2026 Lucas Cubs football preview

LUCAS — Welcome to Richland Source’s 2026 high school football previews. Over the coming days, we’ll preview all the schools across the county. Each preview features this season’s schedule, last season’s performance, statistics, a player to watch and what fans can expect under the Friday night lights.

Today, we preview the Lucas Cubs. Find all of our 2026 high school football previews here.

Graham Auto Mall is proud to back our area’s local athletes and help Richland Source provide fans in-depth coverage of the upcoming high school football season.

Lucas Cubs 2026 Preview

Division: VII
Region: 27
Conference: Northern 10 Athletic Conference
Coach: Jim Sweat
Last year: 5-6
Playoff Appearances: 14 (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2006, 2000)
Playoff Record: 17-14

PLAYER TO WATCH 👀

Brady Guegold: A rugged 6-foot, 190-pound senior running back and linebacker, Guegold was an All-Ohio third-team pick on offense last fall. He rushed for 1,129 yards and 15 touchdowns on 160 carries and made 76 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

BY THE NUMBERS 📊

All-Ohioans last year, including Division VII second-teamer Joey Culler. The two-way lineman is back for his senior season.

Consecutive playoff appearances for the Cubs, a Richland County record. Lucas fell to Strasburg 28-14 in the opening round last year..

Years since Lucas played for a conference championship. The Cubs have been independent in football since leaving the defunct North Central Conference after the 2012 season. Lucas begins play in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference this fall.

Tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, for senior linebacker Cooper Day last season. Day was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick in Division VII.

2025 RESULTS

Lucas 51, Plymouth 0
Hillsdale 31, Lucas 0
Danville 26, Lucas 14
Lucas 62, Vanlue 0
Martins Ferry 34, Lucas 14
Elgin 18, Lucas 15
Amanda-Clearcreek 35, Lucas 7
Lucas 22, Reynolds (Pa.) 15
Lucas 26, Lutheran East 12
Lucas 37, Crestline 0
Playoffs
Strasburg 28, Lucas 14

2026 SCHEDULE 📅

Aug. 22 — at STEUBENVILLE CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Aug. 28 — HILLSDALE
Sept. 4 — CAREY
Sept. 11 — at Willard
Sept. 18 — TIFFIN CALVERT
Sept. 25 — at Colonel Crawford
Oct. 2 — BUCKEYE CENTRAL
Oct. 9 — at Seneca East
Oct. 16 —HOPEWELL-LOUDON
Oct. 23 — at Wynford

TWO MINUTE DRILL ⏱️

Jim Sweat enters his third season at Lucas with a 10-12 record and two playoff appearances in his first two seasons. The Cubs’ Northern 10 schedule includes games against reigning Division VI state runner-up Hopewell-Loudon, Region 23 champ Colonel Crawford, Region 22 runner-up Carey and Region 22 quarterfinalist Seneca East. Lucas also plays two-time reigning Division VII state runner-up Hillsdale in the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Cubs rushed for 2,334 yards on 373 carries as a team, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. The defense pitched three shutouts last year, the most since 2021.