Players, coaches and fans have been counting down the days for weeks, and now Week 1 of the 2024 Ohio high school football season is finally here.
Things got underway across the state on Thursday, but the first games in the Columbus area are Friday. We have three games for our writers and photographers on Friday night: three-time defending Division I champion Lakewood St. Edward at Pickerington North, Harvest Prep against Pickerington Central in the first football game at Central’s new stadium, and defending regional champion Hilliard Bradley visiting Groveport.
We have live updates on these three games and more, so bookmark this page.
Harvest Prep and North were the subject of two of our ten bold predictions for the season. Both could be state title contenders, in Division V and I, respectively.
Central, which won state titles in 2017 and 2019, and Bradley, which won its first regional title last season, are also candidates for a deep postseason run. They joined North and Harvest Prep in the top 10 of our Central Ohio Top 25 preseason poll, and St. Edward was ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Network’s Preseason Ohio Super 25.
Watch OHSAA football all season long on the NFHS Network
OHSAA, score updates from Week 1 of the Ohio High School Football season
Groveport extends big lead over Hilliard Bradley
Groveport’s defense extended the team’s early lead when Jalen Joyce picked up a fumble after a sack by Declan O’Neil and scored on a short return. Raishad King scored on a two-point conversion with 7:44 left in the first half for a 22-0 lead.
This was the halftime score.
Joyce’s 1-yard touchdown run with 4:54 left in the first quarter capped his 77-yard touchdown drive.
Later, two plays after a touchdown run was canceled for holding, Groveport’s Raishad King scored on a 6-yard run for a 14-0 lead with 8:07 left in the second quarter.
Pickerington Central leads at Harvest Prep early in the third quarter
Division V Harvest Prep, a four-time state semifinalist since 2016, is the opponent for the first regular-season game at Pickerington Central’s new stadium. Central, Division I state champions in 2017 and 2019, is a perennial big-city power, so this was a big challenge for the Warriors.
The Warriors were definitely in the game in the first half, even though Central led 14-12. Gerald Banks scored on a 65-yard run to give the Tigers the lead with 2:40 left in the half.
That was the score after Central’s opening drive of the third quarter. The Tigers reached Harvest Prep’s 27, but Carson Goulet missed a first down.
Harvest Prep’s opening drive was 11 plays and 67 yards, led by Dezmond Porter, who scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. Central answered with a long 64-yard touchdown run by Kaejuan Alexander on the second play, putting the Tigers up 7-6.
Porter then scored a 65-yard touchdown run and Harvest Prep led 12-7 with 4:12 left in the first quarter. Porter had nine carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns at that point.
Hiking Trails Pickerington North Lakewood St Edward
Pickerington North’s game against Lakewood St. Edward is available on the NFHS Network. St. Edward is seeking its fourth consecutive Division I title and will face tough competition this season, playing two defending champions from out of state, Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep and Danville (Kentucky) Boyle County, as well as two defending Ohio champions, Massillon Washington (Division II) and Cleveland Glenville (Division IV).
This is the first game in the north for quarterback Jarin Mock, who has committed to Wisconsin and previously played in Reynoldsburg.
North’s Tyson Long intercepted a pass from St. Ed’s quarterback Thomas Csanyi, stopping the Eagles’ 12-play rush to start the game. The Panthers took over at their own 37-yard line. A tackle by Elijah Durham-Smith put St. Ed’s off schedule after they used their running game to charge down the field.
The game was scoreless after the first quarter. Although North only ran eight plays to the Eagles’ 24, the team was able to use its defense to hold its own. St. Edward had two 12-play rushing drives and junior running back Brandon White ran for 47 yards on 10 carries, making some impressive line plays.
White ran nearly 2,000 yards a year ago.
St. Ed’s recorded two consecutive sacks at the end of the first quarter and early in the second, forced a punt, and on the second play of the ensuing possession, Csanyi threw a 39-yard pitcher down the middle of the field to Zach Hackelman. Hackelman caught the ball under double coverage to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead with 9:46 left in the first half.
Another great play put St. Ed’s ahead by two points. On fourth-and-7 at North’s 31-yard line, Csanyi had plenty of time and found Joe Saffold free up the middle. Saffold made some nice moves into the end zone and scored a 31-yard touchdown. The Eagles extended their lead to 14-0 with 2:00 minutes left in the first half, and that was halftime.
North held a 195-58 lead, including just 6 yards passing, and ended each of its four possessions with a punt.
Michael Taylor leads the Panthers with 43 rushing yards on eight carries.
Csanyi has completed 8 of 13 passes for 126 yards. The Eagles have played 36 games, North 24.
Elsewhere in Ohio
Upper Arlington and visiting team Cleveland Glenville are scoreless at halftime.
Dublin Coffman trails Toledo Whitmer 21-0 at halftime.
Olentangy Liberty leads 21-0 against Olentangy at halftime.
Westerville North leads Westerville Central 26-0 late in the first half.
Olentangy Orange leads Marysville 42-0 late in the first half.
Hilliard Davidson trails Gibsonia (Pennsylvania) Pine-Richland 21-10 at halftime.
Grove City Christian leads 28-0 at halftime against Miami Valley Christian Academy.
Gahanna Lincoln leads Mason 7-3 at halftime.
Reynoldsburg leads Dublin Scioto 13-0 at halftime.
DeSales leads 10-7 against Olentangy Berlin at halftime.
St. Charles leads West Carrollton 20-0 at halftime.
@DispatchPreps
