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(Statistical Information Courtesy of NWPASports.com archives, The Herald and Erie Times-News)

WEEK ONE FOOTBALL PREVIEWS

A 10-game lineup highlights Week One of the 2024 high school football season in Mercer County. Two of the 10 games feature all-local matchups. Friday night, Wilmington hosts Greenville, while Farrell hosts neighboring Hickory in a Saturday night Shenango Valley tussle.

Three of the 10 games will be played Saturday. Kennedy Catholic hosts Cambridge Springs in a 1 p.m. matinee. In addition to the Farrell-Hickory game, Mercer visits Franklin in another Saturday night game.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Greenville at Wilmington, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Wilmington, 25-5
Last Greenville Win: October 25, 2013 (41-21)
Last Wilmington Win: September 1, 2023 (21-14)
First Meeting: October 16, 1998 (Greenville won 14-0)

Two teams in new regions and a new classification meet Friday night in New Wilmington as Class 1A Greenville visits another newly-minted 1A team, Wilmington. After having been league opponents the last eight seasons, the programs have been split apart as Wilmington is part of the Mercer County-centric Region 1. Greenville, meanwhile, will play in Region 2.

Both programs played in rugged Region 3 the last two seasons, squaring off with Class 3A Grove City, Hickory, Sharon and Slippery Rock, along with playoff perennials Farrell and Sharpsville. Now in Class 1A, both schools are regarded among the favorites in District 10 this fall.

Wilmington has only two seniors on its roster but will rely heavily upon a 15-man junior class. Sophomore fullback Chase Mitcheltree ran for 400 yards last year and will be joined by senior letterman Aidan Gardner and junior letterwinner Jamie Miller in the Wing-T backfield.

Sophomore Wesley Vass-Gal is expected to start at quarterback. All-Region selection Jacob Coulter, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound junior, returns to help lead the offensive line. Juniors Danny Leonard, Clark Rolli and Maverick Whiting are also back up front for head coach Brandon Phillian.

Unlike several area teams, Greenville returns a multi-year starter at quarterback, senior Nick Solderich. Solderich has thrown for 1,434 yards in his two seasons as the starter. Junior running back Rudy Gentile posted a team-high 610 rushing yards last year and is one of several veterans in the Trojan backfield.

Solderich scored on touchdown runs of 16 and 35 yards, respectively, last year to give Greenville a 14-7 lead over Wilmington. However, Gardner tied the game with a two-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and Ben Miller's three-yard touchdown run in the closing moments gave visiting Wilmington a 21-14 Week Two win.

Solderich ran for 67 yards. Gentile and Justin Schell each caught three passes. Greenville finished plus-3 in turnover margin but went 1 for 7 on third down.

Wilmington won the last meeting in New Wilmington two years ago, 14-7. The Greyhounds trailed 7-0 after 36 minutes before rallying for the win. Ben Miller scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the closing moments of that game also, putting Wilmington ahead.

Wilmington has dropped consecutive openers after winning 14 straight Week One games from 2008 to 2021. Greenville has dropped four straight lidlifters. The Trojans last won a season opener on the road August 29, 2014, when Greenville picked up a 28-8 win at North East. In 2015, Greenville "hosted" North East at Grove City's Forker Field, a game Greenville won 27-12.

Wilmington has won eight straight home games against Greenville. The Trojans last regular season win in New Wilmington came September 24, 2004, when Greenville secured a 20-10 win. The Trojans won the first-ever meeting in New Wilmington, 35-14, October 15, 1999. Greenville is 5-10 all-time at Wilmington, including a 3-1 mark in District 10 playoff action.

Wilmington won the only Week One meeting between the programs in 2020 at home, 48-0.

The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 96.7.

Girard at Sharpsville, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: First Meeting

It's not easy for a high school football program with well over 100 years of existence to make history, but that's the case Friday night for the Sharpsville Blue Devils. Sharpsville will face Girard for the first time ever as the teams open 2024 at historic McCracken Field.

