Lockland High School won't field a football team this fall, and a new Ohio law means its displaced players could suit up for the Princeton Vikings in as little as two weeks.
Superintendent Bob Longworth announced Aug. 4, that Lockland is canceling its 2026 varsity football season after fewer than 12 student athletes attended a Aug. 3, meeting about the program's future. About half of those who showed up said they didn't want to continue, citing injury risk from playing both sides of the ball and the challenge of learning multiple positions across a 10-week season, WLWT reported.
Longworth said he will not stand in the way of players seeking football opportunities elsewhere.
A new path to Princeton
Under OHSAA Bylaw 4-3-1, Exception 8, signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine on July 7, a student enrolled at a public school that does not sponsor a team sport may petition to play at a neighboring public school within 20 miles, provided both superintendents agree. The rule took effect for the 2026-27 school year.
Lockland and Princeton City Schools are both in northern Hamilton County, well within that 20-mile threshold. With Longworth publicly clearing the way, the remaining hurdle for any Lockland player is approval from Princeton's superintendent, Dr. Mari Phillips, who took office Aug. 1.
Whether any Lockland athletes have contacted Princeton Athletic Director Joe Roberts is not yet known. The timing is tight: Princeton opens its season Aug. 20, against Archbishop Moeller at Paycor Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:07 p.m.
Vikings gearing up for Week 1
Princeton enters 2026 coming off a 9-3 season and a Division I regional semifinal appearance. The Vikings are playing their opener at the Bengals' home stadium because Pat Mancuso Field at Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium is still undergoing renovations.
"The stadium renovations continue to progress. Obviously that was a big factor in where we are now because we're just not going to be ready for Week 1 here, which led us to an opportunity to play down there," Roberts told WCPO on July 29.
The team expects to return to its home field for Week 3 against Colerain after a Week 2 road game at Middletown.
According to Princeton City Schools, general admission tickets for the Paycor Stadium opener are $12 plus processing fees. Students from Princeton and Moeller can purchase $5 tickets during the week of Aug. 17. Parking is $10. The game will air live on Spectrum Sports Channel 1.
What's next
The OHSAA has not published a specific deadline for mid-season transfer petitions under the new neighboring-school law. Any Lockland player hoping to join Princeton's roster for the Aug. 20 opener would need both superintendents' signatures and OHSAA approval in roughly two weeks. Princeton's early-season schedule: Moeller (Aug. 20 at Paycor Stadium), at Middletown (Week 2), Colerain (Week 3 at home).
