Countdown to kickoff: 2025 high school football storylines

The wait is over. Friday night football is back! Season openers will kick off under the lights on Aug. 22, and with them will come a fresh wave of excitement.

To get fans ready for the action, here are the top storylines to watch for the 2025 high school season. Just like a lightning-fast two-minute drill … here we go.

What's new?

There are four new head coaches at schools in the Wayne-Holmes coverage area.

The biggest offseason news was the coaching changes at Wooster and Orrville, who will open the season at Red Rider Stadium to continue a rivalry that dates to 1903.

Ray Leek became the Generals’ coach after Austin Holter left to take over the reins at his alma mater, The College of Wooster. Leek, who has a 30-37 overall record, led Dalton to a 10-4 finish last year in his lone season there.

Brent Besancon took over Orrville’s storied program after the board voted not to renew Matt Zuercher. Besancon, a Smithville alum, has a career record of 52-70 in 12 previous seasons as a head coach and is starting his 30th year in coaching.

Reid Geibel, a Dalton resident for the past eight years, stepped in to fill the Bulldogs’ coaching vacancy. He’s the third coach in as many years at Dalton but is well-known in the community as a trainer, owner of Reid’s Sports Complex and former Bulldogs assistant coach.

Mike Huff is a first-year head coach at Rittman, where he graduated from in 1998. Tyler Dennis led the Indians to a 5-6 mark last year and then left for Wooster, where he’s an assistant coach. Huff was an assistant for 11 years combined at Cloverleaf, Twinsburg and Rittman.

The number of playoff qualifiers per region will drop to 12 from 16, with the top four seeds in each region earning a bye. In addition, the first three rounds of the playoffs will be hosted by the higher-seeded team instead of the first two.

2024 rewind

Hillsdale (14-2) made the area’s deepest playoff run, falling 74-0 in the Division VII state final to powerhouse Marion Local. It was the Falcons’ first state final appearance.

Norwayne (10-2) beat Hillsdale in Week 10 to win the WCAL outright and snap Dalton’s three-year title streak. The Bulldogs (10-4) went further in the playoffs, though, before falling in a Div. VI regional final. Smithville (8-4) also was among the four WCAL teams that won a postseason game.

Triway (8-4) finished third in the PAC and won a playoff game.

Here’s how the final overall records wound up (* denotes league champion):

OCC — Ashland (12-1, 6-0*), New Philadelphia (7-4, 4-2), Lexington (7-6, 4-2), West Holmes (7-6, 3-3), Madison (2-8, 2-4), Wooster (2-8, 1-5), Mansfield Senior (1-9, 0-5).

WCAL — Norwayne (10-2, 7-0*), Hillsdale (14-2, 6-1), Dalton (10-4, 5-2), Smithville (8-4, 5-3), Waynedale (3-7, 3-4), Rittman (5-6, 2-5), Chippewa (2-8, 1-6), Northwestern (1-9, 0-7). 

PAC — Manchester (11-2, 6-0*), Northwest (9-3, 5-1), Triway (8-4, 4-2), Canton South (4-7, 3-3), Orrville (4-6, 2-4), Fairless (4-7, 1-5), Tuslaw (2-8, 0-6). 

Who's where?

Wooster is in Div. II, Region 7, while West Holmes is in Div. IV, Region 15. Orrville is in Div. IV, Region 14.

Norwayne, Northwestern, Triway and Waynedale are in Div. V, Region 18, while Chippewa, Dalton, Rittman, Smithville and Garaway are in Div. VI, Region 21. Hillsdale is in Div. VII, Region 27.

OCC at a glance

Once the calendar flips to August, local football fans start quizzing each other and asking, “Who will be the best teams?”

Ashland, New Philadelphia and Lexington finished 1-2-3 last year, and most followers are picking those teams as the favorites again. Here are glances of area teams.

West Holmes should challenge to finish in the OCC’s upper half. Second-year coach Keaton Leppla has five starters back on offense and seven on defense. Senior RB-WR-OLB Lynn Cline (two-time All-Ohioan) is the “best player on the team,” according to Leppla. Seniors Chance Jackson (WR, CB), Max Coakley (OL, DL), Brady Bowman (RB, OLB); juniors Braxton Blake (WR, LB) and Zak Hustack (OL, DL) and sophomore Mac Craft (CB) are also impact players. Junior Brayden Parsons is the new signal-caller.

