ASHLAND — Scott Valentine hopes to pick up at Ashland where he left off five years ago.
Valentine will return to the Community Stadium sidelines Friday for the first time since stepping down following the 2018 season. The 1981 AHS grad led his alma mater to unprecedented heights from 2002 to 2018, compiling a record of 130-60 with 10 postseason appearances and seven Ohio Cardinal Conference crowns.
In the five years since last coaching the Arrows, Valentine served as an assistant to Lee Owens at Ashland University and piloted Madison for one season. The lessons he learned will serve him well.
“If you stop learning then you’re pretty much done as a coach, because you’ve got to make changes,” Valentine said.
The Arrows, who reached the playoffs last fall, will host River Valley on Friday. Here’s a look at some of the area’s noteworthy Week 1 matchups:
River Valley at Ashland: The Vikings reached the Division IV playoffs last year, falling to Sandusky Perkins in a Region 14 opening-round game. New River Valley coach Matt Waddle must replace the graduated Cayden Shidone, an All-Ohio first-team quarterback who re-wrote the school’s record book. The Vikings also lost first-team All-Ohio receiver Grant Butler to graduation but welcome back Keyan Shidone, an All-Ohio honorable mention receiver who caught 53 passes for 860 yards and four touchdowns in just six games last fall. Junior Chase Ebert will take over for Cayden Shidone at quarterback. Linebacker Carter Creeden is a three-year starter who made 52 tackles last fall.
The Arrows lost a wealth of talent to graduation, including first-team All-Ohio receiver Jon Metzger and fellow wideouts Landon McFrederick and Grayson Steury. Sophomore quarterback Nathan Bernhard is one of the most sought-after recruits in Ohio’s Class of 2026. The 6-foot-5 Bernhard completed 85-of-130 passes for 1,267 yards and eight touchdowns in seven games last year. Senior running back Cayden Spotts rushed for 914 yards and 12 touchdowns on 163 carries and caught 27 passes for 262 yards. Junior Tyler Sauder is Ashland’s top returning tackler after making 89 stops last fall.
Mapleton at Loudonville: The Mounties boast one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the area in Kollin Cline. The senior rushed for 1,006 yards and threw for 723 yards as the Mounties reached the Division VI, Region 22 playoffs. Junior Luke Pryor returns at running back after rushing for 681 yards and nine TDs last fall. Defensively, Mark Miller returns after making 73 tackles last fall from his defensive end spot. Miller was an All-Firelands Conference selection.
The Redbirds hope to build on last season after reaching the second round of the Division VI, Region 23 playoffs. Quarterback Matt Sprang returns after throwing for 2,052 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 558 yards and 11 TDs last year. Baylor Weiser in Loudonville’s Swiss army knife after lining up at receiver, running back and serving as Sprang’s back-up last year. Defensively, Weiser and Dakota Berry return at linebacker. Weiser ranked among Knox Morrow Athletic Conference leaders with 85 tackles last year.
Hillsdale at Black River: Jack Fickes takes over for the graduated Jake Hoverstock at quarterback for the Falcons. Fickes was one of Hillsdale’s most reliable receivers last year, catching 32 passes for 468 yards last year. Fickes will be surrounded by plenty of talent at the skill positions. Senior Braylen Jarvis rushed for 484 yards and nine TDs on 76 carries and caught 24 passes for 287 yards and two TDs last year, while sophomore Owen Sloan rushed for 523 yards and three TDs on 77 carries. Sloan (67 tackles) returns at linebacker, where he will be joined by Bo Moody (58 tackles). Jarvis made 72 tackles last fall and was a Division VII All-Ohio honorable-mention selection at linebacker last year.
The Pirates qualified for the Division VI, Region 22 playoffs last year, falling to eventual regional champ Columbus Grove in the opening round. Black River coach Kyle Clark welcomes back eight starters on offense, including quarterback Eric Groesser and running backs Blake Hopkins and Seth Gaspari. Groesser threw for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 271 yards. Hopkins led Black River’s ground attack with 545 rushing yards. Hopkins and Gaspari double as linebackers on the defensive side of the ball, where the Pirates return five starters.