Mahoning Valley 2026 high school football: 5 teams, schedules and key matchups

Mahoning Valley high school football fans have plenty to track heading into the 2026 season. Five area programs — West Branch, Cardinal Mooney, Canfield, Poland and South Range — are coming off winning seasons, with most reaching deep into the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.

Schedules are now set, divisional alignments have shifted and several new opponents are on the docket.

Here’s what to know about each team as the season approaches.

Cardinal Mooney: Coming off a deep playoff run

Cardinal Mooney enters 2026 with the most postseason momentum of any team in the roundup. The Cardinals finished 10-3 in 2025 and reached the fifth round of the Division V playoffs, according to Mahoning Matters.

The team will compete in Division V Region 17 in 2026 and has overhauled much of its slate, adding five new opponents: Canfield, Akron Buchtel, Athol Springs St. Francis of New York, Cleveland Benedictine and Garfield Heights.

The Cardinals open Aug. 21 at home against Mentor Lake Catholic before traveling to Garfield Heights on Aug. 28. Other notable dates include a Sept. 4 home matchup with Canfield, a Sept. 11 game against Steubenville and the regular-season finale Oct. 23 at Youngstown Ursuline.

Cardinal Mooney 2026 schedule: - Aug. 21 — Mentor Lake Catholic - Aug. 28 — at Garfield Heights - Sept. 4 — Canfield - Sept. 11 — Steubenville - Sept. 18 — Akron Buchtel - Sept. 25 — Athol Springs St. Francis (N.Y.) - Oct. 2 — Cleveland Benedictine - Oct. 9 — Warren Harding - Oct. 16 — at SVSM - Oct. 23 — at Youngstown Ursuline

Canfield: Big changes to the schedule

Canfield is also coming off a strong 2025, finishing 10-2 and advancing to the third round of the Division III Region 9 playoffs, according to Mahoning Matters. The Cardinals remain in Division III Region 9 for 2026.

Six new opponents headline a reshuffled schedule: Garfield Heights, Salem, Wheeling Park of West Virginia, Youngstown, Louisville and South Range.

Canfield opens at home against Garfield Heights on Aug. 21 and travels to Salem the following week. The Sept. 4 trip to Cardinal Mooney looms as one of the area’s marquee matchups. The Cardinals close the regular season Oct. 23 at home against Boardman.

Canfield 2026 schedule: - Aug. 21 — Garfield Heights - Aug. 28 — at Salem - Sept. 4 — at Cardinal Mooney - Sept. 11 — Poland - Sept. 18 — at Youngstown - Sept. 25 — at West Branch - Oct. 2 — Louisville - Oct. 9 — at Wheeling Park (W.Va.) - Oct. 16 — South Range - Oct. 23 — Boardman

Poland: Moving up a division, adding a state champion

Poland is on the move. The Bulldogs are jumping up to Division IV Region 13 for 2026 after going 9-3 in 2025 and reaching the third round of the Division V Region 17 playoffs, according to Mahoning Matters.

The schedule got tougher, too. Poland added defending Division VI state champion Kirtland in Week 2, a high-profile nonconference test.

Poland hosts Salem to open the season Aug. 21 before welcoming Kirtland on Aug. 28. Conference play includes road trips to Canfield (Sept. 11) and South Range (Sept. 25), with the regular season ending Oct. 23 at Struthers.

Poland 2026 schedule: - Aug. 21 — Salem - Aug. 28 — Kirtland - Sept. 4 — at Field - Sept. 11 — at Canfield - Sept. 18 — Hubbard - Sept. 25 — at South Range - Oct. 2 — Niles McKinley - Oct. 9 — Girard - Oct. 16 — at Lakeview - Oct. 23 — at Struthers

South Range: Dropping down to Division VI

South Range is heading in the opposite direction, moving down to Division VI Region 21 for 2026. The Raiders went 7-5 in 2025 and reached the second round of the Division V Region 17 playoffs, according to Mahoning Matters.

New opponents include Parma Padua, Jeannette of Pennsylvania, Youngstown and Canfield. The Raiders open with back-to-back road games at Parma Padua (Aug. 21) and Jeannette (Aug. 28) before returning home to face Youngstown on Sept. 4.

South Range 2026 schedule: - Aug. 21 — at Parma Padua - Aug. 28 — at Jeannette (Pa.) - Sept. 4 — Youngstown - Sept. 11 — Lakeview - Sept. 18 — Struthers - Sept. 25 — Poland - Oct. 2 — at Girard - Oct. 9 — at Niles McKinley - Oct. 16 — at Canfield - Oct. 23 — at Hubbard

West Branch: Adding St. Clairsville to a 10-win slate

West Branch rounds out the group with another strong 2025 résumé. The Warriors went 10-2 and reached the third round of the Division IV Region 13 playoffs, according to Mahoning Matters. They will stay in Division IV Region 13 for 2026.

St. Clairsville is the lone new opponent on the schedule, and the Warriors travel there to open the season Aug. 21.

West Branch 2026 schedule: - Aug. 21 — at St. Clairsville - Aug. 28 — at New Philadelphia - Sept. 4 — Struthers - Sept. 11 — Warren Howland - Sept. 18 — at Marlington - Sept. 25 — Canfield - Oct. 2 — at Carrollton - Oct. 9 — at Minerva - Oct. 16 — Alliance - Oct. 23 — Salem

The 2026 high school football season kicks off Aug. 21 across the Mahoning Valley.

All photos by Mahoning Valley Sports