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The way too early Greater Akron high school football rankings

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6 months ago

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The way too early Greater Akron high school football rankings

It’s early, but is it ever really not high school football season in Ohio?

With camp set to start in six weeks, The USA Today Network is giving you an elite eight power poll in the Greater Akron area.

You can get a jump on some names in this story and find out just who is back in what should be another banner year in the Greater Akron area. Here’s our eight:

1, Hoban Knights

  • 2023 record: 13-2, lost 7-2 to Massillon in the Division II state championship
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 5
  • 2024 season opener: Severn Archbishop Spalding, Md. (10-2 last year) at home

Why Hoban: Why not? Sam Greer, Eli Lee, Elbert Hill, Payton Cook, Brayton Feister, Tylan Boykin, Tayte Crable and Tanner Mintz are all back and have enough Division I offers to keep a mailman busy for months. Add Braylin Parker, Brydon Feister, John Johnson, Chris Cook and Jaiden Daniels, who also have big school offers, and the Knights could be in the state title game again. Nate Cross, Lee, Hill and Cook return as All-Ohioans.

2, Wadsworth Grizzlies

  • 2023 record: 9-3, lost 22-19 to Medina in a Division I, Region 1 quarterfinal
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 6
  • 2024 season opener: at Barberton (7-5)                                                                      

Why Wadsworth: Sure, All-Ohioans Will Stack, Kyle Figuray and Luke Ryder are gone, but all-state standouts Jack Dinwiddie, Eli Kaufman, Jacob Earnest and Gavin Madigan return. Add a sensational junior class and the Grizzlies could make some serious noise now that they’re in Division II.

3, Walsh Jesuit Warriors

  • 2023 record: 12-2, lost 30-6 to Hoban in the Division II, Region 5 final
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 5
  • 2024 season opener: at Youngstown Ursuline (13-1)

Why Walsh: On the surface, losing all-state players John Keough, David Hawersaat, Brock Sherman, Noah Brock and Brayden Foster hurts. But All-Ohio quarterback Keller Moten returns with all-state lineman Kody Kish and 1,000-yard running back Lucas Weaver should more than make up for it with Aiden Henry, Milan Parris, Caden Carter, James Brewer, Colton Crosley and Grant Blascak ready to push the Warriors.

4, Hudson Explorers

  • 2023 record: 9-3, lost 35-14 to Walsh Jesuit in a Division II, Region 5 semifinal
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 5
  • 2024 season opener: Highland (11-3) at home

Why Hudson: All-Ohioans Teagan O’Guinn and Tommy Ricard have graduated as has 1,000-yard rusher Ian Ludewig, but don’t expect the Explorers to reinvent the wheel. Nick Innamorato should be the running back and run behind Jake Clapper and Jackson Babitsky. Nathan Judy is going to be a standout player for the Explorers.

5, Highland Hornets

  • 2023 record: 11-3, lost 28-14 to Avon in the Division II, Region 6 final
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 6
  • 2024 season opener: at Hudson (9-3)

Why Highland: There is tremendous optimism in Granger Township with 1,300-yard rusher and All-Ohioan Casey Myser back. All-state standouts Ryan Zyweic on the defensive line and Carson Noonan on the offensive line will have the Hornets in the thick of the Suburban League American Conference race.

6, Nordonia Knights

  • 2023 record: 8-3, lost 22-10 to Twinsburg in the first round of the Division III, Region 9 playoffs
  • 2024 region: Division II, Region 5
  • 2024 season opener: at Youngstown Chaney (5-4)

Why Nordonia: All-state selections Asher Wilson, Israel Petite, Brendan Hermensky and Connell Rafferty are tough to replace. That said, the Knights are way ahead of the game with quarterback Ben Chesser and running back Rocco DeLeronzo, who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards, returning.

7, East Dragons

  • 2023 record: 8-3, lost 20-7 to Canfield in the first round of the Division III, Region 9 playoffs
  • 2024 region: Division III, Region 9
  • 2024 season opener: at Youngstown Chaney (5-4)

Why East: The Dragons are loaded with Division III co-Offensive Player of the Year and Purdue commit Ziaire Stevens back at running back as well as All-Ohio defensive back Terrell Wharton Jr, who has 10 Division I offers with half coming from Power Five schools.

8, St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish

  • 2023 record: 5-6, lost 35-0 to Warren Harding in the first round of Division II, Region 5 playoffs
  • 2024 region: Division III, Region 9
  • 2024 season opener: at Youngstown Chaney (5-4)

Why St. Vincent-St. Mary: All-Ohio running back DJ Johnson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in nine games last season, is back as are standouts Logan Henderson, Zancer Giffin and DeCarlo Prince, who has the attention of the Mid-American Conference. The biggest buzz is the return of alumnus and Ohio State national champion Doran Grant as coach. The Fighting Irish could be big time players in the postseason.

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

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