WBL's football schedule finalized

Celina-St. Marys set for Oct. 2

The Western Buckeye League released its modified football schedules for the 2020 season Wednesday.

The schedule, pending approval from the state, kicks off Aug. 28 with the final regular-season games set for Oct. 2. The playoffs - which will include all teams able to play or willing to enter the playoffs - starting on Oct. 9.

League commissioner Kent Smelser said it was a process he and the league athletic directors have been working on for some time.

"We've been working on this for several weeks, not knowing the direction we're going in," said Smelser via telephone after the release. "We're not sure which direction we're going in at this point (based on the state not yet signaling its decision)."

Smelser stated that a big part of the schedule makeup was to try to see that most of the schools' main rivalry matchups were preserved.

"We spent quite a bit of time trying to get rivalry games included in each team's schedule, as well as trying to balance the schedule as fair as we could as far as somebody not playing as strong a team as the others," said Smelser. "There's no perfect solution, but I know the ADs put a lot of time to try and make the best for each school."

For the two local WBL teams, both will face their main rivals during the season. Celina opens its schedule with Wapakoneta and would end the season with the Battle of Grand Lake at St. Marys on Oct. 2. St. Marys hosts Auglaize County rival Wapakoneta on Sept. 4.

As with the MAC, the WBL will not crown a league champion this season.

2020 Western Buckeye League Football Schedules: