It’s nearly impossible to describe the feelings that Friday night lights in Greater Cincinnati evoke.
The action on the field, the pageantry of the band and cheerleaders, and the community bonds all contribute to the incomparable atmosphere every week.
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From Union to Springboro, from Lawrenceburg to Mt. Orab, over 100 Cincinnati teams will chase state championship glory when the season kicks off on Aug. 20.
For now, let’s get set for Week 1 high school football by previewing the top can’t-miss games. Predicting games this year are writers Brendan Connelly, Shelby Dermer, Alex Harrison, Chase Souder and James Weber, as well as assistant sports editor, Melanie Laughman.
Moeller vs. Princeton
Kickoff: 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, at Paycor Stadium
What to watch: The Crusaders and Vikings have played in the postseason. They’ve had multiple battles to determine who gets into the playoffs. But the next iteration of the “King of the Block” rivalry might take place on the biggest stage yet as they do battle at the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
On paper, Princeton appears to have more talent, thanks to brothers Key’Sean and Monsanna Torbert transferring from Taft, Ka’Ronn Daugherty and Jaylen Mercer transferring from Winton Woods, Shauncey Moss coming over from Ryle and Josiah Gault making the move from Wyoming.
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Moeller’s strength will be its offensive line. The five starters, all returning from last year, have racked up over 100 combined Division I offers, led by Purdue commit Patrick O’Brien and Georgia Tech commit Kal-El Johnson. That’s good news for new quarterback Hunter McLaughlin and running back Greylo Coach. Moeller also returns just two of its top eight receivers in Reggie Watson and Maddox Nelson.
Moeller wide receiver Reggie Watson (19) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during their football game against St. Xavier Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.
Both teams suffered agonizing losses to end the 2025 season and will be eager to start this schedule off on the right foot.
Moeller owns a 41-7 advantage in the series. Princeton last beat the Crusaders in 1991.
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Prediction: Moeller (Harrison, Weber); Princeton (Connelly, Dermer, Laughman, Souder)
Cincinnati Country Day vs. Summit Country Day
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Summit Country Day
What to watch: CCD has won the Country Day bowl each of the last three years, including a tight 7-6 battle last season.
Cincinnati Country Day, 9-2 last year, is led by three-star quarterback Levi Guttman, who threw for 1,879 yards, ran for 969 and had 35 total touchdowns last season. He is one of three All-Ohio selections returning to the Nighthawks, along with leading receiver Thomas Huckleby (1,407 scrimmage yards in 2025) and defensive back Leon Hall.
Cincinnati Country Day quarterback Levi Guttman (No. 12) throws the ball during the 52nd annual Country Day Cup football game on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at Cincinnati Country Day.
Summit Country Day got off to a 5-2 start last season but lost three straight to end the regular season before falling in the first round of the playoffs (its first appearance since 2022). Colt Fry returns at quarterback.
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Fry and Guttman were both limited by the other team’s defense last season, and both squads return several key playmakers on that side of the ball, so this could be another tight one.
Prediction: CCD (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
Hamilton vs. Badin
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Badin
What to watch: The Big Blue will have to rely on their defense early on this season as they graduated all of their top offensive stars. Senior receiver Elijah Jones (42 catches, 558 yards, 9 TDs) is the only returning player who had significant touches on offense. The defense allowed 10 or fewer points four times in Greater Miami Conference and will have to continue that success.
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Badin has won two of three since the rivalry was renewed, including 38-20 last season. The Rams lost a lot of offensive star power as well from last year’s 10-2 squad, but return running back Chase Even (562 yards, 10 touchdowns) and versatile athlete Hudson Heid (6 TDs on 29 touches). Even looks to pick up where Lem Grayson left off, and help give the Rams enough offense to start the season on a good note.
Prediction: Badin (Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber); Hamilton (Connelly)
Middletown vs. Elder
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at The Pit
What to watch: Both teams start the 2026 season looking to build on seasons to remember in 2025, both ending with sad memories of losing to St. Xavier in the playoffs.
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Middletown went 11-3 and reached the Division I state semifinals. It allowed one touchdown or fewer in nine of 14 games, losing to St. Xavier 21-6 in the semis.
