Are you ready for some Friday night football?

Aright, Crawford County, it is football time!

There are fewer things that are more special that the first Friday night of high school football. The pads are cracking, grass is flying and players are grunting with maximum effort.

I never got to experience the thrill as a player in high school, mostly because I was obsessed with baseball. But, as a sports writer, I have grown to love the sport and the spectacle of the first football game under the lights.

It has a certain nostalgia to it, and most of all, it brings a community together once a week to celebrate a win and mourn a loss. It gives people something to have in common with one another. Especially in Crawford County.

I attended a 10 a.m. scrimmage at Colonel Crawford High School when the Eagles hosted Ontario. Given the fact that it was so early in the morning, the stands on each side were filled beyond my expectations. There was screaming and cheering and people asking, “Who was that?!” since the players did not have the original numbers on their backs.

As I sat next to a couple of guys from the famous Front Row Crew, I realized that high school football has a special place in Crawford County. They talked about the kids they know that are coming up through the middle school and what kinds of players they will miss watching this year.

This will be my first year covering Crawford County football, but as a Plymouth alum, I have kept my eye on this area and know that there are some special athletes. Last year saw a fine group of young men graduate and leave a hole in their teams.

But, if there is one thing that Crawford County teams are known for — it is reloading, not rebuilding. I took a week and visited every school for a football practice. I am very excited about the direction of each team and looking forward to seeing them prove themselves as a successful program.

Galion looked big. They had guys on the line that made me look average sized (I am 6-foot-8). Their left guard, Jacob Staiger, 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, is a hoss. The Tigers have a quarterback in Chase Cooke, 6-foot-4, that has the size to see over everyone. They also have to most to prove. The Tigers have made it to the playoffs in three straight years and have gone 0-3. They need to find that postseason magic, and I believe this year is the year they will break through.

Wynford always reloads. The Royals can lose 15 guys and bring in 15 more to make it seem like they never left. I watched Cole Fortner during track season. The kid is fast and the track season will transfer to the football field and he should have a great year at the tailback position. Nick Looker returns with his 801 yards from last year. To get that many yards out of the fullback position could only result in great success for the team. Tony Watson and Braxton Tea could find themselves as the top two receivers in the N10.

Colonel Crawford is the team that impressed me the most this offseason. Their run game from a year ago is depleted, but they do return Will Kirkpatrick who has a sensational season last year with over 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing. Owen Adams is finally the number one option at receiver and will have a huge season. They will also have a veteran line for him to run and throw behind. The Eagles missed the playoffs with an 8-2 record, which is kind of a shock. As of right now, they are my sleeper pick for the N10 title. They will just have to get passed Wynford and make sure they do not stumble like they did last year against Bucyrus.

Bucyrus returns just two starters from their 7-3 team last year. Coach Eckert has his work cut out for him this year, but watch out for the Redmen in a year or two. These young guys are getting some valuable playing time early and will build on it to have a solid couple of years. Gavin Lewis is just a junior and will take over at quarterback. He throws a nice ball. He proved that in the 44 team seven on seven tournament the Redmen hosted. Bucyrus should have a good year and win plenty of games, but the inexperience could cost them one or two.

The Buckeye Central Bucks Will return the most of any team in the area. They have taken their lumps and should be ready to compete. Quarterback Grant Loy is a natural athlete who can now focus primarily on football. That is a good thing for head coach Jeff Niedermier. The Bucks will also bring back speedster Scott Heydinger who will be electric in the open field. The Bucks are my pick for the surprise playoff team if they can survive the N10 schedule.

Crestline has been battling numbers issues of late. When I was in high school, they were a team that most feared. They were always big, tough and mean. The Bulldogs will be changing conferences again to the Mid Buckeye Conference. They now have the ability to schedule some favorable nonconference games. The Bulldogs start off their season with five straight home games. That alone could be a turning point for the program. I do not see the numbers issues lasting much longer for Crestline. As far as the season outlook, I think Crestline could surprise some people. JR Wolfe will be taking over at quarterback and has had a very successful summer. A more favorable schedule should allow the Bulldogs to compete in games and give the program a boost.

It is going to be a very interesting and fun year of high school football. I am looking forward to seeing all of the readers out there and talking to each of you. Good luck to your respective school and gets play some football!

Jake Furr is the Sports Writer for the Telegraph-Forum. For everything on Crawford County High School Football, follow him on Twitter: @JakeFurr11 or to talk sports call 419-610-5034 or email jfurr@gannett.com