Week 6 of Ohio’s 2025 high school football season is in the books.
Let’s take a look back at the key developments and big stars from Week 6, and how the local teams stack up power-poll style. We’ll also peek ahead at what awaits in Week 7.
Let’s start with the headlines from the sixth week of the OHSAA season.
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Highs and lows of Massillon football
The Tigers could not build off the momentum of a great Week 5 win against St. Edward (the No. 1 ranked team in the USA Today Network’s Ohio Super 25 at the time). Massillon fell 34-2 to Football North (Ont.) in a game it committed a stunning seven turnovers, six of them on fumbles. It’s Massillon’s lowest scoring output in 18 years, when it was shut out 27-0 at St. Ignatius in Week 6 of the 2007 season. It is just the 12th time in the last 227 games the Tigers have been held to single digits.
Federal League football’s top teams survive
It wasn’t particularly pretty, but Canton McKinley, North Canton Hoover and Lake all won to keep their collective momentum going. McKinley (5-1, 3-0) leaned on its defense to beat Green for its fourth straight win. Hoover (6-0, 2-0), with QB John Collins unavailable because of an ankle injury, held off GlenOak to stay perfect on the season. Lake (6-0, 2-0) also stayed undefeated, needing a fourth-quarter score to eke past Northwest in a non-league contest. The McKinley and Hoover wins set up a big game in North Canton this week. The Bulldogs will host Lake in Week 8.
Can anyone (Alliance?) challenge West Branch in EBC football?
West Branch has dominated the EBC to the tune of five straight league titles. And the Warriors opened league play this year with a tidy 56-6 victory against Minerva on Friday. An explosive Alliance team, which has won four straight games, will have a shot at West Branch next week. But the Aviators can’t overlook Carrollton this week.
Stars of Week 6: Stark County area’s top performers Jack Andes, Hoover
Where would the Vikings be without Jack Andes the past two weeks? First, he runs for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries — with most of that production in the second half — as a wildcat quarterback after starting QB John Collins was injured in the first half of a 31-13 Week 5 win at Louisville. He went to another level this past Friday. With Collins still out, Andes exploded for 260 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries against GlenOak. He added 7-of-11 passing for 73 yards and no interceptions. The 260 yards rushing are a Stark County season high so far.
Grady Hirst, West Branch
The first-year starting varsity quarterback is settling into the Warriors’ Air Raid offense quite nicely. Hirst completed 13 of 16 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns in an EBC rout of Minerva. That equates to an eye-popping 26.3 yards per completion.
JR Jackson, Alliance
The senior lefty continues to stack big game upon big game. He found seven different receivers in going 17-of-23 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in an EBC win vs. Salem. Jackson also rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries while adding three tackles on defense.
Levi Kiko, Carrollton
The Warriors opened EBC play with a quality 24-7 win against Marlington, and Kiko had his fingerprints all over it. He rushed for a season-high 227 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
Jonathan Lemon, Perry
In a game the Panthers needed badly to right the ship, Lemon came up big with 175 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a Federal League win at Jackson. That TD was a 71-yarder that swung momentum back in Perry’s favor in the fourth quarter. Lemon added eight tackles on defense and intercepted a 2-point conversion pass in the second half to maintain a Perry lead.
Ohio high school football video, Jackson vs. Perry highlights
Top plays, including Jonathan Lemon’s 71-yard touchdown run, from Perry’s high school football win at Jackson in Federal League play, Sept. 26, 2025.
