Week 1 predictions for central Ohio high school football
High school football has arrived, and the Predictions Panel has returned for another season.
Eric Frantz won the title in 2022, and he's back to defend his championship.
The rest of the panel is Ryan Baker, Steve Blackledge, Lee Cochran, Frank DiRenna, Dave Purpura, Andy Resnik, Kurt Snyder, Dave Weidig and Tom Wilson.
We're starting off by picking 18 games featuring teams from Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Pickaway and Union counties.
This is the fifth year of our Lone Wolf picks, in which one staffer goes against the rest of the panel. We have four of those this week, as Baker has picked Buckeye Valley to beat Delaware Hayes and Olentangy Liberty to defeat Pickerington Central, Wilson has taken Groveport to defeat Canal Winchester and Cochran has picked Beechcroft to beat Thomas Worthington.
Good luck to all teams this season.
Enjoy Week 1!
Big Walnut at Hartley
Big Walnut Golden Eagles: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Hartley Hawks:
Bloom-Carroll at Harvest Prep
Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Harvest Prep Warriors:
Buckeye Valley at Delaware Hayes
Buckeye Valley Barons: Baker
Delaware Hayes Pacers: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Dublin Scioto at Grove City
Dublin Scioto Irish:
Grove City Dawgs: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Franklin Heights at Bexley
Franklin Heights Falcons: Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Bexley Lions: Baker, Blackledge, Resnik
Groveport at Canal Winchester
Groveport Cruisers: Wilson
Canal Winchester Indians: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig
Licking Heights at Johnstown
Licking Heights Hornets: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Johnstown Johnnies:
Marion-Franklin at Granville
Marion-Franklin Red Devils:
Granville Blue Aces: Baker, Cochran, Blackledge, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Marysville at New Albany
Marysville Monarchs:
New Albany Eagles: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Newark Catholic vs. Ready at Fortress Obetz
Newark Catholic Green Wave: Baker, Cochran, Frantz, Purpura, Snyder, Wilson
Ready Silver Knights: Blackledge, DiRenna, Resnik, Weidig
Olentangy Berlin at Hilliard Bradley
Olentangy Berlin Bears: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Snyder, Wilson
Hilliard Bradley Jaguars: DiRenna, Purpura, Resnik, Weidig
Pickerington Central at Olentangy Liberty
Pickerington Central Tigers: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Olentangy Liberty Patriots: Baker
Reynoldsburg at Upper Arlington
Reynoldsburg Raiders:
Upper Arlington Golden Bears: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Teays Valley at Lancaster
Teays Valley Vikings: Baker, DiRenna
Lancaster Golden Gales: Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Thomas Worthington at Beechcroft
Thomas Worthington Cardinals: Baker, Blackledge, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Beechcroft Cougars: Cochran
Watkins Memorial at Worthington Kilbourne
Watkins Memorial Warriors: Baker, Purpura, Resnik
Worthington Kilbourne Wolves: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Westerville Central at Westerville North
Westerville Central Warhawks: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Westerville North Warriors:
Westerville South at Dublin Jerome
Westerville South Wildcats: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Wilson
Dublin Jerome Celtics: Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Week 1 predictions for Columbus-area high school football
