MARTINS FERRY — With summer traveling in the rearview and school back in session this week, fall means a return to routine for folks around the Ohio Valley — and in this region, there are few more important parts of fall routines than Friday night high school football.

Football is back — and multiple teams’ seasons kick off this Thursday, not Friday, with Bellaire, Buckeye Local, Shadyside and Bridgeport playing Thursday for their week one outings. With the start of the season just around the corner, there’s one resource out there that can be a one-stop shop for all to expect from the season firmly in our sights.

High school football careers are short, and each year brings new faces to key spots on your favorite team. The Times Leader’s 2025 Pigskin Preview has you covered, going through each team in its entirety, from the offensive backfield to the defensive secondary. Inside today’s 70-plus page publication, find each team’s season schedules, read each coach’s thoughts about his new-look team, and find out who you can look forward to watching under the Friday night lights from now until the end of the year.

NEW QB’S ON THE BLOCK

It’s a question that inevitably comes when any team is brought up — “Who’s the quarterback?” The answer for dozens of area teams can be found inside today’s Pigskin Preview, with an exciting mix of returning signal-callers and new players ready to sling it around the gridiron, many of whom are stepping into big shoes.

In Barnesville, junior Cole Francis will take over for longtime stalwart Casey Carpenter. Martins Ferry junior Colby Kropka will steer the ship for the Purple Riders, while senior Sam McLean is the likely leader for the job in St. Clairsville. Junior Cooper Howell will take the mantle of Monroe Central quarterback from his graduated brother Tucker, and senior Colby Carpenter will move from a timeshare at quarterback for Union Local to being the sole man at the reins for the Jets.

Some schools have a yet-to-be-announced QB1, too, such as River and Buckeye Local. River is piecing through a four-man competition that includes senior Trail Thompson, junior Trey Larrick, and freshmen Lucas Bentley and Cam Abbott. Buckeye Local is deciding between senior Grant Dombroski and junior Tyler Schubert.

PLAYOFF EXPECTATIONS

Back for more this year are several teams that put together great seasons last year and made noise in the playoffs, teams that would love to see more of the same in this coming season.

St. Clairsville has a lot of new faces, but the Red Devils are coming off a season that included a trip to the Ohio Division IV, Region 15 championship game. St. Clairsville is playing in Division V this year.

Martins Ferry’s Purple Riders advanced to the second round of the Division V playoffs, as did the Union Local Jets.

A LOOK AHEAD

There are big-time games on the slate most every week throughout the high school season, certainly in week one. Coming up in a matter of days, Bellaire will travel north to face local foe Buckeye Local, and Bridgeport will rematch Frontier on the road after the Bulldogs pulled off a narrow home win in last year’s season opener vs. the Cougars, 27-25.

Both of those contests are on Thursday

On Friday, the Barnesville Shamrocks go for their 37th-straight regular season win at home against a strong-as-usual Fort Frye squad, while St. Clairsville has a season-opener rematch of its own, facing Norwayne after a hard-fought 28-21 win in week one vs. the Bobcats last year.