Football Commences 2026 Campaign vs. Trotwood-Madison on Friday at Home
The Central Catholic football team will kick off its 2026 season against Trotwood-Madison on Friday, August 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gallagher Stadium.
Please click HERE for complete game-day information, including ticketing, parking, and directions.
Fans are reminded of the following ticket and entry policies:
Online student ticket sales close at noon on Friday.
All ticket sales close at 7:30 p.m.
There is no re-entry into Gallagher Stadium.
No entry will be permitted after the start of the second half.
Fans unable to attend Friday’s season opener can listen LIVE on 100.7 FM The Ticket. “Voice of the Irish” Bill Clark, Jim Oswald, and Jackson Stricker will take to the air beginning at 6 p.m. The game can also be streamed online HERE.
The Fighting Irish will compete in Division II of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) for the first time since 2022 while beginning their fourth consecutive season as a member of the Catholic High School League (CHSL).
In the CHSL Central Division preseason coaches’ poll, CCHS was picked to finish second behind two-time defending champion Detroit Catholic Central in the seven-team division.
Under the direction of 27th-year Head Coach Greg Dempsey, the Scarlet & Gray will be led by a talented senior group that includes quarterback Ali Beydoun, running back/defensive back Jeremiah Fuller, wide receiver/defensive back Keyon Robinson, defensive lineman/offensive lineman Chris Sanders, Jr., and wide receiver/defensive back Beckham Vargas. Fuller and Vargas will serve as team captains. The group features three returning All-Ohio performers as the Fighting Irish look to make another deep postseason run.
Last fall, Central Catholic advanced to the OHSAA state championship game for the fourth consecutive season. The Fighting Irish finished 11-5 overall, posted a 3-2 record in CHSL play, and extended the program’s streak of consecutive OHSAA playoff appearances to 22 seasons.
Trotwood-Madison finished the 2025 season with an 8-4 record. The Rams are led by Head Coach Jeff Graham.
Central Catholic and Trotwood-Madison met five times in the postseason over a six-year span. CCHS defeated the Rams to capture the 2012 Division II state championship before earning Division III state semifinal victories in 2014 and 2015. Trotwood-Madison responded with semifinal victories in 2016 and 2017, with the latter marking the most recent meeting between the programs.
Following Friday’s opener, Central Catholic will return to Gallagher Stadium to host Portage Central on Thursday, August 27, at 6 p.m.
