Week 1 football schedule change: Akron North set to open season at Fairport Harding

Doug Miller is still scheduled to debut as a head coach Friday night, but the new leader of the North football program is suddenly preparing his team for a different opponent and venue.

North will kick off its season on the road in Fairport Harbor against the Fairport Harding Skippers at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Vikings had been slated to open the season against Cleveland Collinwood at Ellet, but the game was canceled with Collinwood citing a helmet shortage for its players.

The contract for the North-Collinwood game was scrapped Friday, and the pact for the North-Fairport Harding game was finalized late Sunday night, Akron Public Schools assistant athletic director Ron Linger said Monday.

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"It would have been the first home game in the history of the school to start the season, and now it is just another road game," Miller said.

Fairport Harding had been scheduled to face Cleveland East Tech in Week 1 before pivoting to North. East Tech canceled on Fairport Harding due to a helmet shortage for its players.

North, a Division II program, went 0-10 last season. Fairport Harding, a Division VII program, went 3-5.

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Miller said he has traded film with Fairport Harding coaches, and he and his staff and players are "preparing for Friday."

"Everything was a scramble on Friday," Miller said. "I talked to Collinwood and they said that they were not going to be able to play. We were hearing rumblings of other teams having to cancel because of helmet shortages.

"... You just gotta roll with the punches and give it your best go."

A new coach for the Vikings:Akron Public Schools tabs Doug Miller to coach North football team

Miller was hired earlier this year to fill a coaching position that was previously occupied by Sonil Haslam, who died suddenly on Nov. 2, 2021 at the age of 46. 

Haslam was trying to build North into a more competitive football team, which proved to be difficult with small teams that lacked depth and size.

Haslam was hired to be the North football coach in 2016 and led the Vikings sidelines for the past six seasons. During that time, North won one game.

Obituary:Akron Public Schools mourns death of North football coach Sonil Haslam

Despite all of the setbacks, Akron Public Schools Athletic Director Joe Vassalotti, Linger and North Athletic Director Carrie Stewart always raved about the effort and love that Haslam gave towards his players.

Coaches ranging from the City Series to the Suburban League to the Metro Athletic Conference to the teams with no league affiliation appreciated and respected Haslam's approach towards mentoring his players.

Miller, 35, is one of those coaches who watched Haslam from the other sideline during his work as an assistant at Kenmore-Garfield during the past three seasons.

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Ulrich on Twitter www.twitter.com/ByNateUlrich.

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