Changes abound for Sharpsville as the Blue Devils will have a new offensive playcaller in 2024. It's a familiar face, however, as head coach Paul Piccirilli will call the plays after the retirement of offensive coordinator Len Grandy.

The Blue Devils are also returning to the Delaware Wing-T after primarily using a spread attack over the last three seasons with record-setting quarterback Caullin Summers and a bevy of skilled receivers. With Summers having graduated last spring, senior Aidan Cadman takes over under center.

Senior running back Jaiden White will be a centerpiece of the three-back offensive attack after rushing for 431 yards last season. He also caught 33 passes and Piccirilli plans to utilize White in a number of ways on offense.

Senior All-Region guard Brian White anchors a massive offensive line that averages 285 pounds per man. Sophomore linebacker Jordan White, no relation to Brian or Jaiden White, returns in the middle of the Blue Devils' 5-3 defense.

The changes at Sharpsville are minimal when compared to the metamorphosis at Girard, where new head coach Mark Brooks has taken over. Brooks spent six seasons as Northwestern head coach, guiding the Wildcats to a 38-20 mark from 2017 to 2022. Now, he looks to revitalize a program that has gone 7-28 over the last four seasons.

Sophomore Ryan St. Julien has been named the Yellow Jackets' starting quarterback. Junior running back Jesse Marino will be featured in the one-back, spread attack. Overall, Girard projects to have only three seniors in the offensive starting lineup and four 12th-graders in the defensive starting lineup.

Girard opened last year 2-1 but dropped its final six games.

Sharpsville last faced an Erie County team in the season opener in 1997, when the Blue Devils won 38-0 at Union City. Sharpsville is 5-4-1 against Erie County teams in season openers since 1920.

This is Girard's first regular season game in Mercer County since August 31, 2007, when Greenville defeated the visiting Yellow Jackets, 20-0, in Brian Herrick's debut as head coach.

Although Sharpsville has never played Girard, Pennsylvania, the Blue Devils are 3-2 all-time against Girard, Ohio. That includes an 18-7 home win on Thanksgiving Day over the Ohioans in 1926. Girard, Ohio, defeated Sharpsville in the most recent meeting, 32-0, in 1949.

The game will be broadcast on News/Talk 790 WPIC. Live Stats available here.

Grove City vs. North East, 7:00 p.m., at Iroquois

Series History: Grove City, 3-0
Last Grove City Win: November 10, 2012 (56-14, District 10 Class AA quarterfinal at SRU)
Last North East Win: None
First Meeting: November 13, 2004 (Grove City won 30-27 in overtime; District 10 Class AA semifinal at Veterans Stadium)

It is the first-ever regular season meeting between Grove City and North East as the Class 3A teams meet Friday night at Iroquois's John L. Post Memorial Field. Construction delays at North East's Ted Miller Stadium forced the game to be moved to Lawrence Park. It is Grove City's first-ever visit to Iroquois, which will be the 30th different District 10 school all-time at which the Eagles have played.

The Eagles feature a relatively young squad with a number of first-time starters in both the offensive and defensive lineups. Senior quarterback Lucas McCreadie has started at wide receiver and safety in his career but will make his first varsity start at quarterback Friday night.

Two of the Eagles' top three receivers from 2023 return, however, in senior wide receiver Nathan Greer and senior tight end Clayton Martin. Greer had 56 catches for 863 yards and nine touchdowns last year. He led the team in receiving yards and touchdown catches. Martin, meanwhile, averaged a team-high 20.1 yards per reception on his 18 grabs. He enters his third season as a starter.

Junior Delathian Boanes returns at guard. He and Martin will also help lead Grove City's revamped 3-3-5 defense. Boanes, Greer, Martin and McCreadie have been selected as the team's captains.

North East has a new head coach as longtime Cathedral Prep assistant Chris Grychowski replaces Jovon Johnson, who stepped down after two seasons. Graduation claimed leading passer Jackson Humes and all-purpose receiver Jamari Curlett, along with the bulk of the offensive and defensive lines.

