Forty players from nine of the 10 GMC schools gathered at the Sharonville Convention Center to celebrate making official the next step in their careers – really, their lives. Only Oak Hills wasn’t on hand, along with four of the 44 conference football players who had signed letters of intent through Wednesday. A couple of the missing players, such as Lakota West defensive back and Ohio State recruit Jyaire Brown, already had graduated and enrolled at their new schools, but Fairfield offensive lineman Augie Groh, who had committed to Eastern Illinois, was mulling over that morning’s offer from Ohio State to become a preferred walk-on, according to Indians coach Jason Krause.
Family members and friends were on hand for the 23rd signing-day celebration, for which GMC assistant commissioner Stu Eversole served as the master-of-ceremonies. Eversole warned the players that moving on would almost be like starting over.
“Sure, while you were being recruited, everybody was your friend,” Eversole said. “They were smiling and patting you on the back. Now, you’re theirs. It’s going to take character. They’re going to have older players. You’re going to have to earn your stripes. You’ll be carrying the tackling dummies. You’ll be on the scout team again. You’ll have to brace yourself and stay focused on the task at hand.”
One player who’s been down that road is Middletown offensive tackle Logan Osborne, who will play at Dayton. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Osborne, the only Middie on hand Wednesday, played the first two series of the 2021 season before dislocating his left shoulder and tearing the labrum, costing him the rest of the year. He was being recruited by Miami, Harvard and Columbia before the injury.
“I’m the grades guy,” he said with a smile about the Ivy League interest, adding that those schools backed off after the injury. “It’s hard to get recruited when you don’t have senior-year film to show them. They wanted to see a little more, and I couldn’t provide that.”
Football Championship Subdivision Dayton and Division II Grand Valley State stayed in the hunt, and Osborne – who was just cleared by his physicians on Tuesday – picked the Flyers.
“When I visited, it was like nothing had happened,” said Osborne, who plans to major in Health Science. “They were with me and supported me.”
He admits that his recent experience played a role in his choice of majors.
“A little bit,” he said. “I know much it can affect you, and if I can help somebody, that would mean a lot more to me. I’m going to take a year, put on some weight and see what happens.”
That kind of attitude is what helped Osborne serve three straight years as a Middletown team captain, coach Donnie Simpson said.
“Even while he was injured, he showed up for every practice, every game, every meeting,” Simpson said. “That’s a true testament to what kind of teammate he is.”
Hamilton High School’s Haiden Renner and Kerry Ware will continue being teammates in college at Division III Wittenberg University. Each knew the other was considering the Springfield program, but they denied that they were a package deal, instead arriving separately at their decision.
The 5-11, 260-pound Renner, a Big Blue center, also was recruited by Walsh College, Mount St. Joseph and Ashland University, he said.
“I was impressed with the other colleges, but I just liked Wittenberg,” said Renner, who plans to major in Exercise Science and Sports Management.
The promise of immediate playing time helped sway his decision.
“They have a fifth-year senior coming back next year, so they said I’ll be the starting left guard and then move to center,” he said.
Tiffin, Ohio Northern and Wilmington were among the schools recruiting the 5-11, 175-pound Ware, he said.
“They have great facilities,” the wide receiver said.
Besides being teammates with the Tigers, Ware and Renner also will be classmates. Ware plans to also major in Exercise Science.
Other signees from area schools:
Hamilton – Kaleb Johnson (Iowa).
Lakota East – Charlie Kenrich (Purdue), Jaiden Palmore-Lett (Ashland), Greg Roberson (Ashland), Nate Rosario-Santos (Notre Dame College), Caleb Vanhosser (Indiana State).
Lakota West – Alex Afari (Kentucky), Bryan Henderson (Indiana State), Lathan McCormis (Wofford College), Aden Miller (University of Charleston), Tegra Tshabola (Ohio State).
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