Offense was a concern last year. Demetrian James led the Middies on the ground with 646 yards and seven touchdowns last season. The defense should be strong again, led by Jaiden Davis on the line. He is a top 40 player in Ohio for the Class of 2027 with several Division I offers after posting 10.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks last season.
The Middies don’t back down from a challenge, heading to The Pit for their one non-league game, facing the Panthers, who were 12-1 last year after their first undefeated regular season in more than 30 years.
Elder quarterback Kaden Estep looks to connect with a receiver during their scrimmage against Lakota West on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.
Elder returns senior Kaden Estep, one of the top quarterbacks in the city. He threw for 2,430 yards and 15 touchdowns, and rushed for 924 and 10 more. Two of his top receivers, Chase Walpole and Drew Wauligman, also return. Estep and the Panthers will be a challenge for the Middies’ defense.
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The defense graduated all-state star Derek Uran and his nine sacks but returns linebackers Pete Fortkamp and Brody Turner. The Panthers season ended with a 42-34 loss to St. X in the regional finals.
Prediction: Elder (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
St. Xavier vs. Lakota West
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Lakota West
What to watch: These teams have met six times in as many seasons since Tom Bolden took over the Firebirds’ program in 2019. St. X has won four of six, and only once has either team scored more than 17 points, when the Bombers won 31-14 in 2021.
That trend continued last year with a 14-7 Bombers’ victory and both teams combining for only 360 offensive yards. That started a Bomber campaign that ended in the state finals. St. Xavier has a lot of retooling to do, graduating most of their offensive playmakers and several Division I recruits on defense.
Lakota West quarterback Jackson Smith looks to connect with a receiver during their scrimmage against Elder on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.
Lakota West returns quarterback Jackson Smith for his third year as QB and Kenyon Norman at running back. Both are standouts receiving college interest. The Firebirds have several DI recruits on the other side of the ball this year, which will challenge a new QB for St. Xavier. No doubt Steve Specht will have a retooled defense ready to go, but the Firebirds’ experience on offense will probably be enough to pull out another slugfest.
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Prediction: Lakota West (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
La Salle vs. Colerain
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Colerain
What to watch: Despite graduating 20 seniors, La Salle is looking to emulate its run to the 2025 DII regional final. The Lancers will have a new backfield with Garrett Fraley at quarterback and Naseer Salaam at running back. There’s also another McLaughlin on the roster in Jack, who is a senior receiver.
On defense, sophomore linebacker Haden Neff is the Lancers’ top returning tackler. K’Mahri Price and Nikari Isaacs will lock down the secondary.
Roman Garr of Colerain looks towards the sideline for a play call during the football game on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at La Salle High School.
Colerain counters with its own stud at quarterback. Roman Garr has seven DI offers. He threw for 1,938 yards and was also the team’s leading rusher with 253 yards. The ground game is surely an area the Cardinals will look to improve this season.
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The Cardinals only lost 16 seniors from last year and boast hefty junior and senior classes this year. They return each of their top four receivers and three of their top tacklers in Tristen Von Rissen, Malachi Smith and Jojo Crooks.
La Salle won last year’s battle, 42-0, and outgained the Cardinals, 313 to 61. Look for this year’s game to be vastly more competitive.
Prediction: La Salle (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
Louisville Trinity vs. Anderson
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Anderson
What to watch: This is absolutely a battle of two powerhouses that will look to light up the scoreboard, but it could actually end up being a defensive battle. Anderson gave up 15 points per game last year while Trinity’s opponents averaged less than 10.
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Both the Shamrocks and Raptors boast a boatload of talent at defensive back. Anderson has Mark Madden, Jerod Lindsey and Notre Dame commit Ace Alston. Trinity counters with Duke commit Elijah Burns-Crump, Vanderbilt commit Allen Evans and Myles Howze, who combined for 11 interceptions in 2025.
Those players could wreak havoc for Owen Scalf and Zane Johnson, who both completed better than 65 percent of their passes while throwing for a combined 93 touchdowns.
Anderson’s Owen Scalf (8) runs during the OHSAA Division II regional final game between Anderson and Trotwood-Madison Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Lakota West High School.
Both teams can run the ball as well. Scalf, Jordan Davis and Jeremiah Glenn combined for over 1,600 yards and 32 touchdowns. Jamaurion Berry, Ashton Taylor and Romelle Spearman accounted for over 1,500 yards and 20 scores for the ‘Rocks.
