Football Preview 2017

Oak Glen Is Looking to Go 1-0 Every Week

By JOE CATULLO NEW CUMBERLAND — Even with 10 seniors on Oak Glen’s roster for the upcoming season, the Golden Bears are starting fresh on and off the field. After an underachieving 2-8 record a season ago, second-year head coach Ted Arneault knows this year will be a challenge early on. It’s just a matter of improving week after week to achieve their goals. That’s all Oak Glen can do at this point. “We have a lot of fresh faces, and everybody’s excited to get started,” Arneault said. “I think we’ll be a culturally different football team this year. I’m very ...

Rebels Mark 1st Year in OVAC

By TRACY WATSON COLUMBIANA — As one of the newest members of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, Crestview brings a huge football tradition to the conference, however, veteran coach Paul Cusick’s Rebels are also coming off a rare down season. Cusick enters his 19th season at the school with a 144-60 record. Crestview’s 3-7 record kept them out of the playoffs last season, breaking a string of eight consecutive postseason appearances. The Rebels, who are in Division 5, Region 17, have made the playoffs 11 of the previous 12 seasons before 2016 and 13 times overall during the ...

Conotton Valley Seeks New Culture

By TRACY WATSON BOWERSTON — There have been plenty of things missing in the Conotton Valley football program through the years - mainly pride, enthusiasm and numbers. That could all be changing heading into the 2017 season under first-year Coach Brant Gardner and his crew. First off, the Rockets will have a roster consisting of 35 players, which is leaps and bounds better than what the team has had to work with in the past. There is also an eight-man coaching staff which is bring plenty of fire in trying to build the program up to where they want it to be. “We are very ...

Creek Looks to Continue Its Winning Ways

By BUBBA KAPRAL WINTERSVILLE — Andrew Connor has created a culture of winning at Indian Creek — and doing so in class fashion. The Steubenville Central product embarks on his 15th year at the Redskins’ helm fresh off another successful campaign, one in which Creek posted a sparkling 8-2 record and punched a ticket into the OHSAA playoffs. The Redskins fell victim to backyard rival Steubenville in Week 11, in a game which Connor’s charges acquitted themselves competitively. Creek has qualified for the state playoffs four of the last six seasons. If the Redskins are going to ...

SCC’s Daley: We Have Size, Speed and Skill

By ED LOOMAN STEUBENVILLE — Steve Daley likes what he sees when he looks at his 2017 Steubenville Catholic team. Truth be told, however, he’d like to see a few more players wearing the Royal Blue and Gold. Daley is entering his seventh season at the helm. His 2016 team went 5-5, finishing with a four-game win streak. He has guided the Crusaders to five consecutive campaigns of .500 or better. “My biggest concern is with our numbers,” Daley said. “But I’ve talked to coaches all over the valley and it seems like numbers are down everywhere, whatever the reason. It is ...

Filberto, Weir Look to Reload, Not Rebuild

By RALPH COX WEIRTON — It is easy to think that when a high school football team loses 13 players — a couple of them all-staters — that the following year will involve rebuilding. With 15 returning lettermen, veteran Weir coach Tony Filberto is looking to reload rather than rebuild. After a 7-3 season and a No. 13 ranking in the final West Virginia Class AA ratings, the Red Riders made the playoffs for the third straight season and came back to upset fourth-ranked Sissonville after being down 22-7 at the halftime. Some offensive players must stay healthy and learn quickly ...