Wildcats set to open with Eastwood in 2024 Posted on March 10, 2023 0 By SEAN BLEVINS Times sports editor The Kenton and Eastwood high school football programs agreed to a two-year contract, with the Eagles slated to come to Kenton in week one of 2024 and the Wildcats set to play at Pemberville to open the 2025 season. Eastwood also has a great football tradition and was willing to travel to fill its week one openings, which is what Kenton was looking for in a potential opponent. The Eagles have enjoyed tremendous success recently as they are regularly ranked in the AP state poll and were Division V state runners-up in 2017. “We wanted to find someone who is a successful program,” Kenton athletic director Brett Purcell said. “There’s a lot of factors involved in finding a week one opponent, it was a challenge with there being so many rivalries locked in.” Kenton opened with Coldwater for over 20 years, but that rivalry was put on the back-burner this offseason. The Wildcats will travel to Coldwater to play the Cavaliers one more time in 2023. “The Eagles play a physical style of football that I believe will get us ready for league play,” Kenton football coach Zach Turner said. Eastwood was 12-1 this past season, but saw its coach step down after the season. He was 28-12 in his tenure. The Wildcats last matched up with the Eagles in the second round of the 2002 state playoffs, when Kenton won 52-14 and went on to repeat as state champions.