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Trinity last played an Ohio public school in 2014, beating Colerain. It has also had a years-long relationship with Elder, La Salle, Moeller and St. Xavier. Anderson has won four season openers against Kentucky opponents since 2019.
Throw the RPI out the window. Both teams know that, come the postseason, they will have been better for playing this game.
Prediction: Anderson (Connelly, Dermer, Laughman, Souder); Trinity (Harrison, Weber)
Lawrenceburg vs. East Central
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at East Central
What to watch: Besides St. Xavier and Lakota West struggling to score against each other, another Week 1 staple is between two Indiana rivals with the Trojans prevailing. East Central was 9-3 last season and a big plus for them is that the team is back in Class 4A, where the boys won a state title in 2023. EC had been in 5A the last two seasons.
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EC returns seven starters from a defense that allowed 11 points per game with four shutouts. They have a deep offensive line opening holes for standout running backs Ryan Minges and Colton Bellman, who will both challenge defenses all season.
East Central junior Ryan Minges (9) celebrates with Zamir Whitaker (22) and Ethan Feldkamp (11) as Lawrenceburg hosted East Central in a Southeast Indiana football rivalry Aug. 22, 2025 at Dick Meador Stadium.
Lawrenceburg went 10-1 after losing to East Central in Week 1 last season. The Tigers return senior quarterback Crue Gilmour, who threw for 1,897 yards and 26 touchdowns, and rushed for 764 and 11 scores. They picked up their 10 wins by an average of 25 points per game. The Tigers have a veteran group on both sides of the ball as they hope to make another 3A playoff run and return to the state finals for the first time since 2022.
Prediction: East Central (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
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Covington Catholic vs. Ryle
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Ryle
What to watch: Has this matchup turned into a rivalry in Northern Kentucky? It will be the 13th meeting in the last 14 seasons.
The Colonels and Raiders have to replace a lot of production as they both graduated their starting quarterback and running back (Cash Harney and Dylan Gaiser for CovCath, Nathan Verax and Jacob Savage for Ryle). The good news on offense is that both teams have strong offensive lines; Army commit Jonny Lind leads the Colonels in the trenches while Max Parsons anchors the Raiders.
Ryle’s defense, which allowed 17 points per game last season, will be led by Evan Kincaid, who tied for third in the state with seven interceptions in 2025. Kincaid, along with Andrew Smith and state champion sprinter Cruze Sauley, will form the receiving corps.
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CovCath brings several young, exciting players on both sides of the ball. Sophomore Kiyan Miller will bear the load at running back while junior Cash Myers returns after leading the team in tackles in 2025. Myers may also share the backfield with Miller as several players switch positions on offense, including Dylan Courtney moving from receiver to quarterback and Mac Cogswell moving from running back to receiver.
Ryle has claimed the last two wins in the series, snapping a six-game winning streak by the Colonels.
Prediction: CovCath (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder, Weber)
Simon Kenton vs. Dixie Heights
Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Dixie Heights
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What to watch: The Pioneers are coming off their first postseason win since 2022 while Dixie Heights is looking to win more than five games for the first time since 2021.
Simon Kenton is positioned to succeed both this year and next as many of their playmakers are juniors. That includes quarterback Grant Webb, running back Moise Smith, receivers Forest Hughes and Michael Newborn, linebacker Jason Rabe and defensive back Peyton Testerman.
Simon Kenton quarterback Grant Webb drops back to pass against Ryle during their football game Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Ryle High School.
In what figures to be a down year for Class 5A, District 5, Dixie Heights has a chance to establish itself as a top team before CovCath rejoins the fold next year. The red and white Colonels will rely on a handful of athletic platoons this season.
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Simon Kenton will need to turn the ball over less. Last year, the Pioneers committed 27 turnovers and survived against the Colonels despite throwing two interceptions.
For Dixie Heights, it’s about finishing, while only two of its losses in 2025 were by 10 points or less, one was against SK and the other one was a season-ending 52-49 loss to Collins after the Colonels erased a 21-point deficit.
Simon Kenton has won the last three meetings, including a wild back-and-forth affair in Edgewood in 2024.
Prediction: Dixie Heights (Weber); Simon Kenton (Connelly, Dermer, Harrison, Laughman, Souder)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Predicting top 10 games in Week 1 of Cincinnati high school football
