Seniors savor one last go around

When the 2023 high school football season kicks off for local teams tonight, seniors will be looking ahead and little bit behind.

"It's crazy that four years went by that fast," United senior quarterback Luke Courtney said.

"Knowing it's the last time you're going to step on the field, it's what makes it different," Southern senior receiver Markell Smith said. "You just try to have fun and leave it all out there on the field your senior year."

"I'm just trying to play football and have fun," Lisbon senior receiver Logan Stauffer said. "That's kind of the plan this year. Winning the game we can win, win the games we should have last year."

The seniors want to make their last season the best one.

"I've always thought it was a big honor to play for our team," Crestview senior lineman Owen Bacon said. "I've always worked hard to be the best I can be and be the best for the team. That's what we're all working for.

"The seniors are working hard and want to be a good example for the younger kids."

Being a senior means being a leader, especially to the younger players.

"I can't tell you if they look up to me, but I try my best to set an example for them," Columbiana senior linebacker Kian Hartley said. "Being a senior, you've got to set an example, be a motivator and a person people can look up to."

"I try my best to help them," Smith said. "Teach them to get better. Get them ready for when it's their turn."

"I'm a little mean, but that's because I want to show them how to be a leader," Wellsville senior center Nate McGraw said. "You've got to be mean sometimes."

Local teams want to be playing their best when Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference play begins in Week 4.

"We've got to come out with intensity these first couple of games and show the league we aren't playing around this year," Smith said.

"Football is the No. 1 sport I love the most," Stauffer said. "Just being out there with my teammates and playing is fun."

Game notes

¯ Stauffer has his name in the history book by scoring the first touchdown on Lisbon's new turf in the season opener last year.

"I told my quarterback in pregame, 'I want to score the first touchdown on turf,'" he said. "Then we get down there and throw a little screen pass. I dive for the pylon and end up scoring. It was a great moment."

The Blue Devils like playing on the turf.

"It takes a little bit to get used to," Stauffer said. "It's nice because you don't have to worry about all the mud if it's pouring down rain."

Only grass fields remain at Columbiana, United, West Branch and Sebring.

¯ McGraw suffered a season-ending knee injury at Lisbon as a sophomore and did not play football as a junior.

"Because of injuries and I wanted to focus on golf," he said. "I missed football a lot. I wanted to learn something else. I learned a lot. My outlook on everything is different out there."

McGraw is on the Wellsville golf team again this year.

"I am going to try for mid-30s this year," he said. "That's a stretch though. You know how that is."

¯ Courtney is an All-Ohio kicker who played soccer as a youngster. He didn't want to play soccer in high school.

"I didn't really like it that much," he said. "Football is my favorite sport. I like being out there. It's so much fun."

¯ Smith was part of a Southern defense that held opponents to an average of 12.1 points a game last season.

"We had a very explosive middle linebacker in Wyatt Morris," Smith said. "He was really quick off the ball. That really helped. Losing him, we've had a couple of players step up, like Brody Brown and Frank Shagnot."

¯ Columbiana doesn't want to start another season at 0-7 like last year.

"It tears apart at you," Hartley said. "To end last season with three wins felt good."

¯ East Palestine's first home game since Norfolk Southern's toxic train derailment on Feb. 3 will be next Friday against Toronto.

"Personally it didn't affect me," McKay said. "I do live there (Alice Street), but as long as you're not eating dirt …"

¯ At the Crestview football field, the trees have been cleared behind the visitors' stands to make way for a new $63 million school complex.

"It's getting loud over there," Bacon said. "I don't know a whole lot about it. I'm excited to see what happens."

¯ East Liverpool will host Minerva tonight. The Lions are 3-76 over the last eight years.

Opponents averaged 45.9 points against Minerva last season.

¯ The West Branch football team has four seniors, while the girls soccer team has 12 seniors.