Mid-State League-Buckeye
Bloom-Carroll (D-IV)
2020 Record: 8-1 (4-0)
Offense: 25.8 PPG (43rd in area)
Defense: 4.9 PPG Allowed (1st in area)
Key Players: Beau Wisecarver, WR/SS/FS; Brandon Totten, WR/SS/FS; Luke Ferrell, OL/DL; Clay Dozer, LB/FB; Kevin Tyler, OL/DL; Branyon Dodds, WR/CB; Nick Toole, OL/LB; Aiden Kirby, OL/DL
Game to Watch: Week 1 @ West Jefferson
The Bulldogs of Bloom Carroll enjoyed a very successful season going undefeated in the regular season including five games where they shut out their opponents.
Coach Wade Bartholomew said that his focus has been to build the team’s chemistry going into the season as the pandemic may have made this a bit more difficult last year.
“We as a staff set out this off-season and summer trying to create opportunities for our players to be around each other off the field,” Bartholomew said.
Offensively the Bulldogs will be running the no-huddle featuring many RPOs, triple options, and screen passes to find unique ways of moving the ball around.
Bartholomew said that his No. 1 ranked defense will not be changed in the slightest as it is difficult to allow any less points than 4.9 per game.
“Why fix it if it isn’t broken?” Bartholomew said.
The Bulldogs’ Week 1 matchup against West Jefferson will be telling as Bloom-Carroll will be tested by a non-conference team that went 7-2 last year and scored 337 points in nine games.
Bartholomew said that he is optimistic on his team’s chances as he continues to be impressed by his players’ work ethics.
“We are excited to get this season going,” Bartholomew said. “Our players have dedicated themselves since January and the expectations are high.”
Hamilton Township (D-III)
2020 Record: 6-2 (4-1)
Offense: 28.0 PPG (33rd in area)
Defense: 15.5 PPG Allowed (23rd in area)
Key Players: Riley Gibbs, OLB; Kaden Kiser, TE; Joseph Sarvino, DT; Tyler Bornheim, DE; Jayce Peters, G; Trent Renz, DE
Game to Watch: Week 10 vs. Bloom-Carroll
The Rangers of Hamilton Township secured the second spot in the MSL-Buckeye in 2020 going 6-4 overall with just one loss in conference play.
Hamilton Township fell in last season’s first week, but bounced back going on a five-game winning streak before losing to Bishop Watterson in the second round of the playoffs.
The Rangers put up an impressive defense especially in the MSL-Buckeye as they never allowed more than 18 points from an in-conference opponent.
Hamilton Township’s only in-conference loss came in Week 1 to Bloom-Carroll 10-0.
If the Rangers can score more points in this same matchup this year in Week 10, it is likely that they can defeat the Bulldogs of Bloom-Carroll and secure the top spot in the conference.
Teays Valley (D-II)
2020 Record: 3-6 (2-1)
Offense: 20.0 PPG (65th in area)
Defense: 26.9 PPG Allowed (77th in area)
Key Players: Tyler Love, QB; Landon Thompson, RB; Hunter Langbein, MLB; Luke Bullock, T; Samuel Jones, DE
Game to Watch: Week 8 vs. Amanda-Clearcreek
The Teays Valley Viking began last season with success winning both of their first two games
This success was short lived as they would lose six out of their next seven games finishing with an overall record of 3-6.
Teays Valley was unable to have a traditional conference schedule last season due to the pandemic, so the Vikings only played three teams in the MSL-Buckeye.
Week 7 versus Amanda-Clearcreek will be a crucial game for the Vikings as Amanda-Clearcreek was an in-conference opponent that they did not see last year.
A win in this game would prove that Teays Valley is capable of taking down other in-conference teams while planning for teams they may not have seen in years.