The Grape Pickers do return All-Region defensive back Carter Crozier, who caught 19 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023.

Grove City has won four straight season openers in Erie County. The last loss came September 3, 2004, when the Eagles fell at Harbor Creek, 34-21. Grove City later avenged that defeat in the District 10 title game, on its way to the state final. Coincidentally, Grove City's playoff run that year began with a come-from-behind 30-27 overtime win over previously-undefeated North East in the District 10 Class AA semifinals.

Overall, the Eagles are 5-3 in Week One games played in Erie County. 

North East competes in District 10's Region 5, along with Corry, Fairview, Fort LeBoeuf, Girard and Harbor Creek. Grove City hosts Fairview in Week Two, then hosts LeBoeuf three weeks later.

Lakeview at Northwestern, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Northwestern, 4-0
Last Lakeview Win: None
Last Northwestern Win: October 10, 2020 (31-14)
First Meeting: October 5, 2018 (Northwestern won 11-3 at Lakeview)

Former Lakeview standout Blake Reddick makes his debut as the Sailors' head football coach Friday night when the Sailors visit Class 2A Northwestern in the 2024 opener. Reddick, who ran for 6,548 yards in his playing days at Lakeview, moved to the head coaching position after working as an assistant coach under former head coach Bill Hickman.

The Sailors finished 9-3 in 2023, advancing to the District 10 Class 1A title game. Lakeview returns three First Team All-Region honorees in senior quarterback Leyton Zacherl, senior wide receiver Blake Skiles and senior lineman Garet Guthrie, who earned All-Conference on both sides of the ball as a junior.

Zacherl threw for 1,094 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Skiles ranked second on the team with 22 catches for 453 yards and five touchdowns while Guthrie anchored both the offensive and defensive lines. He and his linemates allowed Lakeview to average 6.2 yards per carry in 2023.

Skiles is expected to move to tailback, where he joins All-Region all-purpose back Brayden Booher.

Northwestern went 2-8 last year under first-year head coach Bill Henwood, a longtime Sharpsville assistant. The Wildcats had five games decided by a touchdown or less in 2023, going 2-3 in those games. Junior quarterback Braden Swift looks to have the inside track to replace dual-threat Lloyd Fountain, who threw for 1,203 yards and ran for a team-leading 433 yards last year. Swift caught 15 passes for 247 yards while also seeing reserve duty at quarterback.

Lakeview head coaches are 2-10 all-time in their respective debut games. Johnny Falconi won his 2016 debut at Mercer, 24-22. Lakeview downed Linesville in the 1996 opener, 17-16, giving Herky Polding a win in his first game at the helm.

Northwestern is 3-1 in its last four openers, having dropped a 21-20 overtime decision to Girard in 2023's first game. Lakeview has split its last 10 openers.

The game had been scheduled to be played in Stoneboro, but continuing issues with the bleachers at Lakeview High School forced the game to be moved to Albion. A similar issue forced the 2023 opener with Seneca to be played in Wattsburg. This is the fourth straight season in which Lakeview has opened on the road and the third straight season opening in Erie County. Lakeview also played at Seneca in 2022. 

Reynolds at Eisenhower, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Reynolds, 6-3
Last Eisenhower Win: November 4, 2023 (34-8, District 10 Class 1A quarterfinal at Warren)
Last Reynolds Win: November 19, 2022 (28-14, District 10 Class 1A title game at Titusville)
First Meeting: September 1, 2006 (Eisenhower won 12-0)

For schools that are a two-hour drive from each other, Reynolds and Eisenhower know each other quite well on the football field. Friday night, the teams will meet for the eighth time in seven seasons when the 2024 season commences at Eisenhower's "Pasture of Pain."

Eisenhower ended the Raiders' 2023 season with a 34-8 victory in the District 10 Class 1A quarterfinals at Warren's War Memorial Stadium. That marked the fourth straight season in which the teams met in the District 10 playoffs. Reynolds defeated Ike for D-10 titles in 2020 and 2022 while also logging a 56-27 victory in the 2021 semifinals.

