Bob Dunn (second from right) holds the “Dunn Rivalry Trophy” during a recent visit to Deez Barber Shop in Rootstown. With Dunn are (from left to right) Portage Sports owner Tom Nader, Deez Barber Shop owner Deian Longgood and Rootstown Youth Football’s Mike Bellar.

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The 2026 high school football season kicks off tonight, with Southeast hosting Rootstown at Freedom Field in Palmyra.

It is the first time in three years that the two teams have played and the 65th all-time meeting.

The rivalry dates back to 1953.

Southeast consolidated five townships to become a high school in 1950, but the two neighboring communities did not play for the first time on the gridiron until 1953.

A closeup of the nameplate of the Dunn Rivalry Trophy that will begin this year for the Rootstown-Southeast football game.
Tom Nader/Portage Sports

Rootstown dominated the early era of the rivalry, then Southeast ran the series in the latter part, with each game’s year-by-year results listed below.

Beginning this year, the rivalry grows in historical context, sportsmanship and gamesmanship with the introduction of the “Dunn Rivalry Trophy.”

The trophy is sponsored by Deez Barber Shop in Rootstown, as well as the Rootstown Endzone Club.

The namesake for the trophy connects the lineage of Robert C. Dunn, who coached the Rootstown football program from 1956-1963, and his son, Bob Dunn, who graduated from Rootstown, but has been a teacher and administrator at Southeast High School for 30 years. Dunn is currently the Superintendent at Southeast. Robert C. Dunn also served as the Superintendent at Rootstown from 1970-76.

The winner of each year’s football game will not only receive the trophy. The losing team each year will pay for the other’s team meal for the week leading up to the game between each other.

Dunn, who has been at Southeast since 1991 and has served as the Superintendent since 2015, and his family, spoke proudly of the trophy being named after his family.

“I am deeply honored and sincerely grateful that my family has been recognized in such a meaningful way by having a trophy named after us,” Dunn said. “We are truly humbled by this honor and truly appreciate everyone who thought it worthy to preserve our family name in such a special way.

“On behalf of my family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will cherish this recognition and the beautiful meaning it carries into the future.”

ROOTSTOWN VS. SOUTHEAST

ALL-TIME RESULTS

• 1950: No game
• 1951: No game
• 1952: No game
• 1953: Rootstown, 47-0
• 1954: Rootstown, 25-12
• 1955: Rootstown, 25-6
• 1956: Rootstown, 29-0
• 1957: Rootstown, 12-7
• 1958: Rootstown, 22-6
• 1959: Rootstown, 14-12
• 1960: No game
• 1961: Rootstown, 48-0
• 1962: Rootstown, 34-6
• 1963: Southeast, 40-0
• 1964: Rootstown, 48-0
• 1965: Southeast, 32-0
• 1966: Southeast, 30-6
• 1967: Rootstown, 28-6
• 1968: Rootstown, 12-6
• 1969: Southeast, 22-14
• 1970: Southeast, 30-26
• 1971: Southeast, 35-14
• 1972: Southeast, 29-0
• 1973: Tied, 0-0
• 1974: Rootstown, 7-6
• 1975: Rootstown, 18-14
• 1976: Southeast, 14-7
• 1977: Rootstown, 27-0
• 1978: Southeast, 3-0
• 1979: Southeast, 13-0
• 1980: Rootstown, 10-3
• 1981: Rootstown, 26-7
• 1982: Southeast, 35-7
• 1983: Southeast, 16-0
• 1984: Rootstown, 10-7
• 1985: Rootstown, 14-0
• 1986: Southeast, 28-14
• 1987: Rootstown, 20-13
• 1988: Southeast, 21-0
• 1989: No game
• 1990: Rootstown, 12-0
• 1991: Southeast, 16-10
• 1992: Rootstown, 19-0
• 1993: Southeast, 14-10
• 1994: Southeast, 14-7
• 1995: Southeast, 21-9
• 1996: Southeast, 56-8
• 1997: Southeast, 27-20
• 1998: Southeast, 39-13
• 1999: Rootstown, 21-6
• 2000: Southeast, 34-7
• 2001: Southeast, 34-13
• 2002: Southeast, 33-8
• 2003: Southeast, 38-27
• 2004: Rootstown, 31-28
• 2005: No game
• 2006: No game
• 2007: No game
• 2008: No game
• 2009: No game
• 2010: No game
• 2011: Southeast, 35-0
• 2012: Southeast, 44-7
• 2013: Southeast, 56-0
• 2014: Southeast, 17-7
• 2015: Southeast, 24-21 (OT)
• 2016: Southeast, 21-14
• 2017: Rootstown, 51-20
• 2018: Rootstown, 42-19
• 2019: Southeast, 33-20
• 2020: Southeast, 26-6
• 2021: Southeast, 14-7
• 2022: Rootstown, 18-13
• 2023: Rootstown, 35-7
• 2023: Rootstown 43-7 (playoffs)
• 2024: No game
• 2025: No game

NADER COVERAGE PLANS

Three county teams open on Thursday (Warren JFK at Garfield and Rootstown at Southeast), then everyone else will get going on Friday.

For coverage, I will be at Field for the Falcons’ matchup with the Ravenna Ravens at Kenneth Lohr Stadium.

I am looking forward to start another season of watching great football on Friday nights with special friends.

I am proud to say that the 2026 season is my 27th covering high school football in Portage County!

See everyone on Friday night!

Shoutout to Armstrong Travel, which is the travel partner of Portage Sports for the 2026 high school football season!