Wooster will be a new-look team with a first-year head coach in Leek and an entirely new group in the skilled positions. The Generals’ strength is on the offensive line, where seniors Brody Boreman, Ben Rini, Hutson Copenhaver, Ronan White and Cohen Mensching return to lead the way. Seniors King Blair (DL) and Andrew Yakskulka, junior Logan Gattuso (S), and sophomore Javon Mosley (CB) are defensive standouts. Lots of newcomers will get opportunities, highlighted by junior Landen Bird (QB), sophomores Mon’Teirre Coleman (RB) and Wylie Fuqua (OL, DL) and freshman Sam Schantz (WR).

WCAL at a glance

Hillsdale’s last WCAL title came in 2014, but coming off a Div. VII state runner-up season with 17 of 22 starters back, the Falcons are the clear preseason favorite. Seventh-year head coach Trevor Cline (57-26) returns first-team All-Ohioan Hayden McFadden (WR-DB), second-team honorees Kael Lewis (QB), Owen Sloan (RB, LB) and Brady Heller (OL, LB), and third-team honoree Brock Bower (RB, DB). Lewis passed for 3,053 yards and 35 TDs, with McFadden hauling in 62 catches for 1,369 yards and 18 scores. Sloan rushed for 1,658 yards and 31 TDs.

Either Norwayne or Dalton has won or shared in every WCAL title since 2015, so expect one of those teams to also factor heavily in the race. Smithville also has lots of momentum coming off an 8-4 season.

Top Bobcats to watch are seniors Jacob Bruner (QB) and Ryder Ingold (WR, DB), along with juniors Braylon Arnold (WR, DB), Carter Miller (RB-DB), and Cade Leach (WR-DB).

Dalton will be led by seniors Conner Mori, Jaxon Ryder, Mitchell Reynolds, Aiden Pelfrey and Corbin Lehman. Junior QB Carter Hignight (first-team All-Ohio, 2,506 yards passing, 29 TDs, 555 yards rushing, 17 rushing TDs) gives Geibel a standout to lead the offense.

Smithville is loaded for another strong year with nine letter-winners back on offense and 10 on defense. Fourth-year starting RB Mason Haines along with Dylan Kreider (OL, DL), Isaiah Lee (WR, DB) and Chase Tomassetti (OL, DL) give fifth-year coach Phil Olsen (21-22) an excellent quartet to build around. Like usual, the Smithies hope to establish the run game, but with QBs Brock Cannon and Brady Sidle and good team speed, they will look for spots to air it out.

Waynedale coach Jesse Kanter returns looking to build upon his first year at the helm. The Bears’ standouts include seniors Jayden Hochstetler (RB) and Brandon Walters (OL); juniors Micah Raber (WR), Kamden Alberson (QB) and Branson Zuercher (OL); and sophomore Maddox Kidd (QB). Those players also will contribute on defense.

Rittman’s top performers are senior Christian DuBiel (WR, LB) and juniors Carson Smith (QB) and Jacob Glick (TE, LB).

PAC at a glance

The Principals Athletic Conference saw perennial power Manchester return to the top in 2024. The Panthers look to be strong again, with Triway poised to challenge and Orrville looking to rebound.

Triway returns six starters apiece on offense and defense under third-year coach Cody Kelly (13-10). Luke Starr was a third-team All-Ohioan after passing for 3,635 yards and 35 TDs and returns top targets in Olley Krupp and Bruin Flinner. Roman Gilbert and Joey Yacapraro return on the line, with Flinner, Gilbert, Greyson Smith and Krupp also key defensive players.

Orrville has 10 returning players who saw time on offense and 12 veterans on defense to learn under Besancon. Senior leaders are Breylon McDuffie (WR, DB), Cam Kraft (QB, DB), Travis Pumneo (RB, OLB), Reid Shemenski (OL), Brahm Hostetler (OL, DL) and Blake O’Quinn (OL, DL). The junior class is led by Parker Hostetler, Case McDaniel, Luke Kinser and Trey Mosley.