By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

In the blink of an eye, we already welcome in Week 3 of the high school football season.

A unique dynamic that can sometimes be overlooked is that all of the schools in Portage County are now in session in the classroom, with the final group of schools beginning earlier this week following the close of the Portage County Randolph Fair.

Best of luck to all of the teams as they enter into their contests tonight.

SCHOOL RECORD FOR KING

It was anticipated that Waterloo senior Keyshawne King would be a Mr. Everything of the Vikings this season.

In two weeks of action, he has certainly lived up to that expectation, compiling a collection of numbers — both offensively and defensively — that sometimes takes players up to three-quarters of the season to obtain.

   • Rushing: 28 attempts, 415 yards

   • 6 total touchdowns

   • 1 interception

   • 1 fumble recovery

   • 1 forced fumble

   • 1 kick return for a touchdown (85 yards)

   • 1 fumble return for a touchdown (40 yards)

For additional accolades, King’s 340 yards rushing in the team’s Week 2 loss to Beachwood set a new single-game school record.

What a start, and to think, there are still eight more weeks to go.

FALCONS NEAR A MILESTONE

The Field football team is nearing a program milestone.

Following the team’s 30-20 win at Ellet last week, the Falcons are now sitting on 299 all-time program wins.

The Falcons are one of just two teams in Portage County which have not reached the 300-win milestone yet, with Waterloo (202) being the other.

RAVENS STAY HOT

Ravenna’s dominant 55-0 win over Normandy last Friday gave the team its first 2-0 start since the 2019 season when they opened with victories over Tallmadge (25-20) and John Marshall (61-0).

The 55-0 win was also the team’s biggest shutout victory since that 2019 win over the Lawyers.

FRIDAY NIGHT FORECAST

Powerful thunderstorms blasted through Portage County on Thursday afternoon and night — and some of those storms will persist into the morning and early afternoon on Friday.

However, by the late afternoon and into the evening and night, it is expected to clear up and be rain free for football action.

At the 7 p.m. kickoffs, expect the temperature to be about 80 degrees, which will dip just slightly to the mid-70s by the fourth quarter.

PLAYOFF UPDATE

DIVISION III, REGION 9

T9. Aurora

T16. Kent Roosevelt

DIVISION IV, REGION 13

T11. Field

15. Streetsboro

DIVISION V, REGION 17

2. Ravenna

8. Garfield

T21. Crestwood

T21. Southeast

DIVISION VI, REGION 21

18. Rootstown

DIVISION VII, REGION 25

T4. Waterloo

T9. Mogadore

PORTAGE COUNTY TEAM RECORDS

Garfield 2-0

Ravenna 2-0

Aurora 1-1

Field 1-1

Kent Roosevelt 1-1

Mogadore 1-1

Rootstown 1-1

Streetsboro 1-1

Waterloo 1-1

Windham 1-1

Crestwood 0-2

Southeast 0-2

2026 STATISTICAL LEADERS

Portage Sports will post updated statistical leaders throughout the season, with lists compiled for Friday mornings each week.

The leaders list began this week and can be found here.

TONIGHT’S WEEK 3 SCHEDULE

Tallmadge at Aurora

Crestwood at Mineral Ridge

Poland Seminary at Field

Garfield at New Middletown Springfield

Kent Roosevelt at Ellet

Dalton at Mogadore

Niles McKinley at Ravenna

Trinity at Rootstown

Cuyahoga Falls at Southeast

Streetsboro at Alliance

Waterloo at Lisbon David Anderson

Stryker at Windham (Saturday)

LAST WEEK’S WEEK 2 SCOREBOARD

Garfield 48, Crestwood 13

Painesville Riverside 40, Aurora 13

Independence 31, Rootstown 14

Canton Central Catholic 19, Mogadore 8

Grand Valley 28, Southeast 14

Streetsboro 36, Manchester 35

Ravenna 55, Normandy 0

Windham 54, Southington Chalker 38

Willoughby South 35, Kent Roosevelt 13

Beachwood 44, Waterloo 38

Field 30, Ellet 20

NEXT WEEK’S LOOK-AHEAD WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

Aurora at Mayfield (Thursday, Sept. 10)

Independence at Crestwood

Field at Woodridge

LaBrae at Garfield

Kent Roosevelt at Tallmadge

Malvern at Mogadore

Springfield at Ravenna

Kirtland at Rootstown

Southeast at Newton Falls

Norton at Streetsboro

Western Reserve at Waterloo

Windham at Holgate