PORTAGE COUNTY ROSTER SIZES

The total number of players for each of the 12 football teams in Portage County, with last year’s roster number in parenthesis.

• Aurora: 72 (80)
• Crestwood: 46 (33)
• Field: 39 (52)
• Garfield: 50 (49)
• Kent Roosevelt: 63 (51)
• Mogadore: 35 (39)
• Ravenna: 35 (40)
• Rootstown: 37 (33)
• Southeast: 42 (46)
• Streetsboro: 38 (52)
• Waterloo: 20 (18)
• Windham: 20 (29)

TOSS T-SHIRTS WILL FLY

Once again this season, Portage Sports will have toss T-shirts for area cheerleaders to throw to their student and fan sections.

Be on the lookout to get this year’s official shirt!

PAINTING MOGADORE’S CURTIS STREET

Members of the Mogadore Athletic Booster Club work to get new paw prints painted down the center of Curtis Street.

It is that time of year again in Mogadore … Curtis Street is getting a new set of Wildcat paw prints to line the street in preparation for the 2026 season.

The Mogadore Athletic Booster Club spent a large part of Wednesday getting the street painted again full of school spirit.

FRIDAY NIGHT FORECAST

The season will start with an absolutely beautiful night.

At kickoff, the temperature will sit at 75 degrees, with a sunny sky and no rain.

By the fourth quarter, it will only drop slightly, to 71 degrees to give Week 1 the backdrop it deserves.

LEAGUE AFFILIATIONS

• Chagrin Valley Conference: Crestwood, Rootstown.
• Independent: Mogadore.
• Metro Athletic Conference: Field, Kent Roosevelt, Ravenna, Streetsboro.
• Suburban League: Aurora.
• Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division: Garfield, Southeast.
• Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Scarlet Division: Waterloo.
• Northern 8 Conference: Windham.

WEEK 1 SCHEDULE OF GAMES

Warren JFK at Garfield (Thursday)

Rootstown at Southeast (Thursday)

Stow at Aurora

Crestwood at Mogadore

Ravenna at Field

Kent Roosevelt at Twinsburg

Streetsboro at Copley

Springfield at Waterloo

Plymouth at Windham

2025 RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS

A list of top statistical leaders from the 2025 season, who are returning for 2026.

RUSHING

Ryder Cain, Garfield, 1,348 yards

Maddox Smith, Mogadore, 676

Keyshawne King, Waterloo, 581

Devin Bates, Garfield, 520

Luke McGovern, Aurora, 409

Alaunte Massrock, Southeast, 389

Collin McGranahan, Garfield, 324

Colton Cox, Streetsboro, 267

PASSING

Maddox Smith, 63-of-101, 1,153 yards

Colton Cox, Streetsboro, 54-of-111, 938

Ryan Ziegler, Aurora, 63-of-112, 893

Blake Mullaly, Rootstown, 52-of-91, 872

Michael Kalista, Crestwood, 48-of-88, 551

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS

Maddox Smith, Mogadore, 15

Colton Cox, Streetsboro, 8

Ryan Ziegler, Aurora, 8

Blake Mullaly, Rootstown, 5

RECEIVING

Kade Thomas, Mogadore, 728 yards

Tyler Ellington, Kent Roosevelt, 516

Luke McGovern, Aurora, 406

Kyle Giacomo, Streetsboro, 284

Sevyn Jones, Kent Roosevelt, 278

Keyshawne King, Waterloo, 244

Alex Williams, Field, 237

SCORING

Ryder Cain, Garfield, 128 points

Luke McGovern, Aurora, 66

Keyshawne King, Waterloo, 54

Maddox Smith, Mogadore, 48

Devin Bates, Garfield, 44

Colton Cox, Streetsboro, 42

Kade Thomas, Mogadore, 42

KICKING

Blake Mullaly, Rootstown, 52 points (5-of-8 FGs, 37-of-40 XPs)

Logan Sadowski, Streetsboro, 48 (1-of-3 FGs, 45-of-48 XPs)

Hannah Timmons, Garfield, 38 (0-0 FGs, 38-of-49 XPs)

Matt Huth, Aurora, 29 (1-1 FGs, 26-of-26 FGs)

Tristan Finch, Southeast, 26 (1-of-1 FGs, 23-of-27 XPs)

TACKLES

Logan Sell, Garfield, 76

Ryder Cain, Garfield, 66

Ayden Moyer, Rotstown, 65

Jack Timmons, Garfield, 64

Cyler Foreman, Kent Roosevelt, 64

Collin McGranahan, Garfield, 55

Devin Bates, Garfield, 54

Alex Eye, Windham, 53

Henry Veccia, Garfield, 50

Kyle Giacomo, Streetsboro, 49

Maddox Smith, Mogadore, 47

Braylan Rufener, Field, 46

INTERCEPTIONS

Max McEwuen, Rootstown, 5

Kade Thomas, Mogadore, 4

Luke McGovern, Aurora, 3

Kyle Giacomo, Streetsboro, 2

Tyler Ellington, Kent Roosevelt, 2

Maddox Smith, Mogadore, 2

SACKS

Peyton Simms, Rootstown, 4

Max Froman, Kent Roosevelt, 3.5

Nathanael Rivera, Southeast, 3

Oliver Walter, Kent Roosevelt, 3

Braylan Rufener, Field, 3

Logan Sell, Garfield, 3

TACKLES FOR LOSS

Logan Sell, Garfield, 16

Peyton Simms, Rootstown, 10

Jack Timmons, Garfield, 9

Ryder Cain, Garfield, 8

Cyler Foreman, Kent Roosevelt, 8

Braylan Rufener, Field, 7