Four area teams open Firelands Conference play

Four area teams will open Firelands Conference football play Friday night as the U.S. marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Here is a brief look at five area games set for 7 p.m. kickoffs on Sept. 11: South Central (1-2) at Monroeville (0-3) Both teams are coming off decisive losses when the Trojans visit the Eagles at Marsh Field. Through various key injuries, Monroeville has played a challenging first three games, taking losses to playoff regulars McComb, Seneca East, and Danville. Those three teams are a combined 8-1, with McComb losing to another Northwest power at Leipsic (3-0). After a 16-12 loss at Willard in Week 1, the Trojans held off Buckeye Central late in Week 2 to win by six points (20-14). But after a 32-30 scoring margin over those two games, South Central fell 49-13 at Rittman (3-0) last week in Wayne County. The Eagles were 1-2 last season, then kickstarted eight straight wins with a dominant 67-0 win at South Central. Since a 28-21 win by the Trojans in 2022, the Eagles have won the last three meetings by a combined 149-6 score. Quarterback Brayden Viock is 18-of-32 passing for 237 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for the Trojans. Greyson Fisher has 177 yards and 2 TDs on 44 rush attempts. W. Reserve (3-0) at Mapleton (1-2) The Roughriders spotted host Northwestern a 21-0 lead on Sept. 4 before reeling off 38 straight points to remain unbeaten. Now, Western turns its attention to the host Mounties (1-2) at John E. Camp Stadium. The Roughriders have won the previous seven meetings in the longtime FC series. Though the two played one-possession games won by the 'Riders in 2020 (36-34) and 2021 (21-14), Western has since outscored the Mounties by a combined 187-36 margin over the past four meetings since 2022. Through three games, running back Landyn Wiegel has 430 yards and 6 TDs on 53 rush attempts. Quarterback Colton Meagrow adds 315 yards and 3 TDs on 34 attempts, while Cooper Roe has 214 yards and 3 TDs on 32 attempts. Meagrow is 24-of-41 passing for 259 yards with 3 TDs and 2 INTs. Lucas Summerfield has nine catches for 98 yards and a TD, and Roe has eight catches for 87 yards. Crestview (0-3) at N. London (0-3) Either the Cougars or the Wildcats will get their first win when the two teams meet Friday night. New London is coming off a 48-29 loss at Waynedale in Wayne County. Except for 2021-23, when the Wildcats played an 8-man football schedule, Crestview has won seven consecutive games over New London by lopsided margins. New London's last win in the series was a 34-28 win in 2015. Since then, the Cougars have outscored the 'Cats 349-28 for an average score of 50-4. The closest defeat in that time was a 30-0 win by Crestview in 2018. Through three games this season, NL QB Jarrett Mencl is 38-of-80 for 479 yards with 5 TDs and 4 INTs. Henry Thomas has 15 catches for 287 yards and 2 TDs, and Jackson Mitchell has 14 catches for 121 yards and a TD. On the ground, Shane Dobias has 86 yards and 2 TDs. Northwood (2-1) at Edison (1-2) It will be a battle of the triple-option offenses when the Rangers visit Freedom Field to take on the Chargers in a non-conference matchup. The Rangers will make their second straight trip to the area after a 28-0 win at St. Paul last week. Skyler Rita, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound fullback, totaled 102 yards and 3 TDs in the win. After a pair of losses to Northwest powers Patrick Henry and Bluffton, the Chargers took to the road and got in the win column last week with a 22-6 win at Toledo Start. The Chargers led just 9-6 at halftime before a pair of short rushing TDs and a defensive shutout in the second half allowed them to pull away for their first win. Edison has not been 1-3 or worse to start the season since 2021, when it was 1-3 before winning five of the next seven games to reach the second round of the Division IV state playoffs. Lucas (1-2) at Willard (2-1) The Crimson Flashes are coming off a tight home loss to former Northern Ohio League rival Bucyrus last week. The Redmen, who are also in the Northern 10 Conference and reunited with the Flashes, scored with just under four minutes left for the go-ahead TD in the 19-14 win. Willard is led by QB Jake Rothhaar, who is 26-of-47 passing for 438 yards with 4 TDs and 2 INTs. He also leads the Flashes on the ground with 368 yards and 5 TDs on 61 attempts. Grant Poston has 12 catches for 184 yards and a TD. The Cubs won the previous meeting with Willard, 49-14, in the 2024 season. The teams also met in 2021, a 30-0 win by Lucas, and a 41-0 win by the Cubs in 2019.