New-look SBC football schedules provide intrigue

The area high school football season kicks off in two months. Every team's schedule is set — no one is still waiting to fill an open date. And that allows a look at the 10 regular-season weeks in their entirety. As expected, things have changed in a year. Oak Harbor's departure from the Sandusky Bay Conference resulted in plenty of moving parts. Bellevue dropped down to the Bay Division based on enrollment, with Willard sliding down to the River Division, spots that are locked in for the next two seasons. Woodmore has joined the SBC and will play in the River Division. That means the Lake Division and Bay Division each feature five teams, while the River has eight. To make up for the lower numbers in the Lake and Bay, which had six teams apiece last season, the SBC has instituted two mandatory crossover games between schools in the two largest divisions. They'll play four league games and two crossover games, needing four additional non-league games to fill out 10-game schedules. MORE READING: Bellevue, Clyde to meet in Week 1 blockbuster There have been talks to expand to three crossover games in 2025. "It's not something we're used to, but every league is changing," Clyde coach Ryan Carter told the Register. "You look at college football and USC is in the Big Ten and that doesn't feel right. We'll try to adapt to it and put in a good summer and get ready to roll." There are plenty of takeaways from the new arrangement. Here are some of the big ones. More local matchups In the old setup, an SBC Lake or Bay division team could schedule its five non-league games against teams from outside the Sandusky Bay Conference footprint. Now, each Lake and Bay team will play at least six games within the SBC boundaries. "I think it's good to make sure there's more of a crossover so we get more games closer to home," Perkins coach Jalen Santoro said. "That's good for the schools in general, ADs in general to get bigger gates." Sandusky plays at Vermilion in Week 5, for example, instead of its Week 5 game in 2022 at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. That's a much easier trip for Blue Streaks fans. "There's good, competitive football in our area throughout the SBC," Sandusky coach Lucas Poggiali said. "When you don't have to travel an hour and 40 minutes, that's nice for sure. This is the first time going through it, but it is gonna be nice to have some variance as you move forward year to year." It's also a big deal for the players. The SBC has lots of overlapping parts when it comes to travel sports — many athletes from different high schools play AAU basketball or summer baseball together. That means, come football season, an additional local matchup means another opportunity to play against friends. Games like that, which wouldn't have existed in the old setup, are scattered throughout the schedule in the form of these crossover games. Edison at Perkins in Week 7 is a prime example. "They've got some talent coming up, too," Santoro said. "Players know a lot of players from these schools, so that's another fun aspect." Non-league games in second half The flip side to the smaller divisions is this: The second half of the schedule will include non-league games. The past arrangement allowed for perfect symmetry. Five league games meant that Weeks 6 through 10 were solely devoted to division play. Now, there will be two league games in each of those final five weeks with one team apiece in the Lake and Bay being left out each week because of five-team divisions. That results in some quirky matchups. Sandusky hosting Port Clinton in Week 10 stands out. "It's not like I've been in the league for so long," said Poggiali, entering his second season. "I really didn't think too much of it. We aren't playing Bellevue, which is different. Sandusky has played Bellevue the last 10-plus years. But you still have a lot of good, competitive games." Sandusky will conclude its league slate in Week 9 by hosting Perkins. "It's so unique," Poggiali said of the Sandusky-Perkins matchup. "The kids are so close. A lot of them play AAU basketball together, hang out all the time in the summer. They're not teammates but it feels like they are, in a sense. That's a unique aspect when you look at a competitive, rivalry game in a high school football sense." The Blue Streaks