Reynolds does not have a senior on its 21-player roster, but does feature an experienced junior class that gained valuable experience in 2023. Junior running back Gabe Minjarez ran for 828 yards and seven touchdowns last year while classmate Xavier Zachrich added 317 rushing yards. Zachrich and sophomore Connor Belback battled for the starting quarterback spot this summer.

All-Region honoree Casey Resek helps lead a relatively young but experienced group of linemen for Reynolds. Head coach Josh Mull also welcomes back junior Maddox Snyder and sophomore Jack Nugent on the lines.

Graduation also thinned Eisenhower's ranks as starting quarterback Shawn Pascuzzi, leading rusher Tucker Lindell and leading receiver Kris Bunk must all be replaced. Lindell scored on a 99-yard touchdown run in last year's playoff win over Reynolds. Eisenhower does return junior running back Logan Penley, who ranked second on the team with 867 yards last year. Senior Ryan Chambers also returns to the backfield after contributing 367 rushing yards in 2023. 

Reynolds is 2-1 all-time at Eisenhower. The Raiders dropped a 12-0 verdict there in the 2006 season opener. Reynolds secured a 6-0 victory October 5, 2018 at Eisenhower and then won the 2020 district crown with a 27-0 triumph over the host Knights. Reynolds is 3-4 all-time in Warren County, including last year's playoff defeat. The Raiders also went 1-2 at Warren in the 1970s, including an 18-14 win September 1, 1979 in the season opener.

Reynolds has won 10 of its last 12 season openers, including a 6-1 mark on the road. This is the 46th straight season in which Reynolds has faced a District 10 member in Week One. Reynolds last stepped out of District 10 for a season opener September 1, 1978 when the Raiders blanked Union (D-7), 28-0. Reynolds opened with Laurel in 1961 and 1962, then kicked off 1963, 1964 and 1965 by playing Neshannock.

Eisenhower and Reynolds are both in Class 1A again this year. Eisenhower competes in Region 3, joining Iroquois, Mercyhurst Prep Northwestern, Seneca and Union City. Union City is the other Class 1A entrant in that league.

Sharon at Mercyhurst Prep, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Sharon, 4-0
Last Mercyhurst Prep Win: None
Last Sharon Win: November 10, 2018 (29-28, District 10 Class 3A semifinal at Meadville)
First Meeting: November 3, 2000 (Sharon won 54-0, District 10 Class AA semifinal at Greenville)

Two District 10 runners-up will meet Friday night on East 38th Street in Erie as Mercyhurst Prep hosts Sharon at Saxon Stadium. It is the first-ever regular season meeting between the programs, who have played four times in the playoffs in the last quarter century.

Mercyhurst advanced to the 2023 Class 2A finals before dropping a 16-9 decision to Farrell. Sharon also suffered a narrow setback in the title round, falling to archrival Hickory, 14-6, in Class 3A last season.

Both teams will have new starting quarterbacks in 2024. Junior Ethan Engelmore and sophomore Gha'fir Lampkins battled in preseason camp to replace the graduated Mister Ham at Sharon. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst must replace now-junior Paul Johnson after he transferred to Erie High School. Johnson threw for 1,335 yards and 21 touchdowns last season while completing 69.3 percent of his attempts. He also ran for 891 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Sharon returns three starting linemen in senior All-State honoree Brodie Miller, senior All-Region pick Shaun Bulick and junior Liam Van Sickles. Mercyhurst, meanwhile, welcomes back a pair of All-Region honorees up front: senior Zack Kercheval and junior Riley Hinterliter.

Sharon has not allowed a point in the first quarter of each of its last 12 games. The Tigers allowed only 69 offensive points last year while limiting opponents to 187 total yards per game. Miller (105 stops), senior middle linebacker Bryson Roberson (104 tackles), senior outside linebacker Ike Friday and junior cornerback Bishop Root (five interceptions in 2023) are among the stalwarts back to lead the Sharon defense in 2024.

