OHSAA football scores, Garfield vs. Copley high school live updates

COPLEY — The Garfield Golden Rams visit Copley for a Week 3 game in the 2026 high school football season.

Copley defeated Garfield 41-0 last year on the grass at Kenmore Stadium.

Will this year's final score be similar or different on the synthetic turf field at Copley Stadium?

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Follow along for live updates.

Watch Ohio High School Football Live on NFHS Network all year

What to know about Akron Garfield football

Garfield is coached by Kemp Boyd. Garfield posted a 4-6 record last season.

Garfield is seeking its first win of this season after losing 49-7 to Norton in Week 1 and 28-12 to Revere in Week 2. Golden Rams QB Darius Sales threw a TD pass to Ja'Von Jackson against Norton. Sales connected with Jordan Spaulding on a TD pass against Revere and Xavier Ward returned an interception for a TD.

Sales completed 19 of 37 passes against Revere for 208 yards, a TD and four interceptions. Sales also grabbed an interception as a cornerback. Kemonte Harrison is a WR-CB to watch for Garfield after having nine catches for 94 yards versus Revere.

What to know about Copley football

Copley is coached by John Kromalic. Copley compiled a 7-4 record last season and made the Division III playoffs.

Copley beat Streetsboro 28-20 in Week 1 and Firestone 56-6 in Week 2 this season. Copley QB Dane Wininger is off to a fast start. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 166 yards and three TDs against Streetsboro, and was 11-of-13 passing for 191 yards and four TDs versus Firestone.

Copley's Jalen Owens, Breylen Stanford and Mason Chapman caught a TD pass in Week 1, and Owens added 14 carries for 106 yards and a TD. Noah Slattery had five catches for 119 yards and three TDs in Week 2, Jacob Kuczkowski caught a TD pass and Owens returned a punt for a TD and contributed five carries for 100 yards and a TD. Michael Garden Jr. and Grayson Pavlovich added rushing TDs against the Falcons.

Akron Garfield football’s returning lettermen (13) 

• Dominic Douglas, WR-DB, 6-2, 160, Sr. 
• Kemonte Harrison, WR-DB, 5-8, 150, Sr. 
• Javon Jackson, WR-DB, 5-8, 150, Sr.
• John Koe-Thein, OL-DL, 6-1,260, Sr. 
• Warren Lockett, RB-DB, 5-9, 180, Jr.
• Majaliwa Mulunda, K-LB, 5-9, 180, Jr.
• Jayvin Neese, OL-DL, 5-10, 250, So.
• Xavier Richardson, WR-DB, 6-0, 175, Sr.
• King Rollin, RB-LB, 5-9, 180, Jr.
• Darius Sales, QB-DB, 6-1, 155, Sr.
• Rami Somerville, TE-LB, 6-0, 195, So.
• Jordan Spaulding, RB-DB, 5-10, 160, Jr.
• Xavier Ward, QB-DB, 5-11, 175, So.

Copley football’s returning lettermen (18) 

• Wyatt Cerra, LB-RB, 5-8, 185, So.
• Mason Chapman, DE-WR, 6-5, 245, Sr.
• Justin Chatmon, LT-DE, 6-4, 2225, Jr.
• Landon Dorsey, LB-DB, 5-11, 210, Jr.
• Niko Enberg, OL-DL, 6-5, 295, Sr.
• MJ Garden, RB-LB, 5-7, 160, Jr.
• Jacob Kuczkowski, WR-DB, 6-1, 185. Sr.
• Carsen Manson, WR-DB, 6-0, 155, Jr.
• Jacob Mindzora, OL-LB, 5-10, 200, Sr.
• Jalen Owens, RB-DB, 5-9, 145, Sr.
• Matthew Panzner, K, 5-10, 140, So.
• Levi Rau, OL-DL, 5-11, 210, So.
• Xavier Rogers-Corn, OL-DL, 6-1, 215, Jr.
• Noah Slattery, RB-DB, 6-0, 160, Jr.
• Ashton Smith, LB-DB, 6-0, 180, Sr.
• Dane Wininger, QB, 5-11, 160, Jr.
• Horatio Wisniewski, LB, 5-8, 160, Sr.
• Ian Yurechko, OL-LB, 6-0, 200, Jr.

Garfield football’s impact players 

Boyd identified Darius Sales, Kemonte Harrison and Jayvin Neese as three players to watch for Garfield. … "This will be Darius Sales' second year in the offense, and we are looking forward to him leading the offense in his senior year," Boyd said. "He has shown a lot of improvement in the weight room along with learning how to lead this young team we have. He will also be playing some corner for us this year, which is exciting. We believe he will be able to make an impact on both sides of the ball. Kemonte will be a utility player for us offensively and has a great attitude with his teammates and coaches. He will be returning to the defense as a cornerback for us again, and we believe he has made some plays for us in the past and only gotten better this year. Harrison has an opportunity to be one of the best defensive backs in the city this year. Neese, is one of our most experienced linemen we have at a very young age. He is only a sophomore. Jayvin has been leading the offensive linemen in the weight room all offseason, and you can see the improvement that he has had. He is also a pivotal leader in the locker room and on the field. We believe that as a sophomore he is a big piece of the future here at Garfield."

