On Aug. 8, 2026, Licking Valley hosted Columbus Academy for a high school football scrimmage at Randy Baughman Stadium, providing an early-season look at both programs as teams prepare for the upcoming fall campaign according to reporting from Kurt Snyder for The Newark Advocate.
Early August Scrimmages Shape the Central Ohio Gridiron Landscape
August practice weather in Central Ohio brings intense heat and humidity, testing the conditioning of athletes before the official regular season kicks off. Programs like Licking Valley and Columbus Academy use these controlled match-ups to evaluate depth, test schematic adjustments, and give younger players varsity reps under game-like conditions. Scrimmages strip away the final-score anxiety of Friday night lights, allowing coaching staffs to rotate personnel freely and examine how offseason strength and conditioning programs translate against physical competition from outside their own locker rooms.
For Licking Valley, playing host at Randy Baughman Stadium offered a chance to establish physical dominance early. Action on the turf featured fierce trench warfare, highlighted by moments such as Licking Valley’s Carson Adkins locking horns with a Columbus Academy defender during the competitive exhibition.
Evaluating Squad Depth and Tactical Adjustments
Preseason scrimmages serve as an indispensable laboratory for head coaches refining their playbooks. Teams integrate new starters into key positions following senior graduations, making August exhibitions critical for identifying chemistry issues on both sides of the ball. Columbus Academy traveled to Licking County with its own set of developmental goals, testing offensive execution and defensive pursuit angles against a traditionally tough Licking Valley squad.
Coaches monitor conditioning levels closely during these extended sessions, using regulated water breaks and substitution patterns to keep players safe while pushing the tempo. The intensity displayed on the field at Randy Baughman Stadium underscores how seriously local programs take these summer tune-ups.
Looking Ahead to the Regular Season
As the final whistle blew in Licking County, both coaching staffs packed up their notes with plenty of game film to review before official season openers arrive later in August. These high-tempo reps give players the physical readiness needed to endure a grueling regular-season schedule across Central Ohio divisions.
How do you think your local high school team looks heading into this fall? Drop a comment below and let us know how your squad is shaping up.
