Photo by Kristin Mazgaj Wheeling Central’s Riley Watkins runs hard during last week’s victory against Tuscarawas Central.

WHEELING — There aren’t many in the Ohio Valley with more years of football experience than Mike Young and Mark Bonar. The two veteran coaches will be on opposite sidelines this Friday when Bonar’s Bellaire Big Reds travel across the river to play Young’s Wheeling Central Maroon Knights at Bishop Schmitt Field.

“I think we’re both going to look forward to it,” Young said. “He has my respect and I think I have his.”

In addition to their years patrolling various sidelines, Young and Bonar got to know one another as classroom neighbors when the pair taught at St. Clairsville years ago.

“I know Mark very well,” Young said. “We taught beside each other at St. Clairsville for 16 years.

“He has a very good football mind. He’s had great kids to coach and he’s been around great coaches.”

Bonar even succeeded Young as St. Clairsville’s head football coach in 1997. Now, all these years later, both Young — in his 18th year at Wheeling Central — and Bonar — in his first with the Big Reds — are looking forward to coaching against one another Friday night.

“No matter what happens, I could never root against Mike,” Bonar said. “I’ve always rooted for him, he’s always done a great job and I’m proud he’s a friend of mine.”

On the field, the Big Reds (1-2) will be looking to even their record while playing their first Friday night game of the season. All three of their games thus far have been played on Saturdays.

“I think the Saturday games pretty much wore us out,” Bonar said. “We haven’t (played on Friday) this year, we’ve had two Saturday scrimmages and three Saturday games so it’ll be a little different for us. We’ve altered our practice schedule a little this week and it kind of sneaks up on you, going from playing Saturday to Friday.”

Bellaire picked up its first win last Saturday with a 33-0 blanking of Toronto, Canada area team Bishop Tonnos.

“There’s definitely a better attitude after a win,” Bonar said. “It doesn’t matter who you beat, there’s always a good attitude after a win.”

Bellaire’s offense has been powered by its senior duo of quarterback Jake Heatherington and receiver Ray Ray Pettigrew. Bonar was quick to identify those two as keys to winning Friday night.

Pettigrew has made 13 receptions for 294 yards and four touchdowns in three games this season, including 106 yards and a score last week. Young knows slowing him down will go a long way for the Knights.

“They’re explosive, they can definitely score on the big plays,” Young said of Bellaire. “They’re aggressive and they have good athleticism on both sides of the ball. I think it’s going to be a good ballgame, both teams are going to be challenged to play their best game.

“They’ve played three good teams. Even though they’ve lost two, they’ve lost to two state-title, postseason contenders who were in the playoffs.”

Central (2-0), meanwhile, defeated Tuscarawas Central 62-21 last week while rushing for 416 yards. Senior Lorenzo Ferrera personally ran for 206 yards and four touchdowns.

“They’re a very well-coached team,” Bonar said. “They do the same things they always do and that’s what makes them so good. They know what they’re doing, they make very few mistakes and that’s the big thing.”

Bonar said Central’s pre-snap movement on offense will be a point of emphasis for his defensive players this week.

“On defense, you have to play disciplined football,” he said. “You have to stay in your position and not get caught up in all the stuff that they’re doing, which is tough to do because they’re so good at it.

“It comes down to watching film and doing your responsibilities. It comes down to playing in your spot and taking care of your gap. You can’t get caught up with all their motion and all the different things they do. We did a terrible job with that against Fort Frye, but we’ve been working on it.”

Central’s offense is run by senior quarterback Payton Hildebrand, who hasn’t had to do much throwing through two victories this season. Hildebrand has completed 7-of-11 passes for 143 yards and two scores.

Kickoff on the campus of Wheeling University is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night. It will be the fourth time Young has seen Bellaire play this season as he’s gone to all three of their Saturday games thus far.

“I’ve actually been at all three of their games, so I’ve got a good look at them,” Young said. “(Bonar will) bring his attitude and his knowledge of the game back to Bellaire, where he was ultra-successful years ago as a coordinator. I think he’ll definitely get the kids playing hard.”

Wheeling Central will honor its Hall of Fame Class of 2022 during halftime.