Logan Elm (D-IV)
2020 Record: 5-5 (3-3)
Offense: 29.4 PPG (22nd in area)
Defense: 24.2 PPG Allowed (60th in area)
Key Players: RJ Weber, C; Ethan Smith, RB; Ryan Miller, C;Garret Summers, FS
Game to Watch: Week 10 @ Teays Valley
Logan Elm produced a fairly successful season in 2020 going 5-5 overall with a 3-3 in-conference schedule.
While the Braves fell to their MSL-Buckeye counterparts Bloom-Carroll and Hamilton Township, they still have impressive wins of over two possessions to teams like Logan and Circleville.
Logan Elm’s high-powered offense averaged almost 30 points per game which is the highest in their conference.
The Braves will hope to continue this offensive success while improving their record as they play a normal schedule with four non-conference and six in-conference games.
Week 10 against Teays Valley will be especially crucial to see the Braves’ improvement as they lost this matchup 31-25 last season.
Amanda-Clearcreek (D-V)
2020 Record: 4-4 (2-3)
Offense: 20.4 PPG (63rd in area)
Defense: 19.6 PPG Allowed (42nd in area)
Key Players: Cade Young, LB/TE; Nathan Hunter, QB/DB; Hunter Matheny, RB, LB; Tayvon Miller, DB/WR; Grant Guiler, DB/WR; Robert Rowland, DE/TE; Peyton Cassley, WR/DB; Jonathan Weaver, K
Game to Watch: Week 5 @ Liberty Union
The Aces ended last season with an even record and enjoyed moderate success on defense allowing less than 20 points per game.
Coach Steve Daulton’s team lost in the second round of the playoffs but he said that they are preparing to go even further this season with help from their skill players on both sides of the ball.
“We feel that our strength this year will be in our returning skill position players,” Daulton said. “We feel we've evolved some things to take advantage of that.”
The Aces Week 5 game at Liberty Union will be important as this is the team that knocked out Amanda-Clearcreek in the playoffs.
A win in this game would give Daulton’s team a morale boost in the middle of the season where wins will be even more crucial.
Daulton said that beyond his team's skill is his own happiness that high school football is returning to normal in this regular season.
“I believe we all took for granted how great it is being under the lights in a full stadium on Friday nights,” Daulton said. “I'm very excited to get back to that feeling.”
Fairfield Union (D-IV)
2020 Record: 3-6 (1-4)
Offense: 21.0 PPG (59th in area)
Defense: 33.0 PPG Allowed (98th in area)
Key Players: Kevin Hazelwood, CB; Gunnar George, DL; Jayden Pritchard, RB; Hunter Clark, QB
Game to Watch: Week 1 @ New Lexington
The Falcons started the 2020 season off slow with a six-game losing streak including four losses to in-conference opponents.
Fairfield Union finished off the season strong, though, winning their final three games to finish with a 3-6 record.
The Falcons’ losses may be explained by their allowing 33 points per game which is 98th in the area.
They also failed to win a game on the road, but would hope to change both this statistic and their defense this year.
Week 1 at New Lexington would be a chance for the Falcons to show improvement as it puts them on the road against a team that averaged 28.1 points per game last season.
Circleville (D-IV)
2020 Record: 0-6 (0-4)
Offense: 13.0 PPG (97th in area)
Defense: 38.5 PPG Allowed (106th in area)
Key Players: Jesse Fuller, CB; Micheal Clark, TE; Michael Vandagriff, K; Wyatt Thatcher, RB; Colin Michael, MLB
Game to Watch: Week 1 vs. Huntington
Circleville’s Tigers struggled during last year’s shortened season and failed to win a game.
Circleville also ranked lower than 95th in both points per game and points allowed per game.
This season the Tigers would hope to change both of these statistics by winning games and playing better on both offense and defense.
Circleville’s Week 1 game against Huntington will be an opportunity for the Tigers to remember how to win while also boosting their morale to start off the season.
