Ohio Valley Football 2022

Bridgeport High School

BROOKSIDE – In its second season of once again playing home games at Perkins Field, Bridgeport will celebrate 100 years of playing football at the remodeled facility this fall with six home contests. “Maybe that will make up for not playing any here for several years,” fifth-year head coach Fred Ray joked about the Bulldogs inability to play home games for several seasons due to structural damage of the wooden grandstands after decades of flooding. “That’s pretty unique,” he said of 100 years at one place. Bridgeport has 31 kids suited up this fall, something that has ...

Union Local High School

MORRISTOWN — It’s been quite a few years since Union Local had legitimate expectations surrounding its football season. As Bernie Thompson begins his fifth season at the helm of his alma mater, he’s not shying away from those. He and his team are embracing it. When you consider Union Local boasts a roster that features 24 returning lettermen, including seven seniors who have earned a monogram each season they’ve been in high school, who can blame them? “There are expectations floating around Morristown and it’s a fun thing,” Thompson said. “I really believe this ...

Steubenville Catholic Central High School

STEUBENVILLE — First-year coach Eric Meek knows exactly what he wants from his 2022 Catholic Central football squad. “We want to get better each and every day and each and every game,” said Meek, who was hired in March to replace Anthony Agresta. “My goal has always been, if we are healthy, to be playing our best football in the month of October. “You want to improve in all areas of your life so that you can become a better person. You are always striving to be better. That is what we want to do—improve each and every day so that by the end of the season, we are playing ...

Barnesville High School

BARNESVILLE – As Barnesville enters its sixth season under head coach Blake Allen, the Shamrocks find themselves in familiar territory. After losing a huge, successful class of seniors following the COVID-ravaged 2020 season (6-3, regional semifinal berth), Barnesville responded with a fine 10-2 record last fall that ended with a loss in the Division VI, Region 23 semifinal to nemesis Fort Frye. Barnesville has moved up to Division V, Region 19 this season. With 16 lettermen returning, Allen and his staff have high hopes for this season, but the former Shamrock player is also ...

Harrison Central High School

CADIZ — As Anthony Hayes enters his fifth year as head coach at Harrison Central, he is unsure of what type of season the Huskies will have. “Going into every year of coaching, as a head coach or assistant, I, and my staff, have had a pretty good idea of what we were going to have coming into a season. This is the first year that I don’t have any idea of what to expect,” Hayes admitted. “I really don’t know. “Do I think we are capable of being good and have the talent to do so? Yes. “Do I think we will mature and come around to the potential we need to achieve and ...

Buckeye Local High School

YORKVILLE - Jim Hoover enjoyed a successful maiden voyage as Buckeye Local head coach a year ago. Now the former Buckeye North All-Ohio gridder has his Panthers poised for an even better encore performance. Hoover guided Buckeye Local into the OHSAA playoffs last fall, navigating through turbulent Covid-and cancellation-infested waters. Hoover and his charges are now primed for bigger and better things this fall. “We accomplished a lot of firsts last year,” Hoover beamed. “We made the playoffs for starters. “We also won the V.A.L.E.S. Trophy Game (vs. Harrison Central) for ...