varsity football team will open the season on the road at 1 p.m. Saturday against Beachwood High School.
First-year head coach Shawn Dodd expects the team, which went 10-7-2 last year, to contend for the playoffs.
"Our goals include working to get better on a daily basis and to get this program back to the winning tradition of the past," he said.
The team will be led by seniors Michael Antonelli at quarterback/safety and Owen Brodhead at running back/linebacker. Dodd said lack of depth will present challenges.
"We are very young and still in the process of getting our numbers up," he said. "Many of our kids will have to play both ways. Conditioning will be very important to the success of this season."
Gilmour's schedule includes new matchups against Tuscarawas Central Catholic on the road Sept. 3, Grand Valley on the road Sept. 23, Trinity at home Oct. 1, Conneaut at home on Oct. 8 and Villa Angela-St. Joseph at home to end the season on Oct. 29.
A resident of Willowick, Dodd most recently served as an assistant with Notre Dame Cathedral Latin High School. He was special teams coordinator and wide receivers and defensive backs coach.
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