Mid-State League-Cardinal
Berne Union (D-VII)
2020 Record: 7-2 (5-0)
Offense: 37.9 PPG (3rd in area)
Defense: 14.0 PPG Allowed (18th in area)
Key Players: Nate Nemeth, QB/DB; Brae Friesner, RB/DB; Sammy Amnah, WR/DB; Ian Staten, TE/DE; Carter Carpenter, OL; Carson Bauer, OL/LB; Garrett Carpenter, FB/DL; Luke Shafer, RB/CB; James Ashton, OL/LB
Game to Watch: Week 2 @ Caldwell
Berne Union enjoyed impressive success in the regular season last year, nearly going undefeated and making it all the way to the third round of the Division VII playoffs.
Coach Tony Hurps said that the return of many veteran players has helped the team along, and Hurps is glad to see that the team’s mentality is in a good place.
“We return a lot of players with play-off experience and we have high expectations,” Hurps said. “Our culture has finally evolved into how we envisioned it when I took over.”
Hurps said that his team will be very aggressive on defense with constant blitzes and constantly running for the ball.
Berne Union’s offense will be based on running with a spread-option attack also added in to surprise the defense.
A telling game for the Rockets will be in Week 2 against Caldwell as Berne Union fell in this matchup last season in their only regular season loss.
Hurps said that while the offseason was a challenging time, this season will offer his team and many others the chance to enjoy football again.
“This off-season has felt longer than others with everything that we have dealt with during COVID,” Hurps said. “I think everyone is ready to get out there and start hitting again.”
Worthington Christian (D-VI)
2020 Record: 7-2 (5-1)
Offense: 33.8 PPG (11th in area)
Defense: 14.1 PPG Allowed (19th in area)
Key Players: Correll Amsbaugh, TE; Hobie Raikes, QB; Tyler White, RB; Grant Woodfin, K; Ethan Albert, RB; Daelon Johnston, MLB
Game to Watch: Week 7 vs. Berne Union
Worthington Christian had a successful 2020 season on both sides of the both ranking higher than 20th in both points per game (33.8) and points per game allowed (14.1).
This effectiveness on both sides of the ball translated into a winning 7-2 record overall including only one loss in conference play.
This loss came at Berne Union in Week 6 after a five-game winning streak to start Worthington Christian’s season.
Without this defeat, it is possible that Worthington Christian could have taken the first spot in the conference from Berne Union.
This year Worthington Christian’s Warriors will hope to win this year’s matchup at home against Berne Union, possibly securing their spot at the top of the division.
Grove City Christian (D-VII)
2020 Record: 4-3 (4-1)
Offense: 16.0 PPG (80th in area)
Defense: 25.1 PPG Allowed (62nd in area)
Key Players: Jayden Hanks, QB; James Suhayda, WR; Jordan Dupler, DT; Tyler Richmond, G; Conner Jones, DE; Zane Lewis, DE
Game to Watch: Week 10 @ Worthington Christian
Grove City Christian’s Eagles enjoyed a successful start last year going 4-1 in their first five games.
While they lost their last two games, the Eagles were still among the three best teams in the MSL-Cardinal.
One game Grove City Christian would like to have back would be their Week 1 loss last year to the Worthington Christian Warriors 49-7.
After that severe defeat, the Eagles were resilient in coming back to win their next four games, yet the loss affected how the conference standings would shape up to end the year.
In Week 10 Grove City Christian meets the Warriors on the road to end the 2021 season in a game that is sure to have implications for how the MSL-Cardinal standings will turn out.
Fisher Catholic (D-VII)
2020 Record: 4-5 (3-3)
Offense: 18.4 PPG (72nd in area)
Defense: 26.1 PPG Allowed (66th in area)
Key Players: Waylon Yeager, OL/DL; Jack Tencza, RB/LB; Kavanuagh Frank OL/LB; Jonathan Crook, OL/DL; Jack Wright, RB/LB
Game to Watch: Week 4 @ Grove City Christian
The Fisher Catholic Irish were a moderately successful team last year with an even conference record, but ultimately failed to get above 500 overall.