Sharon has won two of its last three openers after dropping 12 straight Week One games from 2009 to 2020. Sharon is 1-1 in season openers in Erie County. The Tigers blanked Corry, 49-0, three years ago. In 2004, Girard downed visiting Sharon, 20-6, in Bob Fromm's debut as the Tigers' head coach.

Current Sharon head coach Jason McElhaney owns a 1-1 record against the Lakers. As West Middlesex head coach, McElhaney guided the Big Reds to a 26-19 home win over Mercyhurst in 2008. The next year, Mercyhurst edged West Middlesex, 25-24.

Mercyhurst Prep will compete in Region 3, joining Eisenhower, Iroquois, Northwestern, Seneca and Union City. Eisenhower and Union City are Class 1A while the other teams are Class 2A.  

Slippery Rock at Fairview, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Fairview, 2-1
Last Fairview Win: November 14, 2015 (28-21, District 10 Class AA quarterfinal at Veterans Stadium)
Last Slippery Rock Win: September 3, 2004 (28-9)
First Meeting: September 3, 2004 (Slippery Rock won 28-9)

The youthful Slippery Rock Rockets begin the school's 59th season of varsity football by visiting District 10 playoff qualifier Fairview in Friday night's season opener. Slippery Rock has only five seniors on its 48-player roster and will have sophomores manning several positions in 2024.

Ninth-year Slippery Rock head coach Larry Wendereusz has named sophomore Fred Campagna as the starting quarterback. He will make his first varsity start this week after seeing limited Friday night action in 2023. Campagna will benefit from the return of senior wide receiver Cooper Glass, who racked up a team-best 221 receiving yards on 20 catches in 2023. Junior running back Owen Long added 201 rushing yards and 15 receptions. Junior wide receiver Doug Popovec, the No. 2 quarterback, will also seek an expanded offensive role this fall.

Sophomore Lamont Patterson will start at center on a young offensive line that welcomes back one returning starter, junior Jacob Reich. Defensively, Slippery Rock has switched to a three-man front this year after using the 4-2-5 in recent yore.

Fairview went 6-5 last year under veteran head coach Mark Sobolewski. The Tigers won five of their final six regular season games last year before falling to Sharon in the District 10 Class 3A quarterfinals, 28-0.

Senior quarterback Vinny Campoli returns to lead Fairview's option-based attack after recently being cleared from a serious knee injury during his junior year. Campoli led Fairview with 695 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns last year. He also threw for 1,255 yards and nine scores. He earned All-Region at linebacker as well.

Senior running back Tyler Benford also returns after gaining 534 yards last year. Senior halfback Robbie Chevalier caught 20 passes last year and Benford had 10 catches.

This is the third time that the programs will have met in Week One. Fairview pulled out a 19-14 home win September 2, 2005 over the Rockets. In 2004, Slippery Rock opened the season with a 28-9 home win over Fairview. This is Slippery Rock's first trip to Jack Bestwick Field since October 28, 2017, when Slippery Rock downed Harbor Creek, 38-14, in the District 10 Class 3A quarterfinals.

Slippery Rock is 6-2 in season openers under Wendereusz. The Rockets are 2-3 all-time in season openers in Erie County. Fairview has split its last four season openers.

Fairview will compete in Class 3A Region 5, along with Corry, Fort LeBoeuf, Girard, Harbor Creek and North East. The Tigers visit Grove City in Week Two.   

SATURDAY

Cambridge Springs at Kennedy Catholic, 1:00 p.m.

Series History: Cambridge Springs, 6-1
Last Cambridge Springs Win: August 26, 2023 (63-24)
Last Kennedy Catholic Win: September 19, 1987 (27-0)
First Meeting: September 19, 1987 (Kennedy won 27-0)

Kennedy Catholic opens the 2024 season by hosting defending District 10 Class 1A champion Cambridge Springs at Butala Stadium. It will be the head coaching debut of Kennedy skipper Julian Cox, who worked as an assistant coach at the school last season.

