Week 1
Tippecanoe at Bellbrook
Larkin Thomas had 239 total yards and three touchdowns as the Red Devils opened last season with a 28-7 win over the Golden Eagles, but both teams went on to double-digit wins and league championships. These are programs that have established themselves as teams to watch every season.
Other games to watch: Alter vs. Fairmont, Beavercreek at Xenia, Springfield at Winton Woods, Coldwater at Valley View
Week 2
Wayne at Pickerington Central
The Warriors trailed by 18 points late in fourth quarter before mounting a comeback that came up just short, losing 45-40. These programs annually boast multiple major college prospects, and this year should be no different with Wayne receiver and Ohio State verbal commitment Jamier Averette-Brown leading the way for the Warriors and Middle Tennessee State commit Rocco Williams running the Tigers offense.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Other games to watch: Centerville at St. Xavier, Trotwood-Madison at Fairmont, Chaminade Julienne at Cincinnati Withrow, Xenia at Troy, Greeneview at Waynesville, Northridge at Kenton Ridge, Ansonia at Preble Shawnee
Week 3
Bellbrook at Valley View
The Golden Eagles snapped a two-game losing streak in this rivalry by holding Valley View to 65 total yards in a 16-3 victory in Greene County last season. Both teams went on to win their half of the Southwestern Buckeye League.
Other games to watch: Wayne at Lakewood St. Edward, Springfield at Trotwood-Madison, Cincinnati Taft at Chaminade Julienne, Xenia at Butler
Week 4
Fairmont at Centerville
This backyard brawl will also be a matchup of the defending GWOC co-champions. The Firebirds gained 388 total yards but turned the ball over three times and lost 31-28 to the Elks last season in Kettering. This year CHS has a new coach (John Puckett) while a new quarterback will be running Fairmont coach Dave Miller Jr.’s triple-option offense.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Other games to watch: Piqua at Troy, Trotwood-Madison at Alter, Bellbrook at Chaminade Julienne, Northridge at Lehman Catholic
Week 5
Wayne at Fairmont
Fairmont bounced back from the loss to Centerville last season to beat Wayne 43-22 in Week 5, kicking off a seven-game winning streak for the Firebirds. That came to an end in the playoffs, though, when visiting Wayne got revenge with a 20-10 victory in the second round.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Other games to watch: Tippecanoe at Butler, Minster at Coldwater, Tri-Village at Ansonia, Valley View at Eaton
Week 6
Miami East at Northridge
The Polar Bears ran the table in the Three Rivers Conference last season, including a 28-10 victory over the Vikings in Week 4 that started a seven-game winning streak. KJ Gustin of Miami East and Dorryen Davis of Northridge finished second and third, respectively, in passion yards last season as underclassmen.
Other games to watch: Kenton Ridge at Bellefontaine, Badin at Chaminade Julienne
Week 7
Tippecanoe at Xenia
These teams put 9-0 records on the line last season in Xenia in Week 10, and the Red Devils prevailed 35-21 in a game that was closer than the final score. The defense came up with a key fourth-down stop of Xenia star running back Deaunte White then put the game away with a short touchdown pass from Larkin Thomas to Jackson Davis in the final seconds. Thomas and White figure to be keys again in this matchup, but the Buccaneers will have a new quarterback after four-year starter Gavin McManus graduated.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Other games to watch: Troy at Butler, Catholic Central at Southeastern
Week 8
Trotwood-Madison at Dunbar
The Wolverines are again under the leadership of head coach Darran Powell while Jeff Graham remains the mentor for the Rams, who are looking to return to form as state title contenders after a 5-6 season in which all of their losses were by one score. As usual, Graham’s Rams are loaded with college prospects, including defensive linemen Jamarcus and Jameer Whyce, Jeremiah Nash and Elijah Appleberry, receiver/defensive back Armani Rogers, linebackers Tyler Carpenter and Tresten Nichols and tight end John Lumpkin III.
On the other side, Dunbar expects the return of top offensive weapons William Wilson and Ulysses Porter.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Other games to watch: Eaton at Brookville, Kenton Ridge at Urbana
Week 9
Troy at Tippecanoe
The Red Devils ruled the Miami Valley League Miami Division last season after sharing the championship with Troy and Butler in 2023. Tipp’s closest conference game last season was a 25-22 win at Troy in Week 5, one of three one-score losses for the Trojans, who finished 6-5. Aiden Kirkpatrick returns at quarterback for Troy while Larkin Thomas will again be at the controls for the Red Devils offense.
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Other games to watch: Urbana at Bellefontaine, Marion Local at Minster, Waynesville at Eaton
Week 10
Centerville at Wayne
The Elks won one of the area’s best rivalries not once but twice last season, taking the regular season matchup 38-14 in Week 10 then outlasting the Warriors in a cold, snowy slugfest at Welcome Stadium in a Division I regional final. Wayne lost a lot of its playmakers on offense but returns running back Isaiah Thompson along with Averette-Brown, and Centerville relied on many underclassmen on offense last season.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Other games to watch: Alter at Chaminade Julienne, Dunbar vs. Meadowdale, Coldwater at Marion Local, Valley View at Waynesville
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