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Greater Akron high school football: Everything to know for the 2022 season

akron beacon journal
·7 min read
Bergen Catholic's John Fiore takes down Hoban running back Lamar Sperling during a third quarter run on Friday, August 27, 2021 in Akron, Ohio, at Dowd Field. [Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal]
Bergen Catholic's John Fiore takes down Hoban running back Lamar Sperling during a third quarter run on Friday, August 27, 2021 in Akron, Ohio, at Dowd Field. [Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal]

Fall high school football season is just about here, and the Akron Beacon Journal has you covered from a national power like Hoban to the best the City Series and Suburban League have to offer.

We've been talking to the best coaches and players in the area to get you ready for the season with content you can't find anywhere else.

Before we get to each team, here are the best Akron-area players to know in 2022:

Akron-area high school football:See team schedules for 2022

CITY SERIES

Buchtel Griffins: Buchtel is “light-years ahead” of last summer because of the coaching staff's opportunity to mold players during “a real offseason.”

Buchtel football:D'Ajha Travis, Alise Huron-Covington blazing trail as female football players for Griffins

East Dragons: East returns 30 letter winners from last year's City Series championship team.

East football:'Old soul' Ziaire Stevens is quite a football player and TV fan — especially 'Grey's Anatomy'

Ellet Orangemen: There is some athletic talent at Ellet and the commitment to improve is there. Whether that translates to more victories this season is an open question.

Ellet football:Orangemen seek sanctuary on field after tough preseason

Firestone Falcons: The Falcons may have gone 4-7 in 2021, but Firestone was 3-2 in the City Series and return starting quarterback Prince Winchester.

Firestone football:Winchester looks to take the next step at QB

Garfield Golden Rams: Only six starters are back for the Rams after a successful City Series showing last season.

Remembering one of the greats:Akron high school football legend Tim Flossie dies at 73

North Vikings: North is trying to field a larger team this season after finishing last season with between 15 to 20 players.

North football:Coach Doug Miller ready to lead Akron North football

For more high school football news, listen to the Beacon Blitz podcast

SUBURBAN LEAGUE - NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOOTBALL

Hudson Explorers: Success at Hudson is more expected than it is hoped for, which might put a strain on some.

Hudson football:Tommy Ricard is next up in lineage of successful Explorers linemen

Nordonia Knights: The Knights lost 24 seniors to graduation, but longtime coach Jeff Fox believes his squad has the ability to compete in the always-loaded Suburban League National Conference.

Nordonia football:Nordonia born and raised, Logan Villamagna brings toughness to Knights defense

Stow Bulldogs: Stow will have a new coach, a new quarterback, a new running back and the same high expectations.

Stow football:Coach Martin Poder comes home, ready to lead the Bulldogs

Twinsburg Tigers: Coach Charles Saulter is hoping to return the Tigers to the success they had from 2008-10.

Twinsburg football:Junior Steve Cammack does it all for Tigers football team

Wadsworth Grizzlies: There is muted optimism around town with the Grizzlies, whose record last season wasn’t exactly an indicator of how good they could have been.

Wadsworth football:Star player Davis Nye ready to go out with a bang for GrizzliesWadsworth star ready to go out with a bang for Grizzlies

SUBURBAN LEAGUE - AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL

Tallmadge wide receiver Collin Dixon, left, shakes hands with teammate Mason Dexter after scoring during the first half of a high school football game against the Copley Indians, Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in Copley, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]
Tallmadge wide receiver Collin Dixon, left, shakes hands with teammate Mason Dexter after scoring during the first half of a high school football game against the Copley Indians, Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in Copley, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]

Barberton Magics: Barberton graduated a talented senior class of players, and Magics head coach Tony Gotta has to find some young players to replace them.

Barberton football:Magics senior Roosevelt Andrews determined to 'get bigger, faster and stronger'

Copley: Copley has compiled records of 2-8, 8-2 and 3-8 during Jake Parsons' first three seasons, and the team has plenty of returning starters like quarterback DaOne Owens.

