Albion/Medina OC Rivals varsity football team will debut Thursday evening at Akron

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Jayzon Wills and his Albion/Medina OC Rivals teammates will make their debut at Akron on Thursday evening.

It is the start of a new era!

Now teammates after 125 years as rivals on the football field, members of the fledgling Albion/Medina OC Rivals varsity team will begin their historic debut season at 7 p.m. Thursday against Akron on Akron’s old football field.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Akron’s new turf field but the facility is not completed.

“It’s super exciting,” said Rivals Head Coach Eric Valley. “Everyone has been eager to learn and to help each other. It’s a great opportunity for us to go out and compete together.”

Offensively the OC Rivals will have Preston Woodworth at quarterback backed up by Boe Preston with Elijah Doxey, Jayzon Wills and Jaxson Lynch working at the running back spots; Noah Harrison, Hadrian Batista. Rocco Sidari and Malik Lamar manning the wide receiver spots and Jack Conn at tight end.

Upfront the Rivals will be looking to Jackson Snook, Logan Kast, Nate Surdel, Ryan Frentz, Matthew Jacobs, Cole Herman, TJ Champney and Jayden Travis.

Newfane at Barker/Roy-Hart
Barker/Roy-Hart will host Newfane in an interdivisional opener at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Panthers handed the Bulls their only regular season loss in last year’s opener at Newfane.

The Bulls offense will include veterans Max Townsend at quarterback, Owen Maedl at running back, Ashton Ark and Carter DerSarkissian at wide receiver and RJ Townsend, Jakob West, Logan Flint and John Brigham up front.

Holley/Lyndonville at South Seneca
Holley/Lyndonville will visit South Seneca at 1 p.m. Saturday in a non league contest.