MANSFIELD — Nathan Bernhard could have played college football in Ann Arbor or Happy Valley, but instead Ashland’s senior quarterback chose the Blue Ridge Mountains. Find out why Bernhard committed to Appalachian State over blue-blood programs like Michigan and Penn State. Bernhard sat down with the Inside The Lines podcast crew for a far-ranging interview. […]
high school football
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Around Ohio in 10 weeks: A HS football fan’s guide to the best games in the state
Area high school football fans won’t have far to travel to find a game worth watching this fall. From Friday’s opener between Clear Fork and defending Division IV state runner-up Sandusky Perkins at the Colt Corral to a Week 10 showdown between Ashland and Lexington, there’s a marquee matchup every week not far from home. […]
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Column: North central Ohio filled with star football players, great teams in 2025
For high school football fans across north central Ohio, today may as well be Christmas Eve. The season kicks off tomorrow and the excitement is palpable, even for a graybeard like me. This marks my 30th year on the beat and I can’t remember a more highly-anticipated season. Here are the storylines to pay attention […]
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Preseason Poll: Shelby picked to defend MOAC title
SHELBY — Until proven otherwise, the road to the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship runs through Shelby. The Whippets were the unanimous choice to defend their MOAC title in a preseason media poll, released Monday. Writers and reporters from 14 outlets across north central Ohio took part in balloting. Shelby collected all 12 first-place votes. Clear […]
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Inside The Lines: Lex’s Brayden Fogle has Georgia on his mind for next football step
LEXINGTON — He was a household name before he caught his first varsity pass or scored his first varsity basket. Lexington’s Brayden Fogle has managed expectations since he was in middle school. By all accounts, he has handled himself admirably. A University of Georgia recruit, Fogle joined the Inside The Lines podcast team Wednesday in […]
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Mansfield Sr. hosts Crestview, Glenville & more in 7-on-7 football event
MANSFIELD — Mansfield Senior hosted its annual seven-on-seven event Tuesday at Arlin Field. Teams from Crestview, Cleveland Glenville, Marion Harding and Big Walnut competed in the event. Antonio Fletcher is taking over the reigns for the Tygers in his first season as head coach. He succeeds the school’s all-time wins leader, Chioke Bradley, who had […]
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Lexington hosts 7-on-7 passing scrimmage with Crestview, Lima Senior and Massillon Tuslaw
LEXINGTON — Lexington hosted a seven-on-seven passing scrimmage Thursday morning with Crestview, Lima Senior and Massillon Tuslaw. Official practice for the upcoming high school football season begins Aug. 1. The regular season kicks off Aug. 22. (Below are photos from the 7-on-7 passing scrimmage Thursday at Lexington High School.)
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Wild blue yonder: Shelby’s DeVito commits to U.S. Air Force Academy
SHELBY — Brayden DeVito has been cleared for takeoff. Shelby’s record-setting quarterback, DeVito committed to play football for the U.S. Air Force Academy in an announcement he posted on social media Sunday. Air Force is a member of the 14-school Mountain West Conference. A rising senior, DeVito has re-written Shelby’s record book in his three […]
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Minuteman to Bulldog: Lexington’s Fogle commits to play at Georgia
LEXINGTON — Brayden Fogle will play college football between the hedges. Fogle, Lexington’s four-star tight end prospect, committed to the University of Georgia via social media Friday. The rising senior chose Georgia over Penn State and LSU. “The biggest thing for me was their standard that they set down there to be great was motivating, […]
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North central Ohio football coaches have mixed emotions about new playoff format
MANSFIELD — It was only a matter of time before the Ohio High School Athletic Association downsized the football playoffs. At least that’s how new Mansfield Senior coach Antonio Fletcher sees it. The OHSAA announced on Thursday a new format for the upcoming 2025 postseason and the playoff landscape will look considerably different. Only the […]