In the lead-up to the 2026 Ohio high school football season, we’re previewing all the Stark County-area teams.
Today we’ll look at the North Canton Hoover Vikings, who attempt to retool after graduating a huge senior class that included Repository Stark County Player of the Year Jack Andes and Michigan State offensive line recruit Jack Ziarko.
Here are head coach Brian Baum’s returning lettermen, impact players, top newcomers, schedule and other tidbits for the 2026 season.
North Canton Hoover Vikings
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North Canton Hoover football’s returning lettermen (17)
North Canton Hoover football’s impact players
The Vikings are strong across the defensive line with ends Owen Williams and Aaron Brubaker, along with interior player Joe Gniazdowski. Williams totaled 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season, while Brubaker had 12 TFLs and seven sacks. Gniazdowski added six TFLs and three sacks. Williams and Gniazdowski also are likely to play major roles on a Hoover offensive line that must replace all five starters. … Hoover plans to get the football in the hands of WRs Michael Stader and Chris Carter. Head coach Brian Baum called Stader “Mr. Consistency” and added, “He’s got size and nice hands.” Carter is an outstanding athlete whom the Vikings want to use all over the offense like they did Jack Andes last year. … Michael Lammlein runs hard and performed well when given the opportunity last year. He ran for 354 yards at 4.1 a carry and a TD. Lammlein also catches the ball well out of the backfield. … Safety Nathan Sikora, Hoover’s top returning tackler from last year with 53, can bounce around the back half of the defense and make plays. Brady Hassen and Teayn Ledwell are two other important pieces in the Hoover secondary. Sikora and Hassen also should provide depth at wide receiver.
What’s new with Hoover High School football in 2026
Hoover goes into two-a-days considering three players at quarterback as they replace the graduated John Collins. They are seniors Ryan Kavanagh and Nolan Bonner and freshman Alex Lakota. Kavanagh is a standout lacrosse player and the only candidate with experience in Hoover’s varsity football system. “He’s not big. But he’s not big on the lacrosse field either,” Baum said. “He sees openings. He has a knack for that. He gets rid of the ball quick.” Bonner, a big kid with a big arm, transfers in after spending the previous two seasons at Canton South and McKinley, respectively. Bonner played more D-line than QB for South last year, but Hoover is considering him just at quarterback for now. About the ninth-grader Lakota, Baum said, “He’s going to be an exciting player. I expect him to keep developing over the course of the year and be ready to play varsity football, whether it be this year or the next.” … The Vikings graduated LB Carter Lukens, who was all over Hoover’s defense last year with 161 tackles, 20 TFLs and five interceptions. Fortunately, they have Lukens’ younger brother, Jake, to step in to a bigger role after he made 32 tackles last year, six for loss. Justin Oster will be another important linebacker for Hoover. Lukens also is a candidate to carry the football. … Junior WR-DB Elijah Fryson is a kid Baum is excited to see at the skill positions.
North Canton Hoover football’s outlook
Hoover graduated an enormous senior class that included the Repository Stark County Player of the Year (Andes) and a Michigan State recruit on the offensive line (Jack Ziarko). The Vikings return only four total touchdowns (one each from Stader, Lammlein, Hassen and Lukens). So there will be plenty of new faces all over the field in 2026. “It’s about growth and getting guys ready to be varsity players,” Baum said. “We’ve done really well in the offseason. They’ve done what we asked. They worked their tails off. The guys that didn’t, it shows. So the guys that worked are getting the first crack. They’re stepping up and doing good things.” … Baum has switched offensive line coach Justin Stutz to the defensive line, where he’ll coordinate Hoover’s defensive front. Jarrett Burress and Sam Rutledge will coach Hoover’s offensive line. Baum also has brought on former Louisville standout Tyler Adams as a wide receivers coach. Adams played collegiately at Harvard and Butler. … Hoover opens the season against Buchtel for a fifth straight year.
North Canton football schedule for 2026
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hoover High School football schedule, lettermen, 2026 preview
Reporting by Josh Weir, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Josh Weir, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