Greater Canton Football Power Poll entering Week 7
A snapshot at how teams stack up in the Stark County area after six weeks:
Big Schools (Divisions I and II) 1, Lake (6-0) Last week: Lake 13, Northwest 10 This week: vs. Jackson (3-3) What to know: Lake, which continues to lead the Division II, Region 5 playoff rankings, jumps back into Federal League play. The Blue Streaks were held to less than 30 points for the first time this season last week, but Shannon Billiter’s 10 tackles, Chase Fuller’s interception and Zach Novak’s two touchdowns led Lake to another win. 2, Canton McKinley (5-1) Last week: McKinley 21, Green 3 This week: at Hoover (6-0) What to know: The Bulldogs defense is baring its teeth, having allowed a total of 33 points during McKinley’s four-game winning streak. That stretch included sacking Tyson Hunka seven times and limiting Green to 94 yards of offense last week. Amare Mitchell’s three sacks led McKinley, which jumps a spot to No. 2 this week. 3, North Canton Hoover (6-0) Last week: Hoover 28, GlenOak 21 This week: vs. McKinley (5-1) What to know: Jack Andes has been great subbing for injured QB John Collins the last two weeks for Hoover, which jumps a spot in this poll to No. 3. But it would be a great benefit to the Vikings to get Collins back this week and put all their main weapons back in place going up against McKinley’s defense. 4, Massillon (3-3) Last week: Football North 34, Massillon 2 This week: vs. Cardinal Ritter, Mo. (2-2) What to know: Chances are this won’t be a fun week at practice for the Tigers, who drop a couple of spots in the poll. But as ugly as Friday night was, it isn’t panic time in Massillon. The Tigers remain a threat to make a long postseason run. 5, Perry (4-2) Last week: Perry 21, Jackson 19 This week: vs. Fitch (4-1) What to know: Evan Laubacher had two interceptions and Kaleb Lawhun had two bone-crunching sacks to complement Jonathan Lemon’s big night last week for the Panthers, who stopped a two-game slide. Perry, which jumps back into the top five for the first time since a Week 4 loss, gets no breaks this week with an athletic Fitch team paying a visit to Wakefield Stadium. Small Schools (Divisions III, IV, V, VI and VII) 1, West Branch (5-1) Last week: West Branch 56, Minerva 6 This week: vs. Marlington (3-3) What to know: The Warriors piled up 511 yards of offense last week and have outscored the opposition 207-38 during their five-game winning streak. Jeremiah Thomas and Gavin Gregory combined for eight receptions for 294 yards and four touchdowns vs. Minerva. 2, Alliance (5-1) Last week: Alliance 49, Salem 34 This week: vs. Carrollton (3-3) What to know: The Aviators are cooking, having scored 40-plus three times during their four-game winning streak and moving up a spot in this poll. In addition to JR Jackson’s big game last week, Ravhan Hawkins ran for 133 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. 3, Manchester (5-1) Last week: Manchester 28, Tuslaw 21 This week: at Fairless (3-3) What to know: The Panthers bounced back from a Week 5 loss to beat Tuslaw and move to 2-0 in PAC-7 play (and up one spot in this poll). They are tied atop the league with Northwest. Manchester led 28-7 after three quarters before Tuslaw scored twice in the fourth to make it interesting. 4, Northwest (3-2) Last week: Lake 13, Northwest 10 This week: vs. Orrville (4-2) What to know: Not that it is looking for moral victories, but a 3-point loss on the road vs. an undefeated Division II team is impressive for Division IV Northwest. Especially considering Northwest led entering the fourth quarter. It does fall a couple of spots in this poll as it jumps back into PAC-7 play this week. It is tied for first place with Manchester at 2-0. 5, Malvern (4-2) Last week: Malvern 16, Strasburg 10 This week: vs. Buckeye Trail (1-5) What to know: The Division VII Hornets make their first appearance in the poll this season on the strength of a road win against previously undefeated Strasburg. Julius Gore’s 99-yard TD run in the third quarter proved to be the difference. Gore ran for 185 yards on 23 carries. Stark County-area high school football Week 6 scores Friday, Sept. 26Canton McKinley 21, Green 3 | Recap | StoryHoover 28, GlenOak 21 | RecapPerry 21, Jackson 19 | StoryLake 13, Northwest 10 | RecapFootball North (Ont.) 34, Massillon 2 | Recap | StoryLouisville 21, Central Catholic 0 | RecapCanton South 51, Orrville 33Manchester 28, Tuslaw 21 |RecapTriway 41, Fairless 14 | RecapAllliance 49, Salem 34 | RecapCarrollton 24, Marlington 7 | RecapWest Branch 56, Minerva 6 | StoryIndian Valley 56, Sandy Valley 0 | RecapNewcomerstown 40, East Canton 12 | RecapWarren JFK 53, St. Thomas Aquinas 0Malvern 16, Strasburg 10 | RecapRidgewood 49, Tusky Valley 7 | RecapLooking ahead at the Greater Canton Week 7 high school football scheduleFriday, Oct. 3 Canton McKinley at Hoover GlenOak at Green Jackson at Lake Fitch at Perry Cardinal Ritter College Prep (Mo.) at Massillon Central Catholic at Edison Canfield at Louisville Orrville at Northwest Canton South at Triway Manchester at Fairless Tuslaw at Toronto Carrollton at Alliance Marlington at West Branch Salem at Minerva Strasburg at East Canton Buckeye Trail at Malvern Sandy Valley at Ridgewood Tusky Valley at Claymont Saturday, Oct. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas at Crestline
Reach Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com
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