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Week 2 high school football Games of the Week loaded with state champs, playoff powers

Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal
·3 min read

There’s no ducking solid teams if you want to make postseason runs in high school football.

With that in mind, Greater Akron doesn’t disappoint in Week 2 with some pretty spicy matchups.

We found five to keep your eye on as teams jockey for position early on.

Teams know a nonleague win over a power school can oftentimes mean the difference between a low seed in the playoffs and a high seed.

More: PHOTOS: Hudson at Highland high school football | OHSAA Week 1

Firestone (1-0) at Copley (0-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Copley's Andrew McKnight hauls in a second quarter touchdown pass against Tallmadge on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 in Tallmadge.
Copley's Andrew McKnight hauls in a second quarter touchdown pass against Tallmadge on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 in Tallmadge.

Firestone is looking to reverse a 49-26 loss to Copley last season.

In Week 1, Daylon Taylor (125 yards passing, TD) highlighted a 15-0 win over Cuyahoga Falls. Don’t overlook the defense, which limited the Black Tigers to 140 total yards behind Khalil Hayden (six tackles, interception, blocked field goal).

Copley fell 41-21 to Amherst. Julian Bearshak looked solid with two touchdown passes to Andrew McKnight and another to Scooby Stanford in the loss.

Green (1-0) at South Range (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Green wide receiver Antonio Martin, left, stiff arms Marquis Sims as he runs after a first-half catch, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.
Green wide receiver Antonio Martin, left, stiff arms Marquis Sims as he runs after a first-half catch, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.

The Bulldogs will test themselves this week against the reigning Division V champs. The Raiders are 38-2 in the last two seasons and haven’t lost a regular-season game since a 35-34 setback in overtime to Niles McKinley on Oct. 4, 2019. That’s a streak of 31 games.

In the season opener, South Range quarterback Tristan Toy threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Blake Ewert rushed for two as well in a 41-14 win over New Middleton Springfield.

Green is coming off a 14-6 win over Dover. The Bulldogs gave up an opening-drive touchdown in that one, but touchdown passes from Samino Manson to Zach Baglia and Antonio Martin in the second quarter made the difference. Green fans finally breathed a sigh of relief when the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs on fourth-and-goal with 19 seconds left.

Hudson (1-0) at Hoover (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Hudson High's Ian Ludewig runs a kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter of their game against Highland High at Highland High School on Friday.
Hudson High's Ian Ludewig runs a kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter of their game against Highland High at Highland High School on Friday.

Hudson running back Ian Ludewig hasn’t gone anywhere. In fact, he’s only gotten better. The senior rushed for 2,000-plus yards last season and kicked off 2023 with a 182-yard performance that included all five of the Explorers’ touchdowns.

Hoover kept Buchtel at bay in a 27-21 thriller when the Vikings forced three fumbles and got 264 yards of offense and two touchdowns from Carson Dyrlund. Kyle Miraglia added 125 yards rushing on 26 carries.

STVM (1-0) at Perry (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Ryder Hartshorn (25) of Perry tries to turn the corner while being trailed by Jayden Mauser (55) of Jackson, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022.
Ryder Hartshorn (25) of Perry tries to turn the corner while being trailed by Jayden Mauser (55) of Jackson, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022.

The two schools are close in proximity, but this is the first time they will play each other in the 103-year history of the Fighting Irish.

D.J. Johnson stepped into the forefront last week for STVM with two rushing touchdowns from 3 yards out and another for 33 in a 35-14 win over Mansfield Senior.

Perry opened with a 42-25 win over Canton Central Catholic.

Ryder Hartshorn averaged 20.8 yards on his 10 carries and scored a touchdown and Perry as a team rushed for 393 yards on 44 carries (8.9 average).

McDowell (0-0) at Walsh Jesuit (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Hoban quarterback Jacqai Long gets off a pass under pressure from Walsh Jesuit's Brock Sherman on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 in Cuyahoga Falls.
Hoban quarterback Jacqai Long gets off a pass under pressure from Walsh Jesuit's Brock Sherman on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 in Cuyahoga Falls.

The Warriors are looking for a little redemption after a 56-37 loss in Week 2 last season. This time it's the Trojans making the long haul to the Buckeye state.

Keller Moten (170 yards passing, 2 TDs, 47 yards rushing, TD) and Brock Sherman (155 yards rushing, 2 TDs, receiving TD, 14 tackles) paced Walsh in a 49-26 win over Benedictine last week.

McDowell looks to defend its District 10 title this season behind future Penn State offensive lineman Cooper Cousins. Blayze Myers will be under center and has main targets in running back Bobby Blue and wide receiver James Zigler.

Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Week 2 has solid Greater Akron high school football games to watch