By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Week 3 of the high school football season kicks off tonight.

For the Portage County teams in the Suburban League, Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, Metro Athletic Conference and Chagrin Valley Conference, tonight is the final week of non-league games before beginning league play in Week 4.

There are some intriguing matchups tonight, and we wish the best of luck to all of the teams and communities in Portage County playing tonight.

TONIGHT’S FORECAST

It could be an interesting night.

Thunderstorms are shown to arrive possibly around 5 p.m., which could drop large amounts of rain onto fields. For those with grass fields, any pregame rain will turn the field wet and muddy.

Those same storms that at one point showed could persist throughout the evening seem to be moving eleswhere now.

At kickoff, the temperate will be in the mid-60s, then drop to the low 60s or high 50s by the fourth quarter.

It will feel like a true fall night under the lights. A suggestion would be to bring a hoodie or jacket to help keep the cool air of you once the sun sets.

TONIGHT’S WEEK 3 SCHEDULE

Aurora at West Gauge

Kent Roosevelt at Lakewood

Revere at Ravenna

Dalton at Mogadore

Field at Rootstown

St. Thomas Aquinas at Mineral Ridge

LaBrae at Warren JFK

Minerva at Springfield

Akron Garfield at Cloverleaf

Coventry at Chippewa

CVCA at Woodridge

Streetsboro at Alliance

Jackson-Milton at Windham

Waterloo at Lisbon

Crestwood at Cuyahoga Heights

Garfield at Normandy

Southeast at Cuyahoga Falls

Firstone at Norton

PLAYOFF RANKINGS

The top-16 teams from each region qualify for the playoffs.

DIVISION III, REGION 9

2. Aurora

T11. Kent Roosvelt

DIVISION IV, REGION 13

3. Streetsboro

8. Field

T14. Ravenna

T17. Coventry

T17. Norton

T17. Springfield

T17. Woodridge

DIVISION V, REGION 17

T4. Crestwood

11. Garfield

T16. Southeast

DIVISION VI, REGION 21

T11. Rootstown

T18. Mogadore

DIVISION VII, REGION 25

2. Warren JFK

T5. Waterloo

8. Windham

STATISTICAL LEADERS

The first weekly updated statistical leaders posted onto Portage Sports late Thursday night/early Friday morning.

You can check out where everyone stands here.

PIGSKIN PICKS CHALLENGE

The updated standings for the 2024 Pigskin Picks Challenge can be found here. This week’s sponsor is Water Street Tavern, which is located in downtown Kent.

WEEK 4 LOOK-AHEAD SCHEDULE

Aurora at Revere

Kent Roosevelt at Cuyahoga Falls

Norton at Ravenna

Field at Woodridge

Coventry at Streetsboro

Beachwood at Crestwood

New Middletown Springfield at Waterloo

Tuscarawas Central Catholic at Windham

Newark Catholic at Mogadore

Rootstown at Pymatuning Valley

LaBrae at Garfield

Southeast at Newton Falls