Staff report
Players and coaches were greeted by ideal weather Saturday morning for the first official day of high school football practice around Ohio.
Sidney got a jump on many other teams, starting with “midnight madness” Friday night under coach Adam Doenges, who begins his fifth season as head coach.
The teams took to the field in preparation for the upcoming season, which begins on Aug. 28.
Shelby County has four high school football teams, and half of them have new coaches this season.
Fort Loramie, so successful under coach Matt Burgbacher, turned to a veteran when Burgbacher left to become the head coach at Troy High School. The Redskins will be led by longtime coach Whit Parks, who was formerly at Minster and took the Wildcats to the playoffs.
And the Anna Rockets are led this season by only the second head coach in the school’s history. Nick Marino, who was the head coach at Urbana High School the past two seasons, took over when Bryan Rioch decided to step down. Rioch has since joined Marino’s staff, however.
It was the second time in three years this area had taken a coach from Urbana. Geron Stokes led Minster to the Division VI state championship last year in his second season at the school. He, too, came from Urbana High School.
Locally, Lehman’s Dick Roll returns after another playoff run, the team’s seventh in the past nine seasons. He will have to do some rebuilding after losing some outstanding players, including most of his playmakers.
Sidney, meanwhile, hopes to bounce back from a 2-8 record last year, but will need to replace seven starters and two others who chose not to play this season. But numbers are up by a good margin this season.
Teams are permitted three preseason scrimmages but most opt for two, including three of the four county teams.
Sidney will open preseason play on Aug. 15 at Tecumseh in a four-team get-together. Lehman will host St. Henry the same day.
Anna and Fort Loramie will both open preseason play on Aug.11, Anna against Tri-County North and Loramie against Indian Lake. Minster is at Bellefontaine that same day, and New Bremen is home to Arcanum.
It’s all leading up to the regular season, which begins on Aug. 28.
Following are the schedules, including preseason scrimmages, for all the teams in the area:
SIDNEY
Preseason
Aug. 15 — at Tecumseh with Glen Este and Clinton Massie, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21 — Chaminade, 7:00
Regular season
Games at 7 unless noted
Aug. 28 — St. Marys
Sept. 4 — at Bellefontaine, 7:30
Sept. 11 — West Carrollton
Sept. 18 — at Fairborn
Sept. 25 — Toledo Waite
Oct. 2 — Trotwood
Oct. 9 — at Vandalia
Oct. 16 — Troy
Oct. 12 — at Piqua
Oct. 30 — at Greenville
LEHMAN
Preseason
Aug. 15 — St. Henry, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21 — at Parkway, 7:00
Regular season
Games at 7:30 unless noted
Aug. 28 — at Fort Recovery, 7:30
Sept. 4 — Minster (Sidney)
Sept. 12 — Graham (Piqua)
Sept. 18 — at Upper Scioto
Sept. 25 — at Lima Perry
Oct. 2 — at Riverside
Oct. 9 — Hardin Northern
Oct. 16 — at Fort Loeramie
Oct. 23 — Ridgemont
Oct. 30 — Waynesfield
ANNA
Preseason
Aug. 11 — Tri-County North, 10 a.m.
Aug. 14 — at Mechanicsburg, 5 p.m.
Aug. 21 — at Bellefontaine, 7:30
Regular season
All games at 7:30 unless noted
Aug. 28 — Arlington
Sept. 4 — at Brookville, 7:00
Sept. 11 — at Fort Recovery
Sept. 18 — Parkway
Sept. 25 — at Coldwater
Oct. 2 — Marion Local
Oct. 9 — Delphos St. John’s
Oct. 16 — At New Bremen
Oct. 23 — Minster
Oct. 30 — at St. Henry
FORT LORAMIE
Preseason
Aug. 11 — Indian Lake, 6 p.m.
Aug. 20 — Ponitz at Sidney United Way Kickoff, 7 p.m.
Regular season
Aug. 28 — at Minster, 7:30
Sept. 4 — Fort Recovery, 7:30
Sept. 11 — Bluffton, 7:30
Sept. 18 — Riverside, 7:00
Sept. 25 — Hardin Northern, 7:00
Oct. 2 — at Waynesfield, 7:00
Oct. 9 — at Ridgemont, 7:00
Oct. 16 — Lehman, 7:00
Oct. 23 — at Upper Scioto, 7:00
Oct. 30 — at Lima Perry, 7:00
VERSAILLES
Preseason
Aug. 15 — Van Wert, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21 — Covington, 7:00
Regular season
Games at 7:30 unless noted
Aug. 28 — Celina
Sept. 4 — at Valley View, 7:0
Sept. 11 — Delphos St. John’s
Sept. 18 — at New Bremen
Sept. 25 — Minster
Oct. 2 — at St. Henry
Oct. 9 — at Parkway
Oct. 16 — Coldwater
Oct. 23 — at Marion Local
Oct. 30 — Fort Recovery
MINSTER
Preseason
Aug. 11 — at Bellefontaine, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21 — at Wapakoneta, 7:00
Regular season
Games at 7:30 unless noted
Aug. 28 — Fort Loramie
Sept. 4 — at Lehman (Sidney)
Sept. 11 — at Coldwater
Sept. 18 — Marion Local
Sept. 25 — at Versailles
Oct. 2 — Delphos St. John’s
Oct. 9 — at Fort Recovery
Oct. 16 — St. Henry
Oct. 23 — at Anna
Oct. 30 — Parkway
NEW BREMEN
Preseason
Aug. 11 — Arcanum, 10 a.m.
Aug. 15 — at Ansonia, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21 — at Indian Lake, 6 p.m.
Regular season
All games at 7:30
Aug. 28 — Bradford
Sept. 4 — at Holgate
Sept. 11 — at Marion Local
Sept. 18 — Versailles
Sept. 25 — at Delphos St. John’s
Oct. 2 — Fort Recovery
Oct. 9 — at St. Henry
Oct. 16 — Anna
Oct. 23 — at Parkway
Oct. 30 — Coldwater
RIVERSIDE
Preseason
Aug. 11 — Ansonia, 6 p.m.
Aug. 15 — at Troy Christian, 10 a.m.
Regular season
Games at 7:30 unless noted
Aug. 28 — at Arcanum, 7:30
Sept. 4 — at Arcadia
Sept. 11 — Cedarville
Sept. 18 — at Fort Loramie
Sept. 25 — at Ridgemont
Oct. 2 — Lehman
Oct. 9 — Upper Scioto
Oct. 16 — at Lima Perry
Oct. 23 — Waynesfield
Oct. 30 — Hardin Northern