Cox will rely on two returning veterans, senior quarterback Rayvion Wilbon-Venable and junior running back Taijeire Chambers. Both are two-year letterwinners for the Golden Eagles. Wilbon-Venable threw for 492 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He also had a team-leading 423 rushing yards.

Wilbon-Venable will miss the game, however, due to being disqualified in the 2023 season finale against Maplewood.

Roster size will likely be a concern again for Kennedy this year. Cox reported that the team had 15 players, with hopes of adding to the ranks in coming days.

Cambridge Springs went 12-2 last season and won its first District 10 title in 27 years. Head coach Nathan Liberty welcomes back four-year starting quarterback Morgan Applebee, who threw for 975 yards and seven touchdowns last year. Junior fullback Brett Kania led Spa's powerful ground attack by rushing for 1,310 yards last year. He has rushed for 2,040 yards in his career.

Sophomore Jordan Washington also returns in the backfield after accumulating 558 rushing yards as a rookie in 2023. Senior two-way lineman Noah Moyer earned All-Region on both sides of the ball in 2023.

The teams met in the 2023 season opener as Region 1 opponents at Cambridge Springs' Baird Field. Kennedy led 6-0 early but Spa pulled away for a 63-24 win. The Blue Devils scored 35 straight points over the second and third quarters. Cambridge Springs ran for 385 yards. Defensively, Cambridge Springs held Kennedy to a 1-for-12 effort on third downs.

Cambridge Springs has won six straight games in the series.

Kennedy coaches are 5-13 in their debuts. John Turco's is the last Kennedy coach to win his debut as the Eagles earned a 27-7 home win over Mercer in the 1994 opener.

Cambridge Springs will compete in District 10 Region 2, along with Cochranton, Greenville, Lakeview, Maplewood and Saegertown.  

Hickory at Farrell, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Farrell, 10-4
Last Farrell Win: September 22, 2023 (26-7)
Last Hickory Win: October 11, 2013 (60-14 at Farrell)
First Meeting: October 28, 1955 (Farrell won 32-0)

Two defending District 10 champions meet Saturday night at Pegues Sports Complex when Farrell hosts Hickory. Unlike the previous two seasons, this matchup is not a league game as the two programs have been separated out of the former Region 3. Class 2A Farrell competes in Region 1, a six-team league of Class 1A and 2A teams. Hickory, meanwhile, has been placed in all-Class 3A Region 4.

Still, bragging rights, community pride and a chance to start 1-0 are all on the line.

"We planned that out pretty well for us," Farrell head coach Amp Pegues said of hosting Hickory in a Saturday night opener. "There are no college games yet, really, and no other high school games going on in the area. We expect this place to be rocking and jam-packed."

Both teams return several players who boast ample big game experience. Farrell returns junior running back Juelz Johnson, who ran for 974 yards and nine touchdowns last year in his first full year as a starter. The Steelers also welcome back senior Youngstown State commit Julius Phillips, who will start at wide receiver and cornerback. Junior Darnell LaCamera and senior Harry Parker will help lead Farrell's retooled offensive and defensive lines.

Saturday's game will be the first varsity start for Farrell sophomore quarterback Aaron Pegues. Pegues went 9 for 14 in reserve duty last year.

At the other end of the experience spectrum, Hickory senior Zander Telesz returns as the Hornets' starting quarterback. He took over behind center during the second half of the 2022 season and started 13 games last year for the Class 3A state semifinalists. He played in all 14 games, finishing with 2,274 total offensive yards and 29 total touchdowns, including 19 touchdown passes.

Telesz's top five targets all graduated, however, leaving the Hornets with vacancies at wide receiver. At running back, sophomore Kelvin Morrison returns after rushing for a team-leading 718 yards as a rookie in 2023.

Up front, Hickory returns all five starters from its state playoff run. Junior All-State pick Luke Lewis returns at center while senior Ben Walls and junior Adam Tonty are back at guard. Senior Spencer Lee and junior Michael Ristvey return as the starting tackles. Junior Matthew Myers has moved from the interior line to tight end. All six men are expected to be key parts of Hickory's front seven on defense.

