Posted by Heather Rutz on Aug 22, 2017
High school football is back and so are the rivalries.
High school football naturally lends itself to rivalry, and the region this year has it on great display.
Vince Koza, host of “Koza in the Morning,” on 93.1 The Fan and sports marketing director for Childers Media Group, organized and emceed Lima Rotary Club’s annual high school football preview Monday. The county’s head coaches gathered to talk shop and assess their teams’ chances this season.
One rivalry will be renewed: Bath and Allen East will play each other after a several-year hiatus. The cross-conference game used to be a staple, and both coaches Monday said they were looking forward to renewing the game.
On the other side of the county, the rivalry between the Delphos Jefferson Wildcats and Spencerville Bearcats heated up with a coaching move. Chris Sommers, who had been head coach at Delphos, moved to rival Spencerville. Jefferson, Northwest Conference champions last year, will be tested this year by a more balanced conference. The Wildcats and Bearcats won’t match up until week 10, and chances are it will be a meaningful game with playoff implications.
“The time to reflect has come and gone,” Sommers said. “It’s time to focus on the season, and Delphos Jefferson is the team to beat.”
Also in the county, Lima Senior High School Spartans open away against rival Middletown. The team is built for some power running football this year, second year head coach Andre Griffin said. He has not yet settled on a starting quarter back.
Lima Central Catholic is eager to move on from last year’s atypical losing season affected by significant injuries. The team returns 16 letterwinners.