Copley football:Senior Luke Brenner follows path of successful siblings at Copley

Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers: Falls will need to replace 16 graduated players, but coach Shane Parker maintains a holistic focus within his program.

Cuyahoga Falls football:Shane Parker helps Cuyahoga Falls aid a changing community

Highland Hornets: In a league loaded with talent, the Hornets have a ton but lost second-team All-Ohio quarterback and SL Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Filips to graduation.

Highland football:Stiles clash? Not with the way Lukas plays football for Hornets on offense and defense

Revere Minutemen: Coach Robert Nickol arrives at Revere from St. Vincent-St. Mary with a simple mission: Get the Minutemen moving forward again.

Revere football:New coach Robert Nickol, senior Stuart Klein look to change Revere's football fortunes

Tallmadge Blue Devils: This senior heavy team was 1-9 as freshmen but have added three wins a year to their resume every season since.

Tallmadge football:Quarterback Ty Hurst is like a coach on the field

PRINCIPALS ATHELTIC CONFERENCE

CVCA Royals: After an up-and-down 2021, the Royals will switch to a more smash-mouth style of play on offense.

CVCA football:David Glover creates own path on, off football field at CVCA

Manchester Panthers: The youth has already stepped in and proven it just may be a seamless transition in coach Jay Brophy’s third season at the helm at Manchester.

MORE NORTHEAST OHIO HIGH SCHOOLS :

The Archbishop Hoban Knights take the field prior to the start of the OHSAA Division II State Championship football game against Cincinnati Winton Woods at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in Canton, Ohio.
The Archbishop Hoban Knights take the field prior to the start of the OHSAA Division II State Championship football game against Cincinnati Winton Woods at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in Canton, Ohio.

Archbishop Hoban Knights: Coming off a Division II state runner-up finish last season, the Knights are in the midst of a quarterback competition.

Hoban football:Hoban star Lamar Sperling hopes to spur teammates: 'Be better than me'

Coventry Comets: After going 2-7, John Kinsey enters his second season as Coventry's coach following three seasons as Mogadore's offensive coordinator.

Coventry football:Tigers football players ready to win

Green Bulldogs: Green hadn’t registered a winning season since 2012 before last year’s memorable run. The Bulldogs return only seven players with starting experience from that state semifinal team.

Green football:Bulldogs aim to write new story after memorable season

Norton Panthers: Norton returns 17 letter winners from last season's team that compiled an undefeated regular season with a 9-0 record.

Norton football:Glen Kruger returns to coach Norton football team fresh off successful season

Springfield Spartans: There is optimism at Springfield as a core group of sophomores look to be the foundation for what could be a solid future.

Springfield football:Once a lineman, Springfield's Anthony Berger is now a quarterback

St. Vincent-St. Mary Irish: After spending the past two years as an assistant at STVM, coach Terry Cistone is overseeing a quarterback competition in the buildup to his first season as the head coach of the Fighting Irish.

STVM football:A painful injury and a lost loved one: Bryson Getz, Riley Defibaugh motivated to lead Irish

Walsh Jesuit Warriors: The Warriors will have to replace several all-district talents, but coach Nick Alexander believes his team has the potential to make a lot of postseason noise.

Walsh Jesuit football:Josh Grogan carries on family legacy with Warriors

Woodridge Bulldogs: By Woodridge's standards, the past three seasons have been down years. The expectation is that will change due to a combination of the experience and explosiveness this fall.

Woodridge football:Sam Mencer continues Woodridge's tradition of aggressive, intelligent linebackers

More fall sports in the Greater Akron area

Walsh Jesuit fans take to the field to join in the celebration of the 1to 0 victory over Whitehouse Anthony Wayne n the Division I state semifinal girls soccer match at Arlin Field in Mansfield.
Walsh Jesuit fans take to the field to join in the celebration of the 1to 0 victory over Whitehouse Anthony Wayne n the Division I state semifinal girls soccer match at Arlin Field in Mansfield.

Of course, there's much more to fall high school athletics than just football. Here are the players you need to know in other sports:

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2022 Akron high school football preview guide