Sophomore cornerback Jadon Phillips returns in the secondary after intercepting seven passes in 2023. He is also a returning All-State honoree.

Farrell earned a 26-7 win last season in Week Five at Hickory. Johnson ran for 166 yards and a touchdown. Telesz completed 11 of 18 passes for 108 yards. He also ran for a team-high 47 yards. Farrell outgained Hickory, 289-206. Hickory went 8 for 13 on third down but had three second-half drives end in Farrell territory.

Farrell is 5-3 all-time at home against Hickory. Hickory won two District 10 playoff games last year at Farrell. The Hornets downed Grove City in the semifinals, 38-7, then secured a 14-6 win over Sharon in the D-10 championship game. All-time, Hickory owns a 5-6 record on the Farrell field.

Both head coaches played at Farrell. Amp Pegues started at quarterback on Farrell's 1995 state title team. He is a 1996 Farrell graduate. Hickory head coach Bill Dungee played wide receiver and defensive back for the Steelers on their 1997, 1998 and 1999 District 7 playoff squads. Dungee is 0-2 as Hickory head coach against his alma mater.

This is the first time that the teams have met in the season opener. Hickory is 11-3 in its last 14 season openers. Farrell has won four straight lidlifters and is 12-3 over the last 15 openers.

The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 96.7. Live Stats available here. 

Mercer at Franklin, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Franklin, 9-2
Last Franklin Win: October 2, 2015 (34-13)
Last Mercer Win: September 9, 1955 (25-14)
First Meeting: September 25, 1937 (Mercer won 6-0)

What Mercer County area Week One matchup features the oldest rivalry? One might be surprised to see that it's not Farrell-Hickory nor Greenville-Wilmington. Instead, Mercer and Franklin renew a rarely-played series that dates back to 1937 when the programs square off Saturday night at Franklin.

Both teams look to build upon promising 2023 seasons. Mercer finished 6-5 and advanced to the District 10 semifinals for the first time since 2013. Franklin won four of its last five games last year to finish 4-6 overall. That strong finish has helped reinvigorate the Franklin program as the roster size is up, according to The (Franklin) News-Herald.

Mercer's roster size is also up to 35 men, thanks in part to a new co-op agreement with Commodore Perry. The Mustangs return four starters on the offensive line, including seniors Anthony Allen and Tyeler Bidlack, and juniors Derrick King and Myles Glaros. Senior William Guy, a Commodore Perry student who started last year at Lakeview, will also bolster the front line.

Junior quarterback Rider Chiappini started all 11 games as a sophomore for Mercer. He is the lone returning full-time starter in the offensive backfield, although junior fullback Alex Leftheris has starting experience.

Versatile senior Landon Lynch is expected to start at quarterback for Franklin after the graduation of Cole Buckley. Lynch has played tight end and wide receiver previously at Franklin under fifth-year head coach Matt Turk.

Franklin will compete with fellow Class 4A programs General McLane, Meadville, Oil City and Warren in District 10 Region 6 this season.

Mercer has won seven straight season openers and owns an 11-1 Week One record over the last 12 seasons. Franklin has dropped four straight openers. The Knights defeated North East, 35-24, August 23, 2019.

Franklin has won each of the previous five meetings with Mercer at home. Mercer's lone win at Franklin High School came November 5, 1994 when the Mustangs blanked Youngsville, 28-0, in the District 10 Class AA semifinals.

Mercer won the first-ever meeting in 1937, pulling out a 6-0 home win at its field on the East End of town. Following the season, Mercer's school board voted to discontinue football. Mercer resumed varsity football in 1945. In 1945, Franklin won 20-0 at Mercer.  

This is the first of three Saturday games for Franklin. The Knights will play a Saturday night game August 31 at Slippery Rock. Franklin hosts North East on Saturday, September 21. This is Mercer's lone Saturday game of the regular season.