Prediction column: What record will each local team have this season?

Hard to believe, but the high school football regular season is upon us this week. We've been busy compiling photos, stories and rosters for our Fall Sports Preview Tab, which comes out this Wednesday. We will also have our weekly football previews each Thursday like usual and my power rankings every Tuesday.Now that I've talked to several coaches and read stories on our 12 football-playing schools, I'm going to try to predict the records of all 12 in the regular season. This is certainly your chance to screenshot it or cut it out of the paper and then send it to me after 10 weeks telling me how wrong I was or ask yourself, "What was he thinking?"This will be my ninth year covering football for the A-T, so I would hope I have some idea of what I'm doing, but there's a good chance I'll still be way off. So, here we go by alphabetical order:Buckeye Central – 2-8I'm always impressed with how hard Buckeye Central plays, and it has to with so little numbers. It will once again be battling depth issues with pretty much every player having to play both ways. In the N10 with Carey with almost 70 kids and Colonel Crawford with that number almost yearly, it's hard for the Bucks to compete. Now, it's not only about numbers as the Bucks do have some promising players returning this year, but I don't think they make much noise in the N10.Bellevue – 7-3I will never bet against a Hall of Fame coach like Ed Nasonti. There's a reason he's in the HOF, he always has his team ready to go and to run through a brick wall for him. Bellevue is a football town and they usually provide some fun Friday nights for fans. I think it'll be another good season for the Redmen, and it will be a different one of sorts. Although the Redmen still play all Lake opponents except for Sandusky, the new arrival in the Bay conference will reign supreme. I don't see anyone challenging them in that division.Calvert – 7-3I certainly don't want to put added pressure on Calvert or coach Steve Reser this season, but this has to be the year right? Quarterback Harry Shultz is a three-year starter, you have a two-headed monster of Cal Warnement and Jacob Rombach in the backfield, you have Billy Clouse and Carter Wolph at receiver, along with quick athletic Jamison Godfrey in the slot. It all comes down to what is up front. It's been that way for the Senecas. If they can establish a run game and stop the run or even limit the run on defense, it should be a special season for the Senecas. In the River, running the ball is the name of the game, so you have to be able to stop it on defense. This could be the year for Calvert. But in the end, I still think the River runs through Bascom.Carey – 9-1The Blue Devils are loaded again and with almost 70 kids on the team, Coach Jonathon Mershman certainly has his pick. Sure, I have concerns about another new starter at QB, who some of the skill players will be, but with a majority of the offensive and defensive lines back, I expect the Blue Devils to plow through to another N10 title this season. It simply doesn't matter who fills in from year to year, Carey breeds football players, so I wouldn't be worried. Clyde – 7-3I think I just like the 7-3 record at this point. Clyde is another team or program that always produces high IQ football players and no one adjusts better to his personnel from year to year than Coach Ryan Carter. The Fliers were quite young last year in certain spots and still had a winning season and won a playoff game. They will likely want to take that next step this season, especially with Bellevue out of the division. But with Perkins returning its QB and the next team on this list returning a load of incredible skill players, I think the Fliers finish third in the Lake.Columbian – 8-2Columbian is a tough one to predict, not because I don't know what to expect on the field, but it's the schedule. Goodness, it's tough. Coach Judd Lutz likes to challenge his team and he's surely about to do it again. But like Calvert, they have an incredible amount of skill players returning, including Akron commit Brayden Roggow at QB. Damien Brockington ran for 1,700 yards last season and Roggow's weapons are top notch in the league and in the area I'd say. But it all comes down to up front. Stopping the run on defense has been an issue for the high-flying Tornadoes for a few years now. Can they rectify that? We shall see awfully early with a trip to Fremont Ross Friday and then Chardon comes to town. Certainly different circumstances this time around, but I definitely remember what the Hilltoppers did to the Tornadoes in a state semifinal in 2021. However, in the end, I do believe TC breaks through its tough schedule and embraces it, winning the SBC Lake and avenging its loss to Perkins last year. That's a home game this year. They have Perkins, Bellevue and Clyde all at home.Fostoria – 2-8I just don't think Fostoria turns it around just yet. I know some of the players they have returning are at key spots and are good athletes, but as a whole, playing in the NBC, I don't see a drastic change … at least not yet.Hopewell-Loudon – 9-1I think 9-1 is a great season for the Chieftains as my one loss I think they take is Week 1 hosting Carey. But they do have Calvert and Margaretta at home, which I think helps and H-L has been dominant in the SBC River, so I don't think that changes much. Now I know the loss of an All-Ohio defensive end and tackle certainly hurts, but with Evan Kreais back at QB and the emergence of do-it-all back Braylon Martinez last season, the Chieftains are in good hands, especially under the tutelage of coach Brian Colatruglio. Lakota – 4-6I certainly think the Raiders improve on their record from last year. With new additions Willard and Woodmore in the SBC River, I don't believe either challenges for the top spot, but those could be two more wins for the Raiders, who were rebuilding last year. I don't think they have enough to challenge H-L, Calvert or even Margaretta.Mohawk – 5-5The Warriors will be another team I think turns things around a little bit from last year, but still doesn't make a drastic change. Carey and Colonel Crawford have separated themselves from the rest of the N10 in the past few seasons and I think it stays that way. Mohawk's non-conference is tough too with Calvert, H-L and a trip to the Duck Pond for Margaretta. I like coach Eric Daniel and I believe he's a heck of a coach, but I can't see a dramatic turnaround. Maybe a playoff appearance this season, but might be on the outside looking in.Seneca East – 7-3Now, I did just write that Carey and Colonel Crawford have separated themselves from the rest of the N10. That doesn't mean SE is that far off, though. They do have that Blake Foos guy, the first-team all-Ohio QB, who is returning. They do go to Crawford, but do host Carey in Week 10 … wow would that be an atmosphere if that would be for the N10 title in Week 10. We'll find out about the Tigers right away hosting Ashland Crestview, who hasn't lost a regular season game in nearly three years. Upper Sandusky – 6-4The Rams were a nice story last season, turning things around and earning a playoff spot. With N10 Offensive Player of the Year Kaden Holman returning at QB, the Rams will have a chance in any game, but I still think they're third or fourth in the N10.