As a reporter, I could do a long preview of Friday’s football game with Cuyahoga Falls at Barberton.

Instead, let me do two things.

First, check our the football preview in Thursday paper or online to check out all the players

Second, rarely does an opening game mean so much to two teams. But when you have two schools that combined three wins in 2010, a win can be the difference between having a good season and watching all the hard work disappear.

It can be argued that one game does not bare so much weight. Normally I agree, but this is an exception.

The Black Tigers (1-9) lost five tight games, so confidence is a big deal.

The Magics (2-8) were awful during their years in the Suburban League and are now independent. Theoritcally, the schedule should be a little easier this season.

But both schools are going through transition. Falls has a new superintendent  Todd Nichols and Barberton has a new athletic director in Rob Culbertson. They share one theme: making their athletic teams return to once proud traditions.

The two men will be looking closely at their programs.

Winning may not be everything, but it does mean a lot to two school districts that have not done much of that in most sports.

Walsh Jesuit can finally compete for a league championship in every sport.

The high school, which was founded in 1965, joined the North Coast League for this school year and will take part in the Blue Division against rival Archbishop Hoban.

Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Mentor Lake Catholic and Parma Padua are other co-ed schools in the NCL Blue Division. Cleveland Benedictine participates as an all boys school and Cleveland Heights Beaumont is a member as an all girls school.

“As far as opponents and so forth, there is really no change for us on our schedule because we generally schedule the other schools in our division,” Walsh Jesuit football coach Gerry Rardin said. “Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is the only one we didn’t play last year that is now in our division, but we have played them in past years.”

Rardin said this will be the first school year that each Warriors team can play for a league championship.

“I am looking forward to the additional thing that a league race could bring,” Rardin said. “Whatever team wins the North Coast League football championship is a pretty good team and is going to make the state playoffs. I would assume. I cannot see a league champion from this league not make it. Making the state playoffs is the No. 1 goal for sure.

“We are new to it. The kids aren’t talking a lot about it, but I think they will get more excited about as we get closer to it.”

Rardin said the Walsh football team competed in the Inter-County Conference in the early 1980s with Canton Central Catholic, St. Vincent-St. Mary and St. Thomas Aquinas.

Warriors baseball coach Chris Kaczmar helped form the Cuyahoga River Baseball Conference in the late 1990s. The CRBC currently includes Walsh, St. V-M, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Lakewood St. Edward, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy and Hunting Valley University School.

“I think everyone is approaching the North Coast League with an open mind and I think in the long run everyone will really like it,” Rardin said.

The NCL White Division features Cleveland Central Catholic, Parma Heights Holy Name, Warren John F. Kennedy, Bedford St. Peter Chanel, Garfield Heights Trinity and Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

In other league news, Nordonia is a full member of the Suburban League this year. Barberton and Northwest are independent schools.

Barberton (2-2, 0-1) at Copley (4-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. at Copley High School

The Magics started the season with two wins but have struggled in recent weeks as they continue to learn coach Jeff Sharkey’s team.  Meanwhile, the Copley Indians are rolling under caoch Ron Viscounte.  At 4-0 they control their destiny when it comes to the high school playoffs.  Win and they’re in.

A source has told the Akron Beacon Journal that Barberton will not be joining the City Series.

Barberton athletic director Jay Glaze confirms that the Barberton Magics will not play in the City Series and will be independent next year.

Having applied to the Northeast Ohio Conference, he said that they have hopes that they will be accepted.

The slot in the NOC will remain open until Nov. 1

Barberton (0-0) vs. Cuyahoga Falls (0-0).

When and Where: 7 p.m. at Cuyahoga Falls.

Lowdown: Barberton brought first-year coach Jeff Sharkey – the son of former coach Rudy Sharkey – in to return the tradition to the Magics program.  They are led by senior running back Brandon James.  Cuyahoga Falls Coach Mike Miller is attempting to accomplish the same for the Black Tigers.

Within the past several days all the City Series football teams have had a chance to hit someone other than their own teammates.

Here’s a rundown on some of those I got to see:

Buchtel at Warrensville Hts. and Cleveland JFK – Serious hitting going on in this one as Buchtel got the best of both times offensively and defensively. 

Offensively, the Griffins showed a tendency to be a big play team as huge runs were broken off.  Junior wide receiver Corey Smith had a bit of a rough day, dropping a deep pass that was a sure touchdown and also losing the handle on another. 

Coach Ricky Powers wasn’t thrilled even when plays went for big gains because his team executed them improperly.   Defensively, Warrensville through a no-huddle at the Griffins that threw them off their game to start their defensive sets.  They recovered to play some stiff defense.

Garfield scrimmaged the Barberton Magics and showed some spark on offense, something that, on the whole, pleased Coach Bob Sax.  The Magics had difficulty scoring for much of the action that I saw.

But the Rams offense looked as if it will be fairly potent by the time the regular season rolls around next week.

The Firestone Falcons teed things up gainst the Archbishop Hoban Knights in what ultimately proved to be a defensive battle.  Falcons tackle Tommy Brown opened some holes but for the most part neither team could do much to  move the ball.

I, personally, didn’t make it to Ellet’s scimmage last week, but Coach Joe Yost said he went in with but one goal – survival.  With a 42-man roster, Ellet needs health and for its youngsters to grow up quickly for success this year.

”We went in with 42; we left with 42,” Yost said of his scrimmage.

First up:

Representatives of the Barberton High School athletic department were on hand to check out the Akron Public Schools’ football media day.

A representative for the APS said there was a 75 percent chance that Barberton would join the City Series with vicinity being one of the best reason.  For details on Barberton’s options, the Beacon Journal’s Jonas Fortune did a fine job running them down in this piece.

Barberton officials met with APS officials following the City Series’ media day luncheon.  A mutual love fest was evident as almost every Akron coach joked about city neighbor Barberton joining the league.

Secondly, the Akron Buchtel Griffins’ Chevin Meadows got some feelers from the UCLA Bruins after he participated in a 7-on-7 football tournament.  Meadows said the process is just beginning with the Bruins, but the 6-foot, 179 lbs. senior can count one offer from North Carolina Central University already and apparently some MAC schools are giving him the once over.

Barberton announced today that its new football coach would be Jeff Sharkey, the son of former Barberton coach Rudy Sharkey. The school’s football stadium is named after Rudy Sharkey. Jeff Sharkey, 46, also will teach math at Barberton. He coached the past three years at East Palestine and led them to just their second playoff appearance last season. Jeff Sharkey played at Barberton and Mount Union.

Barberton High School senior Jacob North has made an oral commitment to continue his academic and baseball career at the University of Toledo.

North led the Magics last season with a .500 bating average. He had 36 hits, eight doubles, one triple, five home runs, 35 RBI, scored 24 runs and stolen 10 bases in 11 attempts.

North plays center field for Barberton’s baseball team and is also a standout guard on the basketball team.

“I think he is just a laid back kid,” Barberton baseball coach Ryan Hartzell said. “His work ethic is one of a kind in the classroom and on the field. I have never met a kid like him. He is just a solid young man. I think his best years are yet to come. He has put up unreal numbers in basketball and baseball.”

North also excels in the classroom and is ranked No. 3 in a class of 279. He has a 4.591 grade-point average and scored a 28 on his ACT. He plans to major in pharmacy at Toledo.

Hey everyone! This is my column that’s running in the Akron Beacon Journal Friday, but it’s posted on Ohio.com now, as you can see. Thanks to everyone who submitted votes for their favorite high school nicknames. If there are other crazy nicknames from out of state, post them so we can all get some laughs. Thanks again!