Coach Luke Thimmes said how important it was that his team get offseason reps as these were sometimes unavailable last year due to the pandemic.
“We have focused on reps, reps, reps,” Thimmes said. “Coupled with the loss of reps last year from COVID and possibly depending on some young players, our team needs as many reps as possible.”
Thimmes said he is optimistic about his team on both offense and defense while also being cautious of his small roster and the reality of injuries in any game.
“We feel confident right now in our ability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” Thimmes said. “But we will need to avoid the injury bug with our low numbers.”
The Irish will be tested in Week 4 against Grove City Christian as they lost to the Eagles by one possession last season even though Fisher Catholic ranked higher in points per game.
Fairfield Christian (D-VII)
2020 Record: 3-6 (2-4)
Offense: 14.7 PPG (92nd in area)
Defense: 28.0 PPG Allowed (84th in area)
Key Players: Julius Wilson, SB; Zi Pardon, QB; Luke Herron, WR; Eddie Shick, G; Sam Rauch, RB
Game to Watch: Week 2 @ Notre Dame
The Fairfield Christian Knights spent the 2020 season biting their nails as they had four games decided by a possession with one going into overtime.
The Knights went 2-2 in these games, yet each of these games had a good chance of going in Fairfield Christian’s favor.
The team will nevertheless come into 2021 with a new attitude to improve this record and rise in the MSL-Cardinal standings.
One way to help build their morale would be for the Knights to defeat Notre Dame on the road in Week 2.
Fairfield Christian lost in this matchup last year 38-13, so overcoming this opponent would give the Knights redemption and momentum going into conference play.
Miller (D-VII)
2020 Record: 2-6 (1-5)
Offense: 15.4 PPG (85th in area)
Defense: 22.3 PPG Allowed (52nd in area)
Key Players: Tre McCoy, WR; Quin McCabe, WR; Kylan McClain, RB; Logan Doughty
Game to Watch: Week 9 @ Fairfield Christian
The Falcons of Miller High began the 2020 season with a promising 2-1 record, but declined losing their final five games including a first round playoff game.
First-year coach Dominic Scott hopes to do much better this year by focusing on the fundamentals, helping his players learn discipline, and getting players into the weightroom.
“We feel as a staff if we show strengths in these areas that will help to lead to success on the football field Friday nights,” Scott said.
Scott’s strategy will be especially tested in a late-season game against Fairfield Christain.
The Falcons will be looking to avenge their one-point loss to the Knights last year while gaining momentum late in the season with the playoffs looming.
Scott said he is ready to present his team to the world in Week 1 and hopes that the other teams in the area are prepared for the new Miller football team.
“When August 20 arrives the Miller Falcons will be well prepared and chomping at the bit to play in our first game,” Scott said.
Bishop Rosecrans (D-VII)
2020 Record: 1-9 (0-6)
Offense: 12.1 PPG (101st in area)
Defense: 40.5 PPG Allowed (108th in area)
Key Players: Rex Hankinson, RB; Malakai Clark, TE; Weston Hartman, WR; Ethan Phillips, C
Game to Watch: Week 7 vs. Fairfield Christian
Bishop Rosecrans had a rough 2020 season in which their only win came in its second last game all year.
Yet as with many things in football and beyond, 2021 is a new year with new possibilities for the Bishops.
One way that Bishop Rosecrans can show this new version of itself would be with a Week 7 win versus Fairfield Christian.
The Bishops forced Fairfield Christian into overtime last year, so the potential is there for Bishop Rosecrans to pull off the win in this year’s matchup.
This win would not only boost Bishop Rosecrans’ morale late in the season, but also ensure that they have progressed since last year.
Liberty Union (D-V)
2020 Record: 7-2 (5-1)
Offense: 36.0 PPG (7th in area)
Defense: 17.2 PPG Allowed (30th in area)
Key Players: Jacob Denney, WR; C.J. Barnett, SB; Braden Shreyer, MLB; Cayden Carroll, QB
Game to Watch: Week 6 @ Bloom Carroll
Just behind Columbus Academy, Liberty Union’s Lions secured the second spot in the MSL-Ohio in 2020.
