Week 1 Richland County high school football preview: Inter-county matchups all the rage
MANSFIELD — Summer is officially over and it is football time again in Richland County.
Week 1 is here and it is a doozy. Three Richland County vs Richland County matchups are on the agenda for Friday night along with a 21-game regular-season winning streak and a huge matchup between two teams with deep playoff runs in their futures.
Let's take a quick look at each matchup and see what we should expect with the kickoff to the 2023 high school football season approaching.
Lucas at Clear Fork
Last year, these two teams played to an instant classic with Clear Fork winning 21-20 and used that momentum to win the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship and post a 10-win season. Lucas plowed through a very tough regular-season schedule at 4-6 and went on an epic playoff run to the regional semifinals because it played teams like Clear Fork. It will be another tough test for both squads. Lucas brings back a wealth of experience with Logan Toms as the main focus on both sides of the ball and an offensive line that is another year older and stronger. Clear Fork has to reload after losing its two main offensive weapons, but the guys who are sliding into starting positions have been chomping at the bit to get their shots. Get ready for one hard-hitting football game in the Valley.
Ontario at Lexington
The backyard rivalry is back, yet again, in Week 1. The Warriors beat Lexington 21-17 last year in what turned out to be one of the most thrilling games of the 2022 season. The Warriors have 21 seniors back on the roster and would need a nice Week 1 win to build some momentum as they look to compete for a league championship. Lexington has undergone a youth movement, but those young players are some of the most talented in the county and a win in Week 1 would really give those youngsters a huge confidence boost moving forward. There is a lot on the line for both teams. Ontario wants to see quarterback Bodpegn Miller get out to a nice start and running back Chase Studer return from an injury last year better than ever. Lexington will break in a new quarterback in Joe Caudill and he has plenty of receivers to throw to like Brayden Fogle and Seven Allen. There will be big names all over the field.
Shelby at Madison
Last year's thriller was about as good as it got in Richland County. Shelby pulled off a walk-off field goal victory in the final game at WW Skiles Field and parlayed it to a 5-6 season with a playoff berth. Madison went 1-9 and saw its head coach leave after just one season. The Rams have the most to gain from this one with new coach Brent Besancon coming in looking to flip the culture, but the Whippets have MOAC title hopes and would love nothing more than to build some continuity as it prepares for its tough league schedule. A new wrinkle has been added to this rivalry with the winner walking away with the Milliron Trophy which honors the late Grant Milliron who was a major donor in Madison's new football stadium project and helped Shelby funds its move from Skiles with his generosity. Both teams want to hold that trophy for a year.
Mansfield Senior at St. Vincent, St. Mary
The Tygers absolutely loaded their nonconference schedule kicking off the season with St. Vincent, St. Mary which went 8-4 last season with two playoff wins. The Tygers thrive on testing themselves early on in the season as they make sure they are prepared for a run at an Ohio Cardinal Conference championship. SVSM played six 10-plus win teams last year and went 3-2 against them with their only losses coming to state champions Glenville and Hoban. The Tygers made a run to the regional semifinals before being stunned by Holy Name which went on to win the region. Mansfield Senior could have easily made a run to the state semifinals last year and the heartbreak of that loss burned inside all summer long making the Tygers one of the most dangerous teams in the state. With a dynamic offense coming back, expect the TYs to light up the scoreboard on Friday night.
Crestview at Seneca East
The Cougars put their 21-game regular season winning streak on the line on Friday night when they head to Seneca East. The Tigers went 7-4 last season and finished third in the Northern 10 Conference. Crestview comes into the 2023 season needing to replace seven All-Ohioans and some of the best players in program history, but that has been a similar story for the last several years and yet, the Cougars continue to win Firelands Conference championships and churn out win after win. A nice road test in Week 1 will let the Cougars know exactly where they stand moving forward.
Plymouth at Oberlin
The Big Red continues to battle low numbers in the program after going 3-7 last year and missing out on the playoffs. They do get a favorable matchup in Week 1 at Oberlin, a team that went winless last season so it is a great opportunity to give some of the players playing new positions a ton of reps and build some confidence to start the season.
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
Twitter: @JakeFurr11
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Previewing Week 1 of Richland County High School Football
