Week 5 High School Football Preview
This week, teams in the Frontier Athletic Conference will be finishing their non-conference schedules Friday night (Sept. 18) before embarking on their conference slate in the final five weeks of the 2026 regular season.
On Friday, Highland County teams will both be playing on their home fields with the McClain Tigers facing the Circleville Tigers at McClain Field in a game where the two Tiger teams are a combined 7-1 on the season, with McClain being 4-0 and Circleville being 3-1.
Also this Friday night, the Hillsboro Indians are hosting the Williamsburg Wildcats, as the Indians are looking to earn their first win of the season, while Williamsburg is 3-1 overall this season.
• Week 5 FAC football schedule:
- McClain Tigers (4-0) vs. Circleville Tigers (3-1)
- Hillsboro Indians (0-4) vs. Williamsburg Wildcats (3-1)
- Jackson Ironmen (3-1) vs. Ironton Fighting Tigers (4-0)
- Washington Blue Lions (1-3) at West Jefferson Roughriders (3-1)
- Miami Trace Panthers (3-1) vs. Western Brown Broncos (1-3)
- Chillicothe Cavaliers (4-0) at Wilmington Hurricane (2-2)
• Game Previews
- The Hillsboro Indians are coming off a game where they scored 47 points in a 50-47 loss against Warren (2-2) last Friday at Richards Memorial Field. That game, Tre Captain rushed for 350-plus yards and five touchdowns as he played quarterback in the game. As for Williamsburg, they defeated Portsmouth West, 28-12, where QB Landen Brandenburg was 2-of-5 for 105 yards with one touchdown (279 passing yards for the season), with both receptions being made by Colton Cooper. He also led the Wildcats in rushing with 20 carries for 76 yards with two rushing scores (309 yards and seven TDs this season). In their win last Friday, the Wildcats’ defense totaled five sacks and seven tackles for loss as Kayden Randell led WHS with two sacks. Williamsburg has 11 sacks in ’26 through four games.
- McClain enters this game with a 4-0 record as they are facing a Circleville team that’s 3-1 in the “Battle of the Tigers” for Week 5. Last Friday night in McClain’s win over East Clinton, QB Hudson Lovett was 11-of-18 for 169 yards with four touchdown passes, plus he led MHS with 90 yards rushing on 18 carries, while adding two rushing scores. Leiland Bond has had a big season for MHS, including a Week 4 game where he had four catches for 86 yards with three touchdowns, averaging 21.5 yards per reception. The Tigers of Circleville have built a season where they lost in Week 1 to Chillicothe (34-0), but have since won three straight games with wins over Washington (28-26), Westfall (49-15) and Amanda-Clearcreek (21-0). Against ACC, Circleville scored 14 points in the first quarter and added seven points in the third for their 21-point total. The QB for CHS is Jace Captain, and against Washington he was 5-of-7 for 58 yards passing, plus he had 19 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.
- Jackson will start Week 5 with a 3-1 record as they have won their past three games with wins over Gallia Academy (55-0), Wheelersburg (14-3), and Western Brown (56-21). Last Friday against Western Brown, the Ironmen had two 21-point quarters in the first and third, plus a 14-point second quarter. Ironton is 4-0 this season with their most recent win being against Somerset by a 35-9 score. This season, IHS has outscored their opponents 149-33. In four games this season, Ironton QB Wyatt Wolfe is 54-of-79 for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. Their leading rushers are Easton Caudill with 18 carries for 206 yards and one TD, while teammate Tyson Harvey had 42 carries for 168 yards with four touchdowns. Kayden Edwards leads Ironton in receiving this season with 18 receptions for 299 yards and five touchdowns.
- The Miami Trace Panthers are taking on the Western Brown Broncos as the Panthers are coming off a solid 42-13 win over Batavia last Friday. In that win, they saw running back Julian Baker have nine carries for 166 yards with four rushing scores. QB Baron Phipps had one pass last Friday, a 33-yard touchdown pass to Evan Parsley. Since recovering from some injuries in Week 1, the Panthers have won three straight games, as including in the win over Batavia was a 35-point first quarter built by Miami Trace. Western Brown starts Week 5 by coming off a loss against Jackson. In that game, WBHS had quarterback Brody Barber go 25-of-41 for 374 yards passing with two touchdowns. Cole Barr caught eight of those passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. Another Bronco player to watch is Deon Bradford, who had six catches last week for 71 yards and a touchdown.
- Washington will be facing West Jefferson in Week 5, as their previously scheduled opponent had too many injuries to play in a game. Last Friday in Week 4, the Blue Lions lost 58-28, but had QB Sam Pfeifer pass for 267 yards (18-of-36) with two touchdowns. Aden Osborne led the Blue Lions with 94 yards receiving with two touchdowns on seven total receptions. Kiontae Tyree was Washington's leader with 11 total tackles (eight solo). West Jefferson against Cedarville last Friday won 44-6 with QB Evan Switalski finishing 12-of-17 for 243 yards and three touchdown passes. He also rushed for six carries for 75 yards and two touchdown runs. Four WJHS receivers each had 50-or-more yards in the win.
- The Chillicothe Cavaliers have won their first four games by outscoring their opponents 130-52 this season. They had a one-point win last week against Hamilton Township by a 14-13 score. This week they are facing Wilmington who won in Week 4 over Ross at 34-14. WHS had QB Justin Maerean go 6-of-14 for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Josiah Puller totaled 20 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns. On defense Ioan Cioca had two sacks for Wilmington. As for CHS, running back and Division I recruit Cartae Ligon had 11 rushes for 128 yards and two touchdowns last Friday night, plus defensively he collected 18 tackles and had one forced fumble.