They began the season with a four-game winning streak that was snapped in Week 5 by the MSL-Ohio’s champion Columbus Academy.
In 2021 Liberty Union will be playing in the MSL-Buckeye, so they will not get a chance at revenge against the Vikings.
The Lions will, however, get to play some premier teams including Bloom-Carroll who had the best defense in the area in 2020.
Liberty Union had the 7th best offense in the area, so this game is sure to be high-powered on both sides of the ball and a crucial game affecting conference standings.
Mid-State League-Ohio
Columbus Academy (D-V)
2020 Record: 7-2 (6-1)
Offense: 27.9 PPG (34th in area)
Defense: 11.8 PPG Allowed (9th in area)
Key Players: Carter James, RB; Drake Bellisari, RB; Jake Carlin, SB; Gyvnn Mendenhall, T; Tommy Jauchius, DE; Parker Logan, RB
Game to Watch: Week 4 @ Harvest Prep
Columbus Academy enjoyed great success on defense last year allowing an average of just 11.8 points per game which is 9th among teams in the area.
The Vikings only lost one game going into the playoffs where they easily dispatched of Coshocton in the first round.
The second round was a different story as they met their MSL-Ohio rival and the 8th best offense in the area last year in Harvest Prep.
The Vikings fell in this game yet the season still showed promise for the future, and they could still be proud of winning the conference during the regular season.
Columbus Academy’s Week 4 game at Harvest Prep will show how its talented defense can match up against an offense that averaged 35.7 points per game last year.
With a win, the Vikings can show that their defense is just as good this year as last year and possibly even more effective.
Harvest Prep (D-V)
2020 Record: 7-2 (5-1)
Offense: 35.7 PPG (8th in area)
Defense: 17.0 PPG Allowed (29th in area)
Key Players: Javon Eggert, RB; Jaylen Jennings, RB; Terrence Kee, SS; Phillip Gibson, OLB; Khelin Jackson, DT; Jalen Davis, DE; Esco Davis, FS
Game to Watch: Week 3 vs. Columbus Academy
The Warriors of Harvest Prep had a successful 2020 season starting 1-1 and then going on a six-game winning streak.
They would then lose in the third round of the playoffs to Ironton.
While they came in second in the MSL-Ohio, Harvest Prep could certainly shape up to the conference’s winner Columbus Academy.
The Warriors lost to Columbus Academy of Week 2 last season, but then met them in the second round of the playoffs.
This time Harvest Prep would walk off the field victorious 20-17 essentially making the top spot in the conference a tie.
Much like Columbus Academy, Harvest Prep’s most crucial game comes at home in Week 3 against the Vikings.
Although it comes early in the season, this game could decide which team wins the conference this year.
Bishop Ready (D-V)
2020 Record: 6-4 (4-2)
Offense: 28.4 PPG (31st in area)
Defense: 12.0 PPG Allowed (11th in area)
Key Players: Kaleb Schaffer, QB; Devon Malone, DT; Sage Tilley, CB; Brian Fitzsimmons, RB; J'sun Gardner, CB
Game to Watch: Week 3 @ Bishop Watterson
The Silver Knights had a winning 6-4 record last year and, much like their MSL-Ohio counterpart Columbus Academy, had a premier defense that ranked 11th in the area.
Bishop Ready pulled off some impressive wins last year beating nearly every team in its conference including handing Columbus Academy its only regular season loss in 2020.
The Silver Knights would hope to continue this success in 2021 while improving so that they may climb up the MSL-Ohio standings.
While their in-conference games will be important, the Silver Knights’ most crucial game comes in Week 3 at Bishop Watterson.
Bishop Ready has shown its ability to win inside its conference, but it remains to be seen if they can defeat competitive non-conference teams.
