Football is back.
The season begins tonight at 7 p.m. with an exciting non-league game between Withrow of the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference and Elder of the Greater Catholic League South.
The game, which will take place at Withrow Stadium, features two teams trying to establish an identity for themselves in early 2024. Withrow shook up the CMAC in 2023, going 5-0 in conference play and posting a 244-13 point differential in those games. But the Tigers lost their starting quarterback and running back, as well as one of the country’s top recruits, Chris Henry Jr. Elder finished second in the GCLS in 2024 for the fifth time in six seasons, but the Panthers also need to replace their starting quarterback and several other top contributors.
It’s an exciting start to an exciting part of the year. Follow live updates from tonight’s Elder vs Withrow match here.
How to watch Southwest Ohio football games this season
The Cincinnati football landscape has been rocked by player transfers this year, and the most notable transfer in today’s Withrow-Elder matchup is that of Chris Henry Jr., the No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2026. He transferred from Withrow to California powerhouse Mater Dei before this season.
Close behind, however, is a player who is joining the Tigers this season: Jayel Harris. Harris finished the year with an MVC-record 2,109 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns for Purcell Marian last season. Carlyun Neal.
Here is a list of some of the most impactful transfers to keep an eye on in Cincinnati this season.
The Elder Panthers play in the Greater Catholic League South.
The Withrow Tigers play in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference.
Elder has rivalries with St. Xavier, Moeller and La Salle. Elder has played Western Hills every year, but the two have not faced each other since 2009.
Withrow’s biggest rival is Taft. The two teams will meet this year on Saturday, September 28th at 1 p.m. at Willard Stargel Stadium.
Watch OHSAA football games on the NFHS Network
A production of the National Federation of State High School Associations and PlayOn! Sports, the NFHS Network offers schools the ability to stream and broadcast sporting events without having a full broadcast staff.
In Ohio, schools such as Anderson, Blanchester, Clermont Northeastern, Colerain, Fairfield, Hamilton, Indian Hill, Lakota East, Lakota West, Lockland, Monroe, Northwest, Oak Hills, Waynesville and Western Brown have added home broadcasts of their football games to their broadcast schedules.
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