PA high school football 2025: Butler County team previews, top players and fall sports breakdowns
It wasn’t exactly hot this week during heat acclimatization, but the sounds of pads, panting and whistles filled the air around Butler County.
Those sounds portend the quickly approaching 2025 PIAA high school football season.
As the final two weeks before the season opener Aug. 22 tick away, the Butler Eagle is gearing up for the gridiron with a full slate of preview coverage. The sports staff of editor Jake Merda Adams and reporters Derek Pyda and Brendan Howe are breaking down all 11 teams, as well as every other fall sport from golf to volleyball.
Every day, open this page for the latest team breakdowns, players to watch lists, schedules, games to watch and more. We are even including dates next to upcoming stories so you know when you can find the latest on your favorite team or players.
All of it will culminate in the release of the Butler Eagle’s football preview special section, which publishes in print Aug. 20.
Not a subscriber? Consider becoming one for as low as $8 a month for a digital subscription and $16 a month for a print subscription. And subscribe to our "Eye On Sports" podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Season 2 begins Aug. 21.
Here’s everything you need to know for the upcoming season:
∎ Top 5 contenders for this year’s Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy
∎ Here are the area’s top college football recruits and commits
∎ Meet the Butler County preseason Sweet 16 offense
∎ Meet the Butler County preseason Sweet 16 defense
∎ Butler to Union/A-C Valley: Each team’s schedule
∎ A week-by-week schedule of the football season
∎ The Top 10 games you don’t want to miss this season
∎ Butler: What to watch and 3 things to know | Why Beau Burchett doesn’t care about being a star | “Eye on Sports” episode with Beau Burchett, Stone Spack, Tyson Pino
∎ Freeport: What to watch and 3 things to know | Cole Troutman, Dawson Gaillot key to stingy D | “Eye on Sports” episode with Owen Neistein, Anthony O’Donnell
∎ Karns City: What to watch and 3 things to know | Meet the line powering the Gremlins’ offense | “Eye on Sports” episode with Sean Slaughenhoupt, Kolby Blair, CJ Emrick
∎ Knoch: What to watch and 3 things to know | Why Knights will lean on Zach Szebalskie | “Eye on Sports” episode with Ben Allen, Carter Worsley, Koen Sundie
∎ Mars: What to watch and 3 things to know | O-line the key behind high-powered offense | “Eye on Sports” episode with Ayden Yocum, Ethan Kresinski, Zach Dentel
∎ Moniteau: What to watch and 3 things to know | Position change suits Brendin Sankey just fine | “Eye on Sports” episode with Brendin Sankey, Braden Beachem, Levi Lacava
∎ North Catholic: What to watch and 3 things to know | Tommy Arth’s father-son football journey | “Eye on Sports” episode with Joe Felitsky, Nick Franco, Reid Rinker
∎ Seneca Valley: What to watch and 3 things to know | How the Raiders can unlock Adam Gehm | “Eye on Sports” episode with Cayden Parker, Adam Gehm, Tommy Wuycheck
∎ Slippery Rock: What to watch and 3 things to know | A Reich experience for Slippery Rock football’s first family | “Eye on Sports” episode with Sawyer Allen, Jacob Reich, Doug Popovec
∎ Summit Academy: What to watch and 3 things to know about the Knights
∎ Union/A-C Valley: What to watch and 3 things to know | Max Gallagher a key piece to Falcon Knights’ playoff hopes | “Eye on Sports” episode with Aidan Fox, Max Gallagher, Colbin Elliott
∎ Golf: Top boys and girls golfers to watch
∎ Girls tennis: Top players to watch
∎ Boys cross country: Top runners to watch
∎ Girls cross country: Top runners to watch
∎ Girls volleyball: Top storylines from Butler to Seneca Valley | Top players to watch
∎ Girls soccer: Top storylines from Karns City, Seneca Valley and Mars | Top players to watch
∎ Boys soccer: Top storylines from Freeport, Karns City and more | Top players to watch