Bishop Watterson averaged 28 points per game last season, so the Eagles should be a test for Bishop Ready’s defense that only allowed 12 points per game on average.
Buckeye Valley (D-III)
2020 Record: 3-7 (3-3)
Offense: 16.3 PPG (78th in area)
Defense: 26.3 PPG Allowed (69th in area)
Key Players: Jeffery Beverly, QB; Alex Contreras, WR; Gabriel Gregg, QB/OLB; Mitchell Melfe, CB; Levi Richards, RB
Game to Watch: Week 1 @ Delaware Hayes
Buckeye Valley’s Barons produced some success during the 2020 season going 3-7 with an even 3-3 record in the MSL-Ohio.
The problem for the Barons was that they could not win against non-conference teams.
In the MSL-Ohio, Buckeye Valley went 3-2, yet with non-conference games the Barons failed to win a game in 2020.
This season, Buckeye Valley kicks off the season with a non-conference game against Delaware Hayes.
This would be the perfect opportunity for the Barons to show that they have progressed since last year in their ability to take on non-conference teams.
A win in Week 1 would boost Buckeye Valley’s confidence early in the season and help them perform better when conference play begins.
Bexley (D-IV)
2020 Record: 2-6 (1-5)
Offense: 13.8 PPG (94th in area)
Defense: 32.0 PPG Allowed (97th in area)
Key Players: Jonathan Spiess, QB; Dominic Gutter, RB; Kaelen Mathews, TE; Sam Powers, K; Noah Lyons, RB
Game to Watch: Week 1 @ Washington
Bexley’s Lions struggled to light a spark early last year as they began the year with a six-game losing streak.
They ended the 2020 season on a high note winning their final two games against Grandview Heights and KIPP Columbus.
While it has been months since the team has taken the field, Bexley can still say it begins the season on a winning streak.
So the Lions’ morale would be heavily boosted by a Week 1 win at Washington as this would technically extend their win streak.
This may then affect Bexley’s performance in the following games making it possible for them to extend that winning streak further.
Whitehall-Yearling (D-II)
2020 Record: 1-6 (1-5)
Offense: 12.1 PPG (102nd in area)
Defense: 34.4 PPG Allowed (100th in area)
Key Players: Tyrese Taylor, RB; Taron Biles-Walker, WR; Paul Fetherolf, T; Kevin Jackson, WR; Nakylan Haley, FS
Game to Watch: Week 9 vs. Buckeye Valley
The Rams of Whitehall-Yearling began last season fairly successful with an even 1-1 record through two games.
Yet this success would not last as the Rams would lose its remaining games and end the season ranked 100th or lower in both points per game and points allowed per game.
Despite last year’s struggles, Whitehall-Yearling still managed to put up some impressive performances including a 14-13 nail-biting loss to Buckeye Valley.
Although the Rams fell in this game, it showed they had the potential to defeat their in-conference counterpart.
This season Whitehall-Yearling will no doubt be out for revenge against Buckeye Valley, and a win for the Rams would redeem them this year and show their progression since last season.
Grandview Heights (D-VI)
2020 Record: 0-7 (0-5)
Offense: 6.9 PPG (110th in area)
Defense: 40.7 PPG Allowed (109th in area)
Key Players: Maddox Baker, FB; Logan Baker, QB; Tommy Ernst, OLB; Jack Rickert, LB
Game to Watch: Week 3 @ Northridge
Grandview Heights will look to put 2020’s disappointing season behind them as they come into 2021 with a new fervor to win games.
Coach Jason Peters said that his team has been focused on football’s basics during the offseason while also fostering cohesiveness among teammates.
The Bobcats’ Week 3 matchup at Northridge will be important to see if they can get a road road win early on in the season to build some momentum going into conference play.
Peters said that he is prepared and looking forward to how his team will be as he said that he is impressed with how his players have worked during the offseason.
“I am anxious to see how the season unfolds,” Peters said. “We have a great group of kids that have worked very hard.”