Week 1 of the Ohio high school football regular season is here. For the Stark Country area, four games kick off the season Thursday night before the rest of the area jumps in Friday night. We’ll have full coverage of Week 1 throughout the week.

Here’s a look at this week’s games:

Stark County-area high school football schedule – Thursday, Aug. 22 

• Massillon vs. NFL Academy (UK), at Beaverton, Ore., 6:30 
• Warren Harding at McKinley 
• Central Catholic at Perry 
• Fairless at Sandy Valley 

Ohio high school football: 2024 USA Today Network Preseason All-Ohio Football Team

Stark County-area high school football schedule – Friday, Aug. 23 

• Lake vs. McKeesport (Pa.) at Woodland Hills (Pa.), 5 
• Jackson at Mentor 
• Buchtel at Hoover  
• Cle. VA-SJ at GlenOak 
• Green at Dover 
• New Philadelphia at Louisville 
• Canton South at Cle. Benedictine 
• Northwest at Norton 
• Manchester at Coventry 
• Smithville at Tuslaw 
• Campbell Memorial at St. Thomas Aquinas 
• Padua at Alliance 
• Marlington at Warrensville Heights 
• United at Minerva 
• Canfield at West Branch 
• Carrollton at East Liverpool 
• Toronto at East Canton 
• Valley Christian at Malvern 
• Waynedale at Tusky Valley 
• West Holmes at Triway 
• Orrville at Wooster 
• Salem at Poland 

Now that the most important position battle for Ohio State has been settled, the only other major one might be starting to gain clarity.

On Thursday, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day announced that graduate transfer Will Howard had won the quarterback competition over Devin Brown and three freshmen.

Day also appeared to signal that Tegra Tshabola has gained the upper hand for the right guard spot on the offensive line.

Tshaboloa, a 6-foot-6, 327-pounder from West Chester, is a natural tackle. But Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar are returning starters at that position, and coaches believe Tshabola can play guard.

It’s not unprecedented for Ohio State to make such a move. Paris Johnson Jr.’s first year as a starter was at guard before he moved to his natural spot at tackle and became the sixth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Tshabola has been competing primarily at right guard with Carson Hinzman, last year’s starter at center. Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin is the favorite to start at center this year. Day said he has probably been OSU’s most consistent lineman in camp.

Day has also heaped praise on Hinzman. The junior was one of 10 OSU Iron Buckeye recipients for his offseason work.

But Hinzman has been among several linemen who’ve missed time in training camp because of illness.

“We’ve finally gotten through some of this, this funky illness that’s going on,” Day said. “We’re finally getting these guys out there, but we’re just a little bit behind there. Tegra has been there the whole time and has really showed improvement.”

Asked if Tshabola was getting reps at tackle in case Simmons or Fryar are injured, Day said he wanted Tshabola to stay at guard to master that position.

Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said he believes Tshabola is mobile enough to play guard.

“I think Tegra is really athletic and can really sink his hips,” he said. “He’s really long. You can play long on the offensive line and keep defensive linemen away from people because of your length.

“That’s a really big deal for us. We like offensive linemen that are big because big people beat up little people.”

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An Ohio woman in line at a Taco Bell drive-thru with her dog was fatally shot before the gunman turned the gun on himself in a shocking murder-suicide Wednesday night.

Megan Keleman sat in the driver’s seat as she ordered food at the fast food chain when Jason Williams, 53, rammed the rear of her car just before 7:20 p.m. in Stow, Ohio, according to police.

The 25-year-old, who graduated from Cleveland State University in May, told a Taco Bell employee on the other end of the speaker to call 911.

Williams had exited his car and shot Keleman before shooting himself, Stow Police Chief Jeffrey Film said Thursday at a press conference, according to Cleveland19.

Witnesses told detectives that the gunman began blowing his horn at Keleman after she pulled in front of him entering the drive-thru line.

Both Keleman and Williams were pronounced dead at the scene.

The Summit County Medical Examiner identified both and noted Keleman was a homicide victim and died from gunshot wounds to the neck.

Williams’ death was ruled a suicide from a gunshot to the head.

“We have no information to indicate that the two subjects knew each other,” Film said

“As chief of police and a community leader, I would like to say that this is a true tragedy. Not only the Kelemans lost a daughter, but we as a community lost one of our daughters.”

Police discovered during their investigation that Keleman had called her father, presumably after her car was struck, according to bodycam footage obtained by the outlet.

“I’m gonna stay on the line, I’m coming right up there,” Keleman’s father can be heard telling an officer.

Police have not discovered a motive behind the tragic shooting and “may never know why.”

Keleman’s family said they were “enduring an immensely painful loss” following the death of their daughter.

“We appreciate the community’s support and hope that our request for privacy will be honored so that we can continue to focus on supporting each other through this difficult period,” the family said in a statement.

While Film said Williams had only one OVI arrest on his record, he was arrested in April for several offenses including a weapons charge.

He was indicted on April 14 for improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and or drugs, according to court records viewed by The Post.

He was released on a $5,000 bond in May, under the condition of not possessing any firearms, WOIO reported.

Keleman earned her Masters degree in Business Administration from CSU in May. She majored in Finance and Financial Management Services and was described as an “active leader on campus.”

She helped lead campus tours, organized student orientations around CSU and served as the editor-in-chief of the university’s student newspaper, “The Cauldron.”

“We send our deepest sympathies to Megan’s family, friends and loved ones. We have lost a caring, engaged and optimistic member of the CSU community,” CSU President Dr. Laura Bloomberg said.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.