After laying the foundation during a 6-5 campaign in 2025, Chardon Football enters the 2026 season with more experience, greater familiarity, and expectations that remain as high as ever for one of Northeast Ohio’s premier football programs.
The Hilltoppers return six starters on each side of the ball for second-year head coach Brian Landies, who believes the progress made since last fall has his team positioned to take another step forward.
More important than the returning numbers, Landies has seen a group beginning to understand what it takes to lead a program accustomed to competing at a championship level.
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Leadership Sets the Tone
Chardon’s veteran players have taken ownership of the program throughout the offseason, something Landies believes will be critical as the Hilltoppers prepare for the grind of another season.
“Leadership from the upper-level students has been tremendous,” Landies said. “The team has embraced the suffering of the offseason and has shown mental, physical, and emotional growth. We are jelling as a team and learning how to set the temperature rather than react to it.”
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That experience begins in the offensive backfield.
Quarterback Andrew Cole returns to direct Chardon’s Wing-T offense and will have an experienced group of runners alongside him.
Andrew Platz, Ivan Chuha and Rocco Tarantino provide the Hilltoppers with veteran options in a system built around discipline, execution and a physical running game.
Aiden Hardesty also returns as a key two-way contributor. He will help anchor the offense at tight end while providing experience along Chardon’s defensive front.
With six starters back offensively, the Hilltoppers have a foundation in place to build upon as they look for greater consistency in Landies’ second season.
New Faces Ready to Contribute
Chardon also returns six defensive starters, but several new players could play significant roles in determining just how good the Hilltoppers can become.
Colin Cole, Rylan Miller and Cooper Borden are among the newcomers Landies expects to make an immediate impact.
Developing those players — and finding additional contributors behind them — will be especially important because depth remains one of Landies’ primary concerns entering the season.
“I’m not happy with our roster size,” Landies said. “Some of that can be attributed to the coaching turnover. I think kids are being deceived into believing their ticket is to specialize in a certain sport, and that’s hard to see. I love multi-sport athletes.
“I salute our parents and players who stick with it despite the uncertainty and discomfort because there are very few things in life that can provide lessons, relationships, and memories of high school football.”
Chardon may not have the roster size Landies would prefer, but the players who have remained have given him reason for optimism with their commitment throughout the offseason.
Learning to Prepare Like a Champion
The standard at Chardon isn’t difficult to find.
The Hilltoppers won back-to-back Division III state championships in 2020 and 2021, establishing a legacy that continues to influence each group that comes through the program.
Landies understands that talent and offseason work alone won’t allow the 2026 Hilltoppers to reach those heights.
The next step is learning how to prepare like a championship team every day, particularly during the six days between games.
“Our players still need to learn how to prepare at an elite level on a micro level,” Landies said. “Their body of work in the offseason has been impressive, but preparing your body and mind in the six days between games is something that we can talk about until we are blue in the face.
“The reality is that each player needs to take responsibility for their diet, sleep habits, film, and game plan study. When we get to that level with a talented team, it can be special.”
That attention to detail could determine whether Chardon simply improves upon last year’s 6-5 finish or develops into a team capable of making a much deeper run.
Carrying on the Chardon Legacy
Every Chardon team inherits expectations created by the players who came before it.
Landies doesn’t shy away from those expectations. Instead, he wants the current Hilltoppers to understand what wearing a Chardon uniform represents and then add something of their own to the program’s history.
“We are excited to represent Chardon on and off the field,” Landies said. “We know there is a very high standard here, and we will work to build on the legacy those in the Hilltopper graveyard have left for us.”
The Hilltoppers have plenty of pieces with which to work.
They have an experienced quarterback, a veteran backfield, six returning starters on each side of the ball, and a group Landies believes has grown physically and mentally since last season.
Depth will have to develop, and the Hilltoppers still must learn to carry their preparation from the offseason into each week of the regular season.
If they do, Landies believes this group has the talent to make 2026 a special season — and potentially add another chapter to Chardon’s championship tradition.
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CHARDON HILLTOPPERS Football
2026-2027 Chardon Hilltoppers Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Series* | Result | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 20, 2026 Thursday | vs  Jackson | 0-1 | L 13-34 | 7:00 PM | Chardon |
| Aug. 28, 2026 Friday | 2-0 | W 25-7 | 7:00 PM | Chardon | |
| Sep. 4, 2026 Friday | 0-1 | L 31-38 | 7:00 PM | McDowell Watch | |
| Sep. 11, 2026 Friday | 16-10 | W 20-16 | 7:00 PM | Madison | |
| Sep. 18, 2026 Friday | 24-6 | L 21-22 | 7:00 PM | Chardon | |
| Sep. 25, 2026 Friday | 23-11 | L 28-35 | 7:00 PM | South Watch | |
| Oct. 2, 2026 Friday | 1-0 | W 58-0 | 7:00 PM | Lutheran West Watch | |
| Oct. 9, 2026 Friday | 2-2 | L 14-21 | 7:00 PM | Perry | |
| Oct. 16, 2026 Friday | 11-2 | W 73-7 | 7:00 PM | Chardon Watch | |
| Oct. 23, 2026 Friday | 4-2-1 | W 48-28 | 7:00 PM | Chardon |
Cleveland Heights
Madison Blue Streaks
North Rangers
Willoughby South Rebels
Lutheran West Longhorns
Perry Pirates
Lakeside Dragons
Harvey Red Raiders* Historical series data: Records shown are based on the OV Sports Engine historical football database beginning with the 1972 season. Earlier meetings may not be included.