won't be lacking motivation in Week 10, though. They're hoping to be playing for a playoff spot, and maybe even a playoff home game. "For us, to be completely honest, every game is a big game," Poggiali said. "We want to be able to contend for a league championship. That's the goal. That's the plan. We want to fight to get Week 11 at Strobel Field. Those are things that we're working toward." Huron welcomes Clyde in Week 9, which gains added cache as a long-time rivalry in the old SBC. "We've scrimmaged Clyde the last few years," Huron coach Sam Hohler said. "Their coaches and our coaches, some of us played against each other. It's an old SBC rivalry that we've tried to keep intact with the scrimmages… They're a great program. It's gonna be a challenge for us." River gains a sturdy structure The SBC River Division comes out on the logistically positive side of all the movement. Willard and Woodmore give the River eight teams. That's perfect for four league games every week from Week 4 through Week 10. "Most ideally an eight-team league is what you want," Margaretta coach Gary Quisno said. "You only have to worry about those first three non-league games. With us bringing Woodmore and Willard in, that gave us a full schedule." Willard dropped down from the Bay despite an OHSAA football enrollment of 199, which is larger than Edison (169) and Huron (159). The Huron County school petitioned the league for the move, which the SBC approved. At the time of the decision in the fall of 2021, Willard had the same number as Edison (178) and was lower than Huron (210). "When this realignment came up, by number we should be in the Bay," Willard athletic director Joe Crawford said. "But we petitioned to be in the River... and the league agreed. We were very appreciative of that." Willard has a total record of 18-83 since 2013 and last enjoyed a winning season in 2005. Willard was in the River Division when it joined the SBC in 2017 before shifting up to the Bay when a number of smaller schools joined. Enrollment doesn't reflect the entire picture — the Flashes actually have bigger numbers in the soccer program, Crawford said. "We're in the Bay for everything," Crawford said. "Football obviously is a different animal. If you have a basketball team with five smaller guys, you run a guard-based offense. You can't say that in football. There is no next man up when there is no next man to be up. "Do I wish we had the numbers and could be like the Bay like we are in everything else? Sure. But the reality is that the River is where we should be. It's where we'll be competitive, not the favorites, but it's the best for my kids moving forward." Last season, the River had six schools that fielded football teams, but because of scheduling arrangements already in place before multiple schools shifted to eight-man football, they had non-league games in the second half. That won't be the case this season, which eliminated the need for Margaretta to make the journey to Montpelier. "It got us out of that long trip," Quisno said, "and we had to travel to Ottawa Hills last year, which is a little bit of a drive, too." It's a heavily local slate for the Polar Bears — their non-league games are at Vermilion and at home against Western Reserve and Mohawk. The Warriors in Week 3 slot in for what had previously been a Monroeville matchup. Willard maintains its former Bay matchup with the Sailors, now lined up for a non-league game in Week 3. "Don't know a whole lot (about Mohawk)," Quisno said. "We've got some film we can check them out. I've been asking everybody around who might know anything about them… I hear good things about Vermilion with their numbers up. They've got some good young players also. That'll be a good opener for us." Starting with Week 4, the River teams dive into seven weeks of league action. For Margaretta, it's vs. Fremont St. Joseph, at Woodmore, Hopewell-Loudon and Calvert, back home for Lakota and Gibsonburg and then on the road to Willard. That Week 10 matchup between the Flashes and Polar Bears should feature plenty of points. Willard has plenty of promise this season with first-team All-Ohio receiver Cam Robinson back, along with quarterback Isaac Robinson. There could be title and playoff implications on the line in that final week. "I did see Willard in boys basketball," Quisno said. "Got a first-hand look