Copley football’s impact players 

Wininger, Owens, Enberg, Chatmon and Kuczkowski are players to watch. … Wininger completed 87 of 157 passes for 1,381 yards and 15 touchdowns and ran for 324 yards and eight TDs on 54 carries last season. … "Dane Wininger is a very talented football player," fourth-year coach John Kromalic said. "He started four games as a freshman and nine games as a sophomore. He is a dual-threat QB who has been under the radar in Northeast Ohio. Dane has a very accurate arm and runs very well." … Owens had 46 carries for 321 and two TDs rushing last season, and recorded five interceptions with one returned for a TD. … "Jalen Owens is one of the best athletes on the field consistently," Kromalic said. "Last year, he was a dominant force on defense, and this year we expect him to make big plays on both sides of the ball. He is a punter, returner, defensive back and running back. He is a 'Mr. Do Everything.'" … Enberg has several scholarship offers, including from Butler and Valparaiso. … "Niko Enberg has been one of the most dominant tackles on the field the past three seasons," Kromalic said. "He is quick and strong." … Chatmon had 31 tackles (19 solos, 10 for loss) and eight sacks last season. … "Justin Chatmon is one of the most athletic defensive ends in the league," Kromalic said. "We expect him to have a big year on defense this season. His strength and speed provide issues for all offensive linemen." … Kuczkowski had 34 catches for 428 yards and two TDs, and returned a fumble for a TD last season. … "Jacob Kuczkowski has been one of our best receivers the past three seasons," Kromalic said. "He has started since the first game his freshman year. He will also be playing safety." 

What's new with Garfield football in 2026 

Boyd said he is "super excited about returning junior running back Sheldon Corley, who had a breakout game last year [against Southeast in Week 1]." … Boyd said this will be Corley's "breakout year" after he was in and out of the lineup last season. … "Being a young team, we are super excited for some of our upcoming freshmen and sophomores, so that they can get the experience of what it is to be a Garfield Golden Ram. We have really good numbers out for the team this year, which is a really exciting thing as well." … Boyd said Spaulding, Lockett, Rollin, Ward, Richardson, Koe-Thein, Somerville, Jackson, junior RB-LB Tyrinn Austin, sophomore OL-DL Lance Quarterman, junior OL-DL Kyle Keener, senior RB-LB Garland Merkins "are stepping into larger roles."

What's new with Copley football in 2026 

Copley lost several key players to graduation, including top offensive lineman Lucas Tielsch, leading receiver Andrew McKnight, leading rusher Bryce Martin and defensive standouts Hendrix Sickels, Donovan Crook, Collin WitherspoonII and Rhalachai Childs. Tielsch is a freshman player at the University of Minnesota after earning All-Ohio honors last season with 46 pancake blocks and helping Copley gain 4,080 yards and score 52 TDs. … "We will be replacing more than half of our players on both sides of the ball, or pretty close to it," Kromalic said. "We are going to have to grow up rather quickly. We talk about going 1-0 each week and attacking each week as it comes, so a lot of these guys are going to get their first Friday night experience [on Aug. 21]. It will be interesting to see how they overcome adversity and how they bond together. I am excited to see how that plays out throughout the season." … Copley welcomes transfer Jordan Saunders, a junior who previously played at Cuyahoga Falls. Saunders (5-10, 155) plays cornerback and wide receiver and returns punts and kickoffs. Owens also return punts and kickoffs. … "Noah Slattery is a slot receiver we expect to take a big step this year," Kromalic said. "He will be replacing McKnight in that slot. Noah is a quick kid as well. Runs really well and catches the ball pretty consistently." … McKnight earned All-Ohio honors last year with 51 catches for 1,098 yards and 17 TDs and is a freshman player at Ashland University. McKnight also averaged 37.2 yards on 26 punts. … Sickels (Mount Union) and Martin (Lake Erie) also received All-Ohio nods. Sickels had 123 tackles (13 for loss), three sacks and a forced fumble last year. Martin totaled 165 carries for 1,225 yards and 17 TDs and six catches for 60 yards and a TD. … Crook is playing at Ohio Dominican. … "[Junior] Breylen Stanford is an outside receiver for us and he will play defensive back as well," Kromalic said. "I think he will have a solid year. Jalen Owens is going to be carrying the ball more this year than he has in years past. He will be taking over the primary running back responsibility on the team this year. We are excited to see how he does this year." … Dorsey will join Smith at middle linebacker.

Garfield football’s outlook in 2026

The Garfield football team is set for its 100th year, and Boyd is in his fifth season as coach (2022-present) after five seasons with Kenmore-Garfield (2017-2021) and two seasons with Kenmore (2014-2016). … "As we know in the city of Akron, it is a tremendous honor to be a Garfield Golden Ram, especially as this is the 100th team in school history," Boyd said. "… That is really, really super exciting for us. We are very thankful for all of those who came before us to leave us this legacy. What I like about this group is we are super young, but also I love our numbers and I love how our young men work hard each and every single day to exemplify what our values and standards are, and that is E.A.T. That's Effort, Attitude, Toughness. I like how we show that each and every day as they continue the legacy of wearing golden horns on our helmet."

Copley football’s outlook in 2026

Copley returns six starters on offense — Wininger at quarterback, Kuczkowski and Manson at wide receiver, Enberg at right tackle, Rogers-Corn at left guard and Rau at right guard. … Copley returns four starters on defense — Smith at middle linebacker, Chatmon and Chapman at end and Owens at strong safety. … Panzner returns as the kicker after making 52 of 54 PATs in 2025. … "We are excited to see some new faces this season," Kromalic said. "We will rely on strong leadership from our seniors to help our team mature quickly. … This will be a year of growth. That is what we want with a young group. We have strong junior and sophomore classes."

Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: OHSAA football scores, Garfield vs. Copley high school live updates

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