The high school varsity football season will get under way Thursday evening.

Wayland will play a nonleague contest at Kenowa Hills and Hopkins will travel to Ravenna. Martin will be at home to take on Bellevue.

Coach Mike Doupe’s Wildcats are coming off a 3-6 season, hoping to climb above .500 for the first time since 2013.

Coach Cody Francis hopes to build more on the success of last year’s squad that went 9-2 and made the post-season playoffs.

Martin will have plenty of returning players for a team that qualified for the Division 8 playoffs before losing by just one point to state semifinalist Holton.

All games start at 7 p.m.