By RICK DeLUCA

Times Leader Sports Writer

Ohio Valley football coaches are tested every year, on the field and off. With declining enrollments, shrinking squads and competition with off the field activities, they are a rare breed that deserves much more credit than they are usually accorded.

Last season, 16 OVAC schools sent teams into the postseason with 10 of those lasting just one round. Seasons are long, injuries are frequent and the days just don?t seem to be long enough.

As the 2017 football season heads into Week 1, returning coaches are just as excited to get the games under way as the new coaches. This fall, local schools will welcome three new coaches.

Blake Allen replaces Matt Johnson, who took Barnesville to the playoffs and a 9-2 record last season. Roger Herbert has taken over at Buckeye Local, replacing John Holman, who lasted just one season with the Panthers and finished at 0-10. Gary Krol has replaced Zack Melton at Bridgeport.

Allen, Herbert and Krol are hoping to have the same success that second year coaches Mark Spigarelli and Donnie Kerns had at Bellaire and Buckeye Trail in their first season in 2016. Spigarelli finished at 6-5 and the Big Reds were a surprise entry into the playoffs while Kerns guided his Warriors to a 6-4 mark.

Of course, the top of the list continues to have familiar names that have over 120 years of experience coaching in the Ohio Valley. Locally, four coaches sport records of 100-plus career wins with three of the all-time Ohio coaching greats well-above the rest.

Reno Saccoccia will be embarking on his 35th season at the helm of the Steubenville and will likely add more numbers to his amazing 356-68 career record.

Jay Circosta, despite a very rare 1-9 record last season is just behind the Big Red coach with a 330-142-5 career mark. Circosta has guided Monroe Centralto numerous post-season games as well as during his stint at Woodsfield.

Dave Bruney’s Purple Riders finished at 6-4 last, did not qualify for the playoffs. He owns a 268-128 record at the school and was 9-1 during a one-year stint at Bridgeport.

Brett McLean has continued to build on a remarkable career mark heading into his 16th season.

He enters the new campaign with a 117-61 career mark.

Of course, hanging around as a coach today is an accomplishment in itself and the next five on the list have done that and continue to impress in their roles. Indian Creek’s Andrew Connor owns an 84-61 record after 15 years, Mike Flannery, at River and Paden City, has an 82-67 record in 14 years. Mark Holenka owns a nine-year mark of 73-24 at Shadyside. In 12 years, Linsly’s BJ Depew stands at 64-48and in 12 years at Harrison Central Justin Kropka owns a 68-54 mark.