What to know and who we predict will win OHSAA Week 1 high school football games featuring Portage County-area teams as the 2025 season begins.
Let's take a look at all of Portage County's Week 1 matchups:
Thursday, August 21
Akron Garfield (4-6 in 2024) at Southeast (3-7)
- What to watch: The Golden Rams hope to continue their streak of four straight opening wins, including last year's 21-13 Week 1 victory over the Pirates. Safety Zilyahn Blair and defensive tackle Corey Williams made huge defensive stops late in that game and both return for Garfield. Blair and teammate Jamir Jenkins, a tight end/defensive end, have received several Division I offers. ... That said, several stars from last year's match-up are gone, like longtime Golden Rams quarterback Kevin Strickling (graduated) and Pirates tailback Bryer Pickana (transferred to Solon). Indeed, Garfield graduated 14 seniors, returning just five players with starting experience. ... Watch for Joe Sharish to be much improved in his second season under center for Southeast as he looks to throw to emerging weapons like Alaunte Massrock and Nathanael Rivera. ... Also watch for a great battle between Blair at receiver and what should be a formidable Southeast secondary led by Maverick Wood and Peyton Donovan.
- Who will win: Southeast 24-21
Friday, August 22
Roosevelt (2-8) at Ravenna (4-7)
- What to watch: The Rough Riders hope to win Portage County's greatest rivalry for the third straight season, which would mark their best run in the rivalry since they won three straight from 2011 to 2013. Don't be mistaken, though. The last two games were exceptionally competitive with Roosevelt winning by one score in 2023 and 2024. ... Both teams start long, athletic quarterbacks with CJ Ross returning for the Ravens and Gavin Peeps in his first full season starting under center for the Rough Riders after he impressed over the final few games in 2024. Both teams also have an array of tantalizing options at wide receiver/defensive back, including Ravenna's LaDarion Askew and Roosevelt's Tyler Ellington. Expect plenty of speed around the edges but this one might come down to which team can establish the run.
- Who will win: Roosevelt 28-24
Mogadore (6-6) at Crestwood (5-5)
- What to watch: There's a lot of new on the field when the Red Devils and Wildcats square off at Jack Lambert Stadium, including new quarterbacks Maddox Smith (Mogadore) and Michael Kalista (Crestwood). ... This is also the teams' first meeting since 2019, the Red Devils' final year in the Portage Trail Conference. ... Both teams bring back big-play threats in Wildcats running back Conner Lehner and Red Devils wide receiver Wyatt Januska. And both return solid talent on the line, including Aiden Boylen, a three-year starter at Coventry now playing center for Mogadore, where he'll join two-year starters James Pollock and Shayne Thomas on the line. Crestwood's Jake Eyerman, Mike Hager and Brody MacLearie should lead a similarly strong line.
- Who will win: Mogadore 28-20
Copley (5-6) at Streetsboro (12-1)
- What to watch: The line play in this one should be exceptional with three Division I commits in Copley's Lucas Tielsch (Minnesota) and Streetsboro's Cooper Richmond (Columbia) and Arthur Scott III (Wisconsin). Not that it's all about the trenches in this one with stellar weapons like Copley's Andrew McKnight (57 catches, 926 yards, 14 TD) and Streetsboro's Marcus Council (80 carries, 933 yards, 11 TD). ... Both teams will trot out new starting quarterbacks. Colton Cox is taking over for Rockets star Cohen Klimak, while Dane Wininger got some experience last year when Copley's Gabe Mansel had to miss a few games. ... Can the Rockets, who averaged 360.2 rushing yards last year, establish the run to ease the burden on their new quarterback? Streetsboro's Janiere Cook, Logan Fincham and Council all return after topping 600 rushing yards apiece in 2024. Copley, however, has solid run-stoppers in middle linebackers Rhalachai Childs and Hendrix Sickels and linemen Donovan Crook and Tielsch.
- Who will win: Streetsboro 35-24
Brecksville (3-7) at Aurora (11-2)
- What to watch: The Bees finished just 3-7 last season, but they have a dangerous offense, scoring 28-plus points against Stow-Munroe Falls (Week 6), Solon (Week 8) and Twinsburg (Week 9) toward season's end. Expect quarterback Nathan Henegar to look for receivers Carson Zabkar and Max Ritter early and often, though the Greenmen certainly have the requisite athleticism in the secondary to play ball. Indeed, Quincy John and Luke McGovern bring state track speed to the Aurora secondary. ... That said, this one might come down to how Brecksville defends the run. The Bees yielded 31.4 points per game last year while the Greenmen have a heck of a lead running back in Xavier Board not to mention a dual-threat quarterback in Ryan Ziegler.
