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WHEELING -- Weekends run like clockwork in the fall. Saturdays are for college football, Sundays are for the pros and Fridays are for the kind of football that holds a special place of honor in communities across the Ohio Valley -- the kind of football we present to you today in The Intelligencer and News-Register's 2026 Football Preview.
It's high school football season across the country and, in our slice of the Ohio Valley, this year's 50-plus-page preview is a one-stop shop for 27 teams, from Barnesville to Wheeling Park. It explores each team's schedule, standouts and schemes for the upcoming season.
There are plenty of stars poised for big seasons across our coverage area, including those who grace this year's cover -- Martins Ferry's Colby Kropka, Barnesville's Trey Toliver, Wheeling Central's Nico Kusic, Wheeling Park's Jay Bordas and Bellaire's Raekwon Pettigrew.
With this preview in hand, you'll be well-equipped to dive into this year's slate of games, though you don't have much time to spare. Bridgeport, River and Indian Creek take on their first opponents of the season Thursday, with many more Ohio teams getting ready to roll Friday. West Virginia's season is set to begin the following week.
There is no shortage of high expectations across the local landscape, with Wheeling Central returning to the football field after claiming the WVSSAC Class A state championship last season and other teams, such as Steubenville, making deep postseason runs of their own.
There is also no shortage of new faces, with Bridgeport, Buckeye Local, Oak Glen, Steubenville Catholic and Weir all sporting new head coaches on the sidelines this year.
Each new year brings new hope and only time will tell which teams will claim their own gridiron glory in 2026. If you can't stand to wait, though, The Intelligencer and News-Register's 2026 Football Preview can help you make your best predictions.