Another year and another high school football season in the Ohio Valley is set to get under way.

Only one coach in the immediate area is preparing for his first season, which is a vast difference from the number of changes the area coaching fraternity underwent prior to the 2018 season.

With Larry Deem leaving Beallsville, the Blue Devils will rely on first-year coach Rusty Lucas. The Devils finished the 2018 season at 1-9 and were 6-30 during the Deem era. Lucas is the only new coach in The Times Leader coverage area as the list of coaches beyond Lucas remain the same.

Last year’s coaching purge brought in seven new coaches and all seven are returning with hopes of building on their record years. Two of the first-year coaches last year that enjoyed the most success were Chas Yoder at Martins Ferry where his Purple Riders finished at 7-4 with a post-season playoff berth and Jason Willis at John Marshall. The Monarchs closed at 6-5.

Buckeye Local’s Roger Herbert is hoping to end the Panthers’ long win drought after running through a second straight winless season. The Panthers have lost 43 straight under three different coaches, but have high expectations to end that run this season.

Of course, Steubenville Big Red’s Reno Saccoccia is still at the top of the list entering his 37th year. Big Red finished at 10-2 last season, improving Saccoccia’s mark to 381-70.

Brett McLean has enjoyed incredible success at St. Clairsville and enters his 18th season at the helm with a 138-53 career mark after his Red Devils finished at 12-1 a year ago.

Indian Creek boasts another coach who has been successful during his 17-year tenure in Andrew Connor. Finishing at 8-3 with a post-season berth last season, Connor now sports a 98-67 career mark.

Mike Flannery returns for his 17th year as a head coach with 95-78 career record. His Pilots closed at 5-6 a year ago advancing to the playoffs.

Mark Holenka has been a real success story at Shadyside during an 11-year stint. After closing the 2018 with a 10-3 record and 2-1 post-season record, Holenka owns an amazing 90-31 career mark.

BJ Depew is starting his 14th season at the Linsly helm with a 79-54 career mark. The Cadets were 6-4 last season.

Across the river, Mike Young, in his 15th season at Wheeling Central, brings a 140-39 record at the school into the new campaign. The Maroon Knights were 13-1 a year ago finishing as Class A champs. Young also coached at St. C.