- Who will win: Aurora 35-14
Garfield (10-2) at Edgewood (1-9)
- What to watch: For the second straight season, the G-Men open with the Warriors. Garfield won last year's clash in Garrettsville, 47-27. ... The G-Men should be dangerous once again in 2025, as they return quarterback Jack Neikirk and their two leading rushers from a year ago (Devin Bates and Brandyn Bogucki) with Ryder Cain also expected to make waves as a ball-carrier. ... The Warriors also return the bulk of their offense, including dual-threat quarterback JJ Dufour and star wide receiver Jasiah Pope, against what should be a very strong Garfield defense led by Bates (121 tackles, nine for loss) and Logan Sell (81 tackles, 12 for loss). Oh, and while Dufour and Pope have big-play ability, so do Brandyn Bogucki and Collin McGranahan as the two Garfield defensive backs combined for seven picks last year.
- Who will win: Garfield 41-14
Strasburg (3-8) at Windham (10-2)
- What to watch: The Bombers face a new opening opponent in the Tigers. That new foe brings a very dangerous wide receiver to the table, Ryan Becker, which should set up an intriguing clash with strong Windham defensive backs like Xavier Bruton and Dejuan Ramsey. Meanwhile, Bruton and Ramsey look to spark the Bombers' ground game following the graduation of Jack Eye. ... Also watch for linebacker Jordan Ridenbaugh and lineman Azeon Davis to play leading roles for Windham. Ridenbaugh will play a key role in trying to contain Strasburg's ground game as the Tigers return a number of running backs who earned all-league honors a year ago.
- Who will win: Windham 35-28
Waterloo (4-6) at Springfield (1-9)
- What to watch: Two new coaches make their debut in this one: Nathan Brode for the Vikings and Ben Lolli for the Spartans. ... This game will put a premium on the trenches. Brode said the weight room has been a big focus in his first season leading the Vikings, just as it was for longtime coach Mike Devies. Meanwhile, the Spartans will lean on their four returning starters on the offensive line, headlined by Skylor McLaughlin. ... Keyshawn Anderson will look to spark Waterloo's offense from all over the backfield, with the chance to factor in as a passer, runner and receiver.
- Who will win: Waterloo 28-21
Field (9-3) at Canton South (4-7)
- What to watch: Both of these teams have tasted recent success. The Falcons had their best year in quite a while last season, winning nine games, including a postseason upset. The Wildcats went to state in 2023. ... Both bring back top-notch offensive talent. Torez Conley returned from injury last year to notch six receiving touchdowns in Canton South's last three games. Victor Brown ran for 513 yards (7.5 per carry) as Field's number two running back behind Drexal McAmis last season and will get far more opportunities in 2025. ... The Wildcats have an edge in experience, with nine starters with at least some starting experience on both sides of the ball. The Falcons, on the other hand, have just 10 returning letterwinners, and a new head coach (James Dutched) to boot.
- Who will win: Canton South 35-21
Toledo Christian (11-0)* at Rootstown (4-7)
- What to watch: This might be the most interesting and perplexing game of the opening week as the Eagles make their return to 11-man football. The last time they played 11-man football, they went 3-7 back in 2018. But they became a powerhouse in eight-man football, winning state titles in 2023 and 2024. As one would expect from a recent eight-man power, TCC has strong threats in the passing game like 6-3 receiver Josiah Hillrich (30 catches, 636 yards, 11 TD), while Jack Deters (64 carries, 681 yards, eight touchdowns) looms on the ground. Expect Rootstown cornerback Mason Lisi to play a leading role in trying to keep Hillrich in check. ... The Rovers return a lot, including eight offensive and seven defensive starters. Expect them to run early and often led by Damien Reuting, who ran for 1,015 yards last season, with his brother, Kiel, also a very physical runner. Oh, and quarterback Blake Mullaly is also a threat to run behind a bulked-up line, highlighted by Braden Wright, who has racked up Division I offers. Getting a handle on Wright will be one of TCC's leading challenges in its return to 11-man football.
- Who will win: Rootstown 28-21
*Toledo Christian played eight-man football last year.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage County high school football predictions, Week 1 breakdowns
Category: General Sports