at the Robinsons, and they're very good athletes. They'll be somebody to contend with when we get to Week 10." Plenty of big games on paper Football coaches don't spend June looking too far ahead, but that doesn't mean there aren't intriguing matchups on paper in this new schedule system. Potentially the biggest one? Perkins travels to Tiffin in Week 10 in a game that could decide the SBC Lake Division title following a hugely impactful Perkins-Sandusky game the week prior. "Not wanting to look too far ahead, but with that schedule, it's pretty nice having those games at the end of the year to give you something to play for," Santoro said. "... You still have to play those two important games to try and win a league championship." Huron and Edison will maintain their Week 10 showdown, too, which could also have championship implications. "The old SBC schools like Edison and Port Clinton, still playing those guys, that's important to keep that intact," Hohler said. Sandusky opens the season at Oregon Clay, a former league rival. "All the way back to the GLL days, they were in the league with us then," Poggiali said. "We haven't had a whole lot of competition with them. They're expected to be better than they were last year, and they bring a lot back." In an unusual twist, the Blue Streaks host rival Fremont Ross for the second consecutive season. Moving parts in both teams' leagues meant the only way to line up the Week 2 contest and preserve five home games for each team was to keep it at Strobel Field. The Little Giants host Tiffin Columbian in Week 1. "They lost a lot of skill guys, quarterback and best playmakers at receivers," Poggiali said. "They bring a lot back in terms of offensive and defensive line. That'll be the strong suit of their team, and that's what they'll revolve their identity around. There's a lot of history there, obviously. That's a game both teams get up for." Perkins will travel to Elyria Catholic in Week 2 in a rematch of 2022's game of the year, when the Pirates won 42-41 in overtime. The Panthers have a new coaching staff that includes a trio of former Ohio State players. Chase Farris is the head coach, with Troy Smith as offensive coordinator and Doran Grant running the defense. Perkins adds Rocky River as an opponent in Week 3. It'll be the battle of two teams nicknamed the Pirates. Then it's defending D-VII state champion Warren JFK coming to Perkins in Week 4 after the Pirates fell at JFK in 2022. "They're a good football school with a good football program," Santoro said of Warren JFK. "… We're definitely excited for that one." Huron will play St. Paul in Week 1 again, scheduled for a Saturday at Contractors Stadium in Norwalk. The Flyers play at Edison in Week 2. "We keep St. Paul on there," Hohler said. "Coach (John) Livengood inducted into the Hall of Fame… John's a great guy, a heck of a coach, very well deserved of that." The Tigers have a fascinating Week 4 game at home — they host Riverview Gabriel Richard from Michigan. "They're from Riverview, which is about 30 minutes south of Detroit," Hohler said. "They needed a game, and we needed a game. I know they're a Catholic school with a pretty good program. I think they're a little smaller than us." Huron follows that up with a road game in Tiffin in Week 5 against Columbian. "We've never played Columbian, which is unique, because we usually play Calvert," Hohler said. "We lose teams like Perkins and Norwalk, who we've played over the years." Port Clinton and Oak Harbor maintain their Ottawa County rivalry game despite the Rockets' departure from the SBC to the Northern Buckeye Conference. They play in Oak Harbor in Week 3. Vermilion's Stillman Cup rivalry game with Firelands is locked into Week 2. The Sailors played the Falcons in Week 3 last season, but the game moves up a week and Vermilion slots Willard in for Week 3 as a matchup of former SBC Bay foes. South Central follows that game, traveling to Vermilion in Week 4 in a new matchup. The Keith Mora era at Norwalk begins at home in Week 1 against Toledo Start. The Truckers are right back at Contractors Stadium a week later against new opponent Eastlake North, which went 1-9 in 2022. Both Danbury and St. Mary Central Catholic have eight 8-man football games currently listed on their schedules. The Panthers play at the Lakers in Week 8, which will be the sixth game