PARKERSBURG – John Marshall will look to start the high school football season 4-0 for only the third time in program history Friday night when it travels to the Erickson All-Sports Facility to battle Parkersburg South for the 28th time, with the Wood County Patriots owning a 17-10 edge in the all-time series, including the last four, six of the last seven and 14 of the last 17 meetings..

The Monarchs (3-0) have only started 4-0 in 1995 and then a year later when they won the W.Va. Class AAA state championship and finished 13-1.

John Marshall has defeated Marietta (23-21), Weir (42-12) and Bellaire (34-26). Parkersburg South, meanwhile, has lost to Wheeling Park (23-7), University (38-27), Woodrow Wilson (31-7) and city rival Parkersburg (20-17).

The Monarchs have been led by the running of sophomore Dalton Cooper who has gained 496 yards in three games and scored five touchdowns. Senior quarterback Kayden Knapp has completed 31 of 53 passes for 549 yards, seven TDs and four interceptions. His favorite targets are senior Cain Martin (9-166-2tds) and junior Landen Snyder (13-198-4tds).

John Marshall is ranked No. 10 in the latest W.Va. Class AAA poll and No. 2 in the OVAC Class 5A list. Parkersburg South is 15th in W.Va. Class AAAA.

Perry Traditional Academy at Wheeling Central

WHEELING – The state-ranked Maroon Knights (3-1) welcome the Commodore (0-4) to Bishop Schmitt Field on the campus of Wheeling University for Hall of Fame Night.

Wheeling Central was ranked No. 3 in the latest W.Va. Class A poll and are coming off a 48-0 throttling of Steubenville Catholic last Saturday. Perry Traditional Academy is seeking its first win after being routed 70-0 last week by Westinghouse.

Kade Koroneos has stood out for the Maroon Knights, both as a ball carrier and a receiver. Quarterback Nico Kusic is a dual threat on the ground and through the air, while 6-7 Max Olejasz is a huge target on the outside.

Wheeling Central is also second to Barnesville in the OVAC Class 3A race. They meet next Thursday in Wheeling.

Bellaire at Indian Creek

WINTERSVILLE – The Big Reds (3-2) will look to make it two wins in a row when they venture north on Ohio 7 and west on US 22 to Kettlewell Memorial Stadium to battle the state-ranked and undefeated Redskins (5-0).

This will be the 15th all-time meeting, with Bellaire holding a slim 8-6 edge.

The Redskins, who check in at No. 5 in Ohio Division IV, Region 15, sit atop the latest OVAC Class 4A race. The Big Reds are 13th in Division V.

Senior quarterback Ian Starkey has been the leader for Indian Creek with 49 carries for 414 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also completed 48 of 76 passes for 658 yards, seven touchdowns and one INT. His prime target is junior Bruce Mazar with 16 catches for 249 yards and a pair of TDs. Mazar has also run for 402 stripes and six scores.

Placekicker Franco Barcalow has 26 points, which includes a trio of field goals.

Bellaire junior quarterback Michael Dippel comes into the contest as one of the leading passers in the Ohio Valley. He has completed 55 of 94 throws for 951 yards and nine touchdowns, compared to five picks.

Kole Gonglik (14-240-td), Graham Campbell (13-169) and Alex Padgett (12-156) have picked up the slack after a season-ending injury to RaeKwon Pettigrew.

Oak Glen at Buckeye Local

YORKVILLE – This will be the 24th matchup when the Golden Bears (3-1) head to World War II Memorial Stadium to meet the host Panthers (2-3). Buckeye Leads by a slim 12-11 margin but Oak Glen has won the last six contests.

The Golden Bears fell three spots to No. 13 in the latest W.Va. Class AA after losing to Toronto, 26-0, last week. They are also fourth in the OVAC Class 4A race.

Buckeye Local rallied to defeat Carrick, Pa., last week, 36-30.

Xzavier Eastham and Chase Worwa have proved to be a formidable duo on the ground with 326 and 290 yards, respectively. They have combined for seven touchdowns, with Eastman scoring five. Quarterback Grant Dombroski has passed for 365 yards and one touchdown on 39 of 76. Daniel Divjak leads with 17 receptions for 213 yards and a score.

Oak Glen’s Logan Murray was bottled up last week by the Red Knights but still has 523 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Maddox Bowen has thrown for 363 yards and seven touchdowns on 21 of 46. He has been picked off five times. Murray is also the leading receiver with six catches for 151 yards and three TDs.

Steubenville at Dover

DOVER – Big Red (2-2) heads west on US 250 to Crater Stadium where the Tornadoes (1-4) await.

Steubenville reached the .500 mark last week with a rout of Linsly at West Liberty University’s West Family Stadium after defeating Cardinal Mooney (27-24) in overtime. It lost to Ursuline (37-7) and Indian Valley (30-0).

Ca’Juan Bryant ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns against the Cadets. He now has 166 yards and three TDs in two games. Quarterback Santino Haney has completed 48 of 71 attempts for 554 yards and five touchdowns. He has thrown a pair of INTs.

Placekicker Cole Bowers kept Linsly deep in its own end of the field with six touchbacks on kickoffs. He is headed to Army next fall.

This will be the 31st all-time meeting as Steubenville holds a commanding 23-6-1 advantage. It has won four in a row and 10 of the last 12.

Monroe Central at Magnolia

NEW MARTINSVILLE – The Seminoles (1-4) and Blue Eagles (0-3) will clash for the 36th time Friday night on Alumni Field inside Bill Stewart Memorial Stadium. The series is deadlocked 17-17-1 and has been played yearly since 1996.

Monroe Central has won the past six meetings and seven of the last eight.

In other games of local interest, undefeated Toronto (5-0) makes the short trip to Richmond to face Edison (3-2) tonight at the Unified Sports Complex; Bridgeport (2-3) hosts Conotton Valley (3-2) on Perkins Field inside Brookside’s Bill Jobko Stadium; River (3-2) entertains Federal Hocking (1-4) on Martin Flannery Field in Hannibal; Brooke (1-3) hosts Lincoln (1-3) to Paul “Bud” Billiard Field inside Brooke Memorial Stadium in Wellsburg; Beaver Local (3-2) treks to Morristown to face Union Local (3-2) on Jets Field; Weir (0-4) visits Wagner Field in Cadiz to meet Harrison Central (1-4); and Shadyside (2-3) travels to Sarahsville to tangle with Shenandoah (2-3).