Howard County Football Teams Get Final Test Before Week 1
The 2026 high school football season is almost here, and Howard County teams will get one final opportunity to take the field before the games start counting.
Friday night’s scrimmages will serve as a dress rehearsal for teams across the county, giving coaches a chance to evaluate their players, make adjustments and get a feel for their teams before Week 1. Here’s a look at the scrimmage schedule and what to know ahead of Friday night.
Rankings are from the Indiana Football Coaches Association preseason poll.
Kokomo (4-7 in 2025) vs. Class 6A No. 6 Lawrence North (7-3 in 2025)
Kokomo will look to close the offseason with a strong showing when the Wildkats face Lawrence North on Friday night. The scrimmage will give first-year head coach Grant Foes an opportunity to see how his team’s offseason work translates against a strong opponent.
Junior quarterback Luke Callaway will be one player to watch. After splitting time in a two-quarterback system last season, Callaway enters 2026 as Kokomo’s full-time starter and will get an opportunity to lead the offense against a talented Lawrence North defense.
Lawrence North features one of the more talented teams in Central Indiana, including Indiana commit Monshun Sales at wide receiver and Purdue commit Izaeveon Moore at running back. Kokomo will look to finish the offseason with a strong performance before hosting Mount Vernon in Week 1.
Western (8-4 in 2025) vs. Marion (2-8 in 2025)
Western will face Marion in a scrimmage moved to Indiana Wesleyan University because of construction at Marion’s football field. The Panthers enter the scrimmage with a young roster and junior quarterback Kasyn Messner taking over as the starter. Messner will also see time at cornerback.
Maddox Williams and Daniel Ousley are two players to watch for Western. Both are expected to contribute on both sides of the ball and will play important roles as the Panthers prepare for the regular season.
Marion also enters the season with a young team after replacing much of its production on both sides of the ball. The scrimmage will give Western an opportunity to evaluate its younger players and make final adjustments before opening the season at Indian Creek in Week 1.
Class 1A No. 2 Pioneer (13-2 in 2025) vs. Northwestern (4-6 in 2025)
Northwestern enters its second season under head coach Shane Turnipseed with valuable experience after relying on a young roster a year ago. The Tigers return several key contributors, including junior quarterback Colin Cook, senior running back and linebacker Sedric Garcia and senior wide receiver and cornerback DeWayne Perrigen.
Pioneer will provide a strong test for Northwestern. The Panthers enter the season ranked No. 2 in Class 1A after reaching the state championship game last season. Pioneer returns two of its top four rushers from a 2025 offense that produced more than 5,000 rushing yards and 72 touchdowns. Senior Shiloh Rine rushed for 1,162 yards and 16 touchdowns, while junior Phillip McFatridge added 1,045 yards and eight touchdowns.
Northwestern will look to finish the preseason strong before opening the season at Manchester in Week 1.
Class 2A No. 7 Eastern (Greentown) (10-2 in 2025) vs. Class 3A No. 9 Mississinewa (10-2 in 2025)
Eastern will get a strong test when the Comets travel to Mississinewa for Friday night’s scrimmage. Eastern enters the season ranked No. 7 in Class 2A, while Mississinewa is ranked No. 9 in Class 3A, making it the only scrimmage featuring two ranked teams involving a Howard County team.
The Comets return several key contributors, including senior quarterback and linebacker Gibson Eagle, senior fullback and linebacker Abe Edwards and senior wide receiver and safety Bentley Hullinger. Mississinewa also returns several experienced players after reaching the sectional championship game last season.
Eastern will look to finish the preseason strong before opening the season on the road against rival Oak Hill in Week 1.
Purdue Poly Englewood (6-4 in 2025) vs. Taylor (6-4 in 2025)
Taylor will look to carry the momentum from back-to-back winning seasons into Friday night’s scrimmage against Purdue Polytechnic Englewood. The Titans enter the season with Tim Weeks back for his second stint as head coach and several key contributors returning on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback and strong safety Dylan Underwood, wide receiver and free safety Keyshawn Galloway and running back and outside linebacker Slater Farmer will be among the players to watch for Taylor. The scrimmage will give the Titans an opportunity to see how they respond under Weeks before the regular season begins.
Purdue Polytechnic Englewood is coming off the first winning season in program history after going 6-4 in 2025. Taylor will look to finish the preseason strong before hosting North White in Week 1.
With Week 1 just around the corner, Friday’s scrimmages will give Howard County teams one final opportunity to prepare before the regular season begins. The results won’t count, but the reps and adjustments will help set the tone for the weeks ahead.
Week 1 arrives Aug. 21, with teams across the county taking the field for another high school football season. From local rivalries to new faces in key roles, there will be plenty of reasons for fans to get out to the games and support their teams under the Friday night lights.
