Wildcats welcome red-hot Buckeyes to town in Week 5
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WATERFORD -- For the third consecutive week, the Waterford Wildcats will take on an undefeated opponent when they play host to the 4-0 Nelsonville-York Buckeyes Friday night.
The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season last week against arch-rival Fort Frye when they were blanked by the Cadets 20-0 in Beverly.
Prior to the loss to the Cadets, the Eric McCutcheon-coached Wildcats had scored victories over Vinton County (36-0), Caldwell (15-8) and Shenandoah (35-0).
The Wildcats managed just five first downs and 168 total yards in the loss to the Cadets but with talent on the offensive side like quarterback Avery Pottmeyer, running back Hayden Jones and receiver Gavin Hiener they are a strong bet to bounce back this week against the Buckeyes.
Nelsonville-York has put up 40 points per game in each of their wins over Trimble (40-6), Logan (49-6), Coal Grove (49-14) and River Valley (47-0).
Key players to watch for the Rusty Richards-led Buckeyes include quarterback Cameron Sullivan, running back Walker Stone and receiver Jaxon Blake.
Last year's game in Nelsonville between the two lived up to it's billing as the Buckeyes edged the Wildcats 29-28.
CLAYMONT (4-0) at MARIETTA
For the Marietta Tigers to pick up their first win of the season they are going to have to hang the first loss of the season on the Claymont Mustangs when the two do battle Friday night at Don Drumm Stadium.
The Mustangs are off to a great start through the first four weeks of the seasons with solid victories over Harrison Central (43-0), River View (54-0), Fairless (27-10) and Carrolton (49-6).
Wide receiver Jackson Jinks was the offensive star of the game for the Mustangs last week with eight catches for 122 yards while Calvin Edwards led the defense with 10 tackles.
The 2026 season has been a struggle so far for the Mike Kupfner-coached Tigers as they have lost to Morgan (35-32), John Marshall (37-28), Athens (38-10) and Watkins Memorial (42-13).
Among the key contributors for the Tigers are running backs Daymeon Gulley, Nick McGill and Braydon Frye as well as quarterback Trenton McVey.
Last season on the road, the Tigers were blanked by Claymont 12-0.
EASTERN (3-1) at WARREN (2-2)
VINCENT -- A pair of teams coming off huge week four wins will do battle in week number five when the Warren Warriors welcome the Eastern Eagles to Warrior Stadium Friday night.
Warren went on the road last week to Hillsboro and came away victorious in a wild one (50-47) to square their record at 2-2 on the season.
The Warriors also have a week two win over Morgan (28-21) while suffering losses to Union Local (34-0) and Logan (17-6).
The Jason Gandee-coached Warriors scored more points in last week’s win than they had in the three previous games combined.
Warren managed to win despite surrendering a breath-taking 600 rushing yards, something they will need to correct against Eastern.
Jaxon Venham caught eight passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns while converting all six of his PAT kicks while quarterback Braylen Murray completed 13-of-20 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns for Warren.
The Eagles picked up their third straight win with a 42-20 win over Beaver Eastern.
The Jason Jackson-coached Eagles have also picked up wins over Miller (34-8) and South Gallia (42-6) with their lone blemish being a season-opening 21-13 loss to Meigs.
Kyler Bashem (14-145) and Parker Durst (11-143) both eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing while Trace Barnett scored on an 87-yard touchdown run.
The two did not meet in 2025.
FORT FRYE (4-0) at GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS (2-2)
COLUMBUS -- The undefeated Fort Frye Cadets will make their longest trip of the season Friday night when they visit the Grandview Heights Bobcats looking to wrap up the first half of the season with a perfect 5-0 record.
The Cadets were dominant last week as they used a ball-control offense and a smothering defense to shut out the arch-rival Waterford Wildcats 20-0.
Fort Frye also owns victories over Ridgewood (19-14), West Muskingum (42-20) and Wheeling Central Catholic (29-27).
In last week’s win over Waterford the Cadets ran 54 offensive plays from scrimmage compared to just 30 for the Wildcats.
The Cadets had the ball the entire first quarter before scoring on the first play of the second.
Gavin Rauch scored the Cadets first touchdown while quarterback Grady Hesson fired touchdown passes of 27 and 5 yards respectively to receiver Clayton Tullius.
The Bobcats opened the season with wins over Centennial (26-18) and Whetstone (53-0) before dropping their last two decisions to Northridge (49-14) and Bexley (14-3).
