Week 1 Preview: Columbus
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The 2021 High School Football season is almost here. Columbus, OH over the years has produced some of the best High School talent in the country and 2021 will be no different. Here are five games featuring Columbus teams to…
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Continue ReadingThe 2021 High School Football season is almost here. Columbus, OH over the years has produced some of the best High School talent in the country and 2021 will be no different. Here are five games featuring Columbus teams to watch in week 1.
Olentangy vs Westerville South
In 2020, the Braves of Olentangy and the Wildcats of Westerville South featured two of the top offenses in the state as they averaged 30 and 41.4 ppg respectively. Westerville South finished at 8-1 and advanced to the 3rd round of the playoffs while Olentangy finished at 5-3 and also advanced to the 3rd round of the playoffs. There are quite a few players from the Prep Redzone rankings in this game and they are OL TJ Gadd TJ Gadd 6'3" | 265 lbs | OL Olentangy | 2022 OH and K Hayden Olcott Hayden Olcott 5'9" | 150 lbs | K Olentangy | 2022 OH from Olentangy and WR Kaden Saunders Kaden Saunders 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Westerville South | 2022 State OH , RB Brandon Armstrong, OL Tyler O’Reilly Tyler O’Reilly 6'2" | 265 lbs | OL Westerville South | 2022 OH and WR Javier Wills Javier Wills 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Westerville South | 2022 OH from Westerville South.
Westerville Central vs Westerville North
Two rivals from Westerville will face each other to start the season when the Warhawks from Westerville Central play the Warriors of Westerville North on Friday night. In 2020, Westerville Central finished 8-2 and advanced to the 4th round of the playoffs. They looked very impressive on both sides of the ball as they averaged 30.3 ppg and allowed only 13.6. Westerville North finished the 2020 season at 6-4 and held their opponents to 10 or fewer points 5 times. The players to watch from the Prep Redzone rankings in this game are RB Michael Ross Michael Ross 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Westerville Central | 2022 State OH , K Jason Robertson Jason Robertson 5'10" | 185 lbs | K Westerville Central | 2022 OH and ATH Donovan Hunter Donovan Hunter 6'5" | 210 lbs | ATH Westerville Central | 2023 OH from Westerville Central. From Westerville North there are ATH Stanley Jackson Jr Stanley Jackson Jr 6'0" | 200 lbs | ATH Westerville North | 2023 State OH and DB Chris Campbell Chris Campbell 5'6" | 150 lbs | DB Westerville North | 2022 OH
Pickerington North vs Lancaster
On Friday night, the Panthers of Pickerington North will open the 2021 season against the Golden Gales of Lancaster. Last season, Pickerington North finished 6-2 and advanced to the 2nd round of the Division 1 playoffs. Lancaster finished at 3-6 but ended the season on a high note as they shut out Teays Valley 24-0 in the season finale. This game features several players in the Prep Redzone rankings. Those players include from Pickerington North- LB Blake Bennett Blake Bennett 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Pickerington North | 2022 OH , DB Eli Coppess Eli Coppess 6'1" | 210 lbs | DB Pickerington North | 2022 State OH , DB Jon Lipscomb Jon Lipscomb 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Pickerington North | 2022 OH , OL Braden Watts Braden Watts 6'1" | 235 lbs | OL Pickerington North | 2022 OH , RB Dawaun Green Dawaun Green 6'1" | 220 lbs | RB Pickerington North | 2023 State OH and DL David Alibi. From Lancaster, There is LB Ajay Locke Ajay Locke 5'10" | 195 lbs | LB Lancaster | 2022 OH and DB Eli Rathburn Eli Rathburn 6'4" | 190 lbs | DB Lancaster | 2022 OH .
Grove City vs Dublin Scioto
In week 1, the Greyhounds of Grove City will play the Irish of Dublin Scioto. Grove City finished 2020 at 3-8 but looked impressive in the season finale as they beat Westerville North 10-0 and look to carry that momentum over to 2021. Dublin Scioto finished 2020 at 7-2 and advanced to the 3rd round of the playoffs. They averaged 27.7 ppg while giving up 16.9 ppg. The players to watch in this game from Dublin Scioto are RB Ed Worthen Ed Worthen 5'8" | 200 lbs | RB Dublin Scioto | 2023 State OH , WR Lesley Andoh Lesley Andoh 6'1" | 170 lbs | WR Dublin Scioto | 2022 OH , WR Tyler Boze Tyler Boze 6'4" | 190 lbs | WR Dublin Scioto | 2022 OH , QB Amare Jenkins Amare Jenkins 6'3" | 180 lbs | QB Dublin Scioto | 2022 OH , OL Max Martin-Lee Max Martin-Lee 6'3" | 300 lbs | OL Dublin Scioto | 2022 OH and from Grove City there is RB Zach Nelson II Zach Nelson II 6'0" | 185 lbs | RB Grove City | 2022 OH .
Groveport Madison vs Canal Winchester
The Cruisers of Groveport Madison and the Indians of Canal Winchester are looking to get off to a good start in 2021 on Friday night when they play each other in Canal Winchester. In 2020, Groveport Madison finished 5-3 and were eliminated by Hilliard Bradley in the 1st round of the playoffs. Canal Winchester finished 5-5 and advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. The players from the rankings in this game are DB Delaney Wilburn Delaney Wilburn 5'11" | 185 lbs | DB Groveport Madison | 2022 State OH from Groveport Madison and RB Stephan Byrd Stephan Byrd 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Canal Winchester | 2022 State OH , OL Mason Fry Mason Fry 6'3" | 295 lbs | OL Canal Winchester | 2023 State OH from Canal WInchester.
Reynoldsburg vs Upper Arlington
The week 1 matchup between the Reynoldsburg Raiders and the Upper Arlington Golden Bears features two teams that made the playoffs in 2020 and are looking to build on the success that they had. In 2020, Reynoldsburg finished 4-4 and advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. The Raiders had a high powered offense that scored 30 or more points 6 times. Upper Arlington finished 3-5 but showed great heart as they won two of their final three games in 2020 and they also advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. The players from the rankings to watch in this game are WR Mark Gillam Mark Gillam 5'6" | 135 lbs | WR Reynoldsburg | 2022 State OH and QB Dijon Jennings Dijon Jennings 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Reynoldsburg | 2022 State OH from Reynoldsburg and RB Carson Gresock Carson Gresock 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Upper Arlington | 2022 OH from Upper Arlington.