20-game losing streak. The Knights are coming off a 40-8 loss to East Canton. They have been outscored 163-22 this season. ... Windham earned its first win, 38-12 over Tuscarawas Central Catholic, last week. The Bombers were outscored 143-12 in three decisive losses to open the season. RB Carlos Bruton rushed for 114 yards and three TDs in last week’s win. The Windham defense also recorded four interceptions vs. TCC.
Saturday's game
Marlington (3-1) vs. Warren JFK (1-2)
at Liberty High School
What to know: Marlington will look to rebound from its first loss of the season. … The Dukes have a potent offense with QB Bryson McCord and WR Beau Himmelheber. It’s a combination that can pile up yards and points quickly. … Warren JFK has lost two consecutive games and had its Week 4 game against previously unbeaten Perkins called off. … The Eagles have allowed 102 points combined in their last two games.
Enjoy Our Coverage of Greater Canton High School Football
Jackson Football's "86 Strong" Approach: The Jackson Polar Bears "just fight" in winning their third straight game and handing Green its first loss.
Making the Most of a Special Season: Senior quarterback Poochie Snyder and the rest of the Wildcats are living it up in the good new days of Canton South football.
Coming Together Through a Game: A Lake High School football game brings the community together after a tragedy a week earlier,
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Week 5 Ohio high school football games to watch in Stark County
