By DOUG DONNELLY

OTTAWA LAKE – It’s the game Monroe County football fans have been asking for.

Whiteford will host Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central tonight in the first-ever meeting between the two of the most successful football programs in the county.

“It should be a good measure of where we are at this time of the year,” said fifth-year Bobcat coach Todd Thieken. “I know our kids have been looking forward to it.”

The Bobcats are coming off an 8-2 season and ranked among the top 10 in at least one statewide poll. SMCC, ranked fifth in that same preseason poll, was 8-3 last season. Both teams shared league titles – Whiteford in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference and SMCC in the Huron League. Both teams were eliminated in the Division 7 playoffs by Clinton.

Whiteford returns seven starters from last year, including all-state running back Brek Ruddy and four-year starting quarterback Tre Eitniear.

“We have a standard,” Ruddy said in early July. “I’m confident going into the game. I think we’re going to have a good team.”

Eitniear said the team is excited to play a team of SMCC’s caliber, especially early in the season.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Eitniear said. “They are a good team with a lot of weapons.”

Thieken said one of the keys to the season is how well the Bobcats get their passing game going. Eitniear has 2,666 passing yards and 36 pass touchdowns in his career. He’s hoping to improve on those numbers.

“When we have good passing days, I think we can be a high-level team,” Eitniear said.

SMCC returns outstanding running back Cole Reinhardt, who rushed for 1,014 yards last season.

“He has great speed and a lot of power,” Adam Kipf said. “He is a tremendous athlete.”

The Falcons must replace nearly everyone else on offense, with the exception of third-year starting lineman Grant Lewis.

The Falcon defense should be sound with defensive backs Landon Barron and Lucas Rafko and linebacker Garrett Worden. Reinhardt is a hard-nosed linebacker as well.

Kipf said his team doesn’t have a lot of returning starters, but they have kids who were able to get experience last year. He said the non-league schedule, starting with Whiteford, is solid.

“Whiteford, I believe, is a dangerous team and has potential to play long into November,” Kipf said.

Whiteford and SMCC are perennial playoff teams. The Bobcats have made 16 consecutive trips to the post season. During that streak they have played in four state finals, winning championships in 2017 and 2022.

SMCC has made more playoff appearances than any other county school (30), including the past nine years. They won state titles in 2014 and 2019.

The Bobcats are 15-2 in their last 17 season openers.