for each squad. They open in the standard schedule's Week 2. Week 1's Friday night is August 18. Teams are allowed to begin official practices on July 31, with that date having been moved up a day because July 31 is a Monday. --- 2023 Football Schedules Division III CLYDE FLIERS Week 1: v Bellevue Week 2: at Start Week 3: v Waite Week 4: Cardinal Mooney at Ashland U Week 5: at Port Clinton Week 6: v Perkins Week 7: at Columbian (4:30 p.m.) Week 8: v Sandusky Week 9: at Huron Week 10: v Norwalk NORWALK TRUCKERS Week 1: v Start Week 2: v Eastlake North Week 3: at Rogers Week 4: at Bellevue Week 5: at Edison Week 6: v Vermilion Week 7: v Sandusky Week 8: at Perkins Week 9: v Columbian Week 10: at Clyde SANDUSKY BLUE STREAKS Week 1: at Oregon Clay Week 2: v Fremont Ross Week 3: v Lorain Week 4: at Padua Franciscan Week 5: at Vermilion Week 6: v Columbian Week 7: at Norwalk Week 8: at Clyde Week 9: v Perkins Week 10: v Port Clinton TIFFIN COLUMBIAN TORNADOES Week 1: at Fremont Ross Week 2: v Chardon Week 3: at River Valley Week 4: at Bishop Watterson Week 5: v Huron Week 6: at Sandusky Week 7: v Clyde (4:30 p.m.) Week 8: v Bellevue Week 9: at Norwalk Week 10: v Perkins Division IV BELLEVUE REDMEN Week 1: at Clyde Week 2: v Wauseon Week 3: v Shelby Week 4: v Norwalk Week 5: at Perkins Week 6: at Edison Week 7: v Huron Week 8: at Columbian Week 9: at Port Clinton Week 10: v Vermilion PERKINS PIRATES Week 1: at Woodward Week 2: at Elyria Catholic Week 3: v Rocky River Week 4: v Warren JFK Week 5: v Bellevue Week 6: at Clyde Week 7: v Edison Week 8: v Norwalk Week 9: at Sandusky Week 10: at Columbian VERMILION SAILORS Week 1: v Margaretta Week 2: at Firelands Week 3: at Willard Week 4: v South Central Week 5: v Sandusky Week 6: at Norwalk Week 7: v Port Clinton Week 8: at Huron Week 9: v Edison Week 10: at Bellevue Division V EDISON CHARGERS Week 1: v Firelands Week 2: v St. Paul Week 3: at Gibsonburg Week 4: v Berkshire Week 5: v Norwalk Week 6: v Bellevue Week 7: at Perkins Week 8: at Port Clinton Week 9: at Vermilion Week 10: v Huron HURON TIGERS Week 1: at St. Paul (Sat.) Week 2: v Brookside Week 3: v Genoa Week 4: v Riverview Gabriel Richard (Mich.) Week 5: at Columbian Week 6: v Port Clinton Week 7: at Bellevue Week 8: v Vermilion Week 9: v Clyde Week 10: at Edison PORT CLINTON REDSKINS Week 1: at Waite Week 2: v Rossford Week 3: at Oak Harbor Week 4: at Liberty-Benton Week 5: v Clyde Week 6: at Huron Week 7: at Vermilion Week 8: v Edison Week 9: v Bellevue Week 10: at Sandusky WILLARD FLASHES Week 1: at South Central Week 2: at Plymouth Week 3: v Vermilion Week 4: v Woodmore Week 5: v SJCC Week 6: at Lakota Week 7: v Hopewell-Loudon Week 8: at Gibsonburg Week 9: at Calvert Week 10: v Margaretta Division VI MARGARETTA POLAR BEARS Week 1: at Vermilion Week 2: v Western Reserve Week 3: v Mohawk Week 4: v SJCC Week 5: at Woodmore Week 6: at Hopewell-Loudon Week 7: at Calvert Week 8: v Lakota Week 9: v Gibsonburg Week 10: at Willard WESTERN RESERVE ROUGHRIDERS Week 1: at Wellington Week 2: at Margaretta Week 3: v Wynford Week 4: at Plymouth Week 5: v Mapleton Week 6: at St. Paul Week 7: v Monroeville Week 8: at South Central Week 9: v Crestview Week 10: v Northwood Division VII MONROEVILLE EAGLES Week 1: v Lakota Week 2: v Calvert Week 3: at Seneca East Week 4: at Crestview Week 5: at South Central Week 6: v Lucas Week 7: at Western Reserve Week 8: v Mapleton Week 9: v Plymouth Week 10: at St. Paul SOUTH CENTRAL TROJANS Week 1: v Willard Week 2: at Northmor Week 3: v SJCC Week 4: at Vermilion Week 5: v Monroeville Week 6: v Crestview Week 7: at Mapleton Week 8: v Western Reserve Week 9: at St. Paul Week 10: at Plymouth ST. PAUL FLYERS Week 1: v Huron (Sat.) Week 2: at Edison Week 3: at Calvert Week 4: at Mapleton Week 5: v Plymouth Week 6: v Western Reserve (Sat.) Week 7: at Fort Loramie Week 8: at Crestview Week 9: v South Central (Sat.) Week 10: v Monroeville 8-man football DANBURY LAKERS Week 2: v Waldron (Mi.) (Sat.) Week 4: at Holgate Week 5: at Morenci (Mi.) Week 6: v Toledo Christian Week 7: at Sebring Week 8: v SMCC Week 9: v Stryker (Sat.) Week 10: at Camden-Frontier (Mi.) ST. MARY CENTRAL CATHOLIC PANTHERS Week 2: at Holgate Week 4: at Stryker Week 5: v Sebring Week 6: v Stryker (Sat.) Week 7: at Toledo Christian Week 8: at Danbury Week 9: v Morenci (Mi.) (Sat.) Week 10: at North Adams-Jerome (Mi.)