MOUNT VERNON — The 2010 high school football season is fast approaching, and fans should begin to mark their calendars appropriately. The season schedules for each school in the state were announced recently, and for the most part, the seven area school schedules remain intact from 2009.
The Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets are one of the lone exceptions. Mount Vernon still opens the season against Lexington (road game, Aug. 27), but the Jackets will take on Cambridge in Week 2. Traditionally, Mount Vernon played Wooster, but when the Generals did not renew the series, the Jackets added the Division III Bobcats for a home-and-away series. From there, Mount Vernon will host traditional rival Mansfield Madison (Sept. 10), and open Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division play at home against Olentangy Orange in Week 4 (Sept. 17).
Mount Vernon then plays three of its next four games on the road, traveling to Delaware Hayes and Franklin Heights in consecutive weeks (Sept. 24 and Oct. 1). The Jackets return home on Oct. 8 to play Hilliard Bradley, but then hit the road to face Watkins Memorial (Oct. 15). The final two weeks of the regular season have Mount Vernon hosting Big Walnut (Oct. 22) and traveling to New Albany (Oct. 29).
Three of the other four Knox County schools — Centerburg, Danville and Fredericktown — have changed games in their schedules as well. All three have new coaches this season as does East Knox.
Centerburg’s change came in Week 2. After opening the season at Cardington (Aug. 27), the Trojans will host Lucas in place of Newark Catholic in Week 2 (Sept. 3). From there, Centerburg will host Columbus Academy (Sept. 10) before opening Mid-Buckeye Conference play on the road at Johnstown (Sept. 17). The Trojans also have homes games against East Knox (Sept. 24), Danville (Oct. 1) and Northridge (Oct. 15), and road games at Loudonville (Oct. 8), Fredericktown (Oct. 22) and Utica (Oct. 29).
Danville flip-flopped a game, dropping Fisher Catholic in Week 1 and replacing them with Grove City Christian, who the Blue Devils played in Week 3 in 2009. The game will be played in Danville to open the season. Danville travels to Waynedale in Week 2 (Sept. 3), and then hosts newcomer Lucas in Week 3 (Sept. 10). MBC play has Danville hosting Loudonville and Fredericktown in Weeks 4 and 5 and Johnstown and Utica in Weeks 8 and 9. The Devils have road games at Centerburg and Northridge in Weeks 6 and 7 before closing out the season with the Devil-Dog game against East Knox on Oct. 30.
Fredericktown will open the season with two road games — at traditional rival Highland (Aug. 27) and at Berne Union (Sept. 3) — before hosting schedule newcomer Crestview in Week 3 (Sept. 10). MBC play has Fredericktown traveling to Northridge, Danville and Utica in Weeks 4, 5 and 8. Johnstown, East Knox, Centerburg and Loudonville come to Fredericktown in Weeks 6, 7, 9 and 10, respectively.
East Knox opens the season at home against Coshocton on Aug. 27, and then hits the road for games at Grandview Heights and Wynford. Utica comes to Howard to open MBC play on Sept. 17, but then the Bulldogs start an every other week home schedule. They will face Centerburg (Sept. 24), Fredericktown (Oct. 8) and Johnstown (Oct. 22) on the road, while hosting Northridge (Oct. 1), Loudonville (Oct. 15) and Danville (Oct. 30).
The Utica Redskins’ schedule has gone unchanged this year, with five home games and five away. Utica opens the season at home against Grandview Heights, but then goes on the road for games at Granville, Heath and the MBC opener at East Knox (Sept. 17). Northridge and Loudonville come to Utica in back to back weeks (Sept. 24 and Oct. 1), before the Redskins head down U.S. 62 to face Johnstown. Utica then hosts Fredericktown before traveling to Danville. The Redskins close the season at home against Centerburg.
Perennial playoff contender Highland has also survived any schedule upheaval this season. The only change is the normal Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference rotating schedule, where the first team they play the year before moves to the back of the schedule. In Highland’s case, River Valley falls to Week 10 (Oct. 29), while a road game at North Union becomes the conference opener on Sept. 3. Highland opens the season at home against Fredericktown on Aug. 27.
Following Week 2, Highland is at Northmor, home against Marion Pleasant (Sept. 17) and at Elgin to round out the month. In October, the Scots host Cardington (Oct. 1) before traveling to Buckeye Valley and Ridgedale. Highland closes the regular season with a pair of home games against Mount Gilead and River Valley.
Only time will tell how the season plays out for each of these teams, but one thing is certain — they won’t go down without a fight.