The two teams did not play one another last season.
BELPRE (2-2) at GREEN (1-3)
FRANKLIN FURNACE -- In what was no doubt their biggest win in the past several years, the Belpre Golden Eagles upset the St.Marys Blue Devils 34-24 last Friday night.
The Brian Hutchinson-coached Eagles will look to make it two wins in a row for the first time since 2019 Friday night when they visit the Green Bobcats.
The Eagles will also look to finish the first half with a winning record for the first time since 2019 and they have to like their chances after downing Green 56-0 last season.
Belpre also owns a win over Sciotoville East (49-0) while suffering losses to Fisher Catholic (28-19) and Frontier (41-6).
Key players for Belpre include quarterback Malik Currie, running back Alex Parker and receivers Malakai Ensor and Jayden Gibbs.
The Bobcats opened their season with a thrilling 38-32, 3-overtime win over Federal Hocking but have dropped their last three to Southeastern (44-13), Manchester (36-24) and Southern (47-6).
VALLEY (1-2) at FRONTIER (3-1)
NEW MATAMORAS -- The Frontier Cougars will wrap up a three-game homestand Friday night when they play host to the Valley Lumberjacks.
The Cougars suffered their first setback of the season last Friday when they were beaten by the Shadyside Tigers (43-21).
Prior to that loss the Cougars had opened the season with convincing wins over Bridgeport (50-14), Magnolia (45-14) and Belpre (41-6).
The Cougars got an 85-yard kickoff return from Hunter Ruble last week as well as a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Luke Mendenhall to Caden Barrows.
Valley opened their season with a 20-8 win over Tygarts Valley but have struggled since falling to Cameron (48-6) and Clay Battelle (34-20).
Last season Frontier pounded the Lumberjacks 52-8.
CALDWELL (1-3) at NEWCOMERSTOWN (2-2)
NEWCOMERSTOWN -- The Caldwell Redskins will look to snap a losing streak that stands at three Friday night when they travel up I-77 to Newcomerstown to take on The Trojans.
The season got off to a fine start for the Chance Rucker-coached Redskins with a 28-0 win over Buckeye Trail but they have struggled since falling to Waterford (15-8), Tuslaw (49-14) and Monroe Central (40-0).
Key players for Caldwell include freshman quarterback Blayz Abbott, running back Samuel Pierce and receiver KK Moore.
Newcomerstown comes into the game even up with wins over Crooksville (32-20) and Conotton Valley (58-14) alternating with losses to Toronto (27-20) and Utica (48-34).
The two teams did not play each other in 2025.
TRIMBLE (3-1) at SHENANDOAH (3-1)
SARAHSVILLE -- A 4-1 record at the midway point of the season would certainly have a nice ring to it for head coach Mac McLean and his Shenandoah Zeps.
A win over Trimble would do just that after the Zeps rebounded last week with a 44-6 win over Buckeye Trail one week after suffering their first loss of the season to Waterford (35-0).
The Zeps also own wins over Bishop Rosecanas (46-0) and Bridgeport (49-18).
Running back Davyn Kunkle had a huge game against the Warriors as he rushed for 251 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries.
Quarterback Brody Brown completed 8-of-17 pass attempts for 124 yards including a touchdown to Hunter McCollum who caught two balls for 76 yards.
Trimble owns a week two win over Fairfield Christian (42-0) while dropping their other three games to Nelsonville York (42-6), Vinton County (49-28) and Wellston (38-32).
Last season in Glouster the Zeps rolled to a 36-6 win over the Tomcats.
MORGAN (1-3) at TRI-VALLEY (2-2)
DRESDEN -- The Morgan Raiders will look to snap a three-game losing streak Friday night when they visit the Tri-Valley Scotties.
After a win over Marietta (35-32) in their season opener, the Raiders have fallen to Warren (28-21), Philo (38-6) and West Muskingum (44-0).
Key players for the Seth Brown-coached Morgan squad include quarterback Gage Roberts, running back Mason Pauley and receivers Casen Foley and Eli Moore.
The Scotties have wins over Meadowbrook (56-22) and Clinton-Massie (57-28) and losses to Granville (24-21) and Philo (31-29).
Last week’s loss to the Electrics was especially heart-breaking as the game winning score came on the final play of the game.
Key players to watch for the Scotties include quarterback Stone Spiker and running back Levi Wade.
Last season the Scotties rolled to a 41-7 win over Morgan.