High school football rewind: Who ruled the Ohio Heritage Conference in 2024?

West Liberty-Salem takes the field prior to a Division V playoff game vs. Waynesville at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

West Liberty-Salem takes the field prior to a Division V playoff game vs. Waynesville at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

With high school football season nearly upon us, let’s take one last look back at what went down in the Ohio Heritage Conference last season and see what it might tell us about this fall:

2024 champions: West Liberty-Salem (North), Greeneview (South).

North Division Game of the year: West Liberty-Salem 29, Fairbanks 27

Trailing 27-20 in the fourth quarter, Tigers senior Jack Bahan returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to pull within one point at 27-26. Tigers senior Gideon Cole nailed a 30-yard field goal later in the quarter to clinch their second straight OHC North title.

Honorable mention: WL-S 24, Northeastern 21

West Liberty-Salem lost to Ironton in the Division V state semifinals in Chillicothe on Nov. 29, 2024. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

South Division Game of the year: Cedarville 8, Greenon 7

Knights junior Kai Ricks scored on a 32-yard run with eight minutes remaining to give Greenon a 7-0 lead. The Indians mounted a comeback in the final three minutes, scoring a 20-yard TD pass from Will Mossing to senior Colt Coffey to make it 7-6. Mossing hit sophomore Lincoln Pyles for the 2-point conversion to give the Indians the victory.

Honorable mention: Greeneview 40, Waynesville 28

Streaking: Greeneview has won 20 straight OHC South games with its last loss coming against Greenon in Week 10 of 2020. West Liberty-Salem has won eight straight OHC North games.

Playoff results: Seven of the 12 OHC teams advanced to the postseason. Greeneview, Northeastern and West Liberty-Salem all advanced to the second round.

Northeastern beat Miami Valley Christian Academy 41-0 before falling to eventual D-VI state champion Coldwater 56-7 in a Region 24 second round game.

After an undefeated regular season, Greeneview beat Graham and Lima Bath in the first two rounds to improve 12-0 for the first time in school history. They fell to Indian Lake in a D-V, Region 20 semifinal game.

West Liberty-Salem beat Waynesville 45-42 in a D-V, Region 20 semifinal thriller and followed it up with a 14-7 victory over Logan County rival Indian Lake to advance to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. They fell to eventual state champion Ironton in the state semifinals.

Leading passer: West Jefferson junior Austin Buescher threw for 2,318 yards and 17 TDs last season.

Leading rusher: Greeneview senior Alex Horney rushed for 1,744 yards and a league-best 24 TDs.

Greeneview High School senior Alex Horney runs the ball during their game against Waynesville on Thursday night at Don Nock Field in Jamestown. Horney rushed for a career-high 232 yards and four TDs as the Rams won 40-28. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Leading receiver: Bahan caught 58 passes for 995 yards and 11 TDs.

Leading tackler: Northeastern junior Cody Houseman had 149 total tackles last season.

Leader in sacks: Mechanicsburg senior Ronnie Thomas had 11 sacks for the Indians.

Leader in tackles for loss: Fairbanks senior Holtz Maine had 26.5 tackles for loss.

Leader interceptions: Mechanicsburg’s Kaleb Moore had six interceptions.

All-State selections

Division V

Coach of the Year: Ryan Haines, Greeneview.

First team: Luke McGill, West Liberty-Salem, 6-0, 215, sr., OL; Josh Wilcoxon, West Liberty-Salem, 5-9, 195, sr., LB.

Second team: Alex Horney, Jamestown Greeneview, 5-11, 180, sr., QB; Cam Bair, West Liberty-Salem, 6-0, 255, sr., DL; Jacob Evans, West Liberty-Salem, 6-1, 190, sr., DB.

Third team: Blake Midlam, Jamestown Greeneview, 6-0, 230, sr., OL; Gavin Henry, Jamestown Greeneview, 6-1, 210, sr., DL; Cooper Payton, Jamestown Greeneview, 5-10, 185, sr., LB.

Northeastern High School junior Jackson Jones runs the ball during their game against West Liberty-Salem on Friday night at Conover Stadium. The Tigers won 24-21. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Honorable mention: Nick Shifflet, West Liberty-Salem, 5-11, 205, sr., QB; Chase Walker, Jamestown Greeneview, 5-10, 170, sr.

Division VI

Coach of the Year: Dave Carroll, Fairbanks.

First team: Ryker Green, Milford Center Fairbanks, 6-0, 185, sr., RB; Eli Potter, Mechanicsburg, 6-5, 255, sr., OL; Holtz Maine, Milford Center Fairbanks, 6-5, 245, sr., DL.

Second team: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson, 6-4, 175, jr., QB; Chris Ritchie, Mechanicsburg, 6-1, 170, sr., WR.

Third Team: Austin Haynes, Mechanicsburg, 6-0, 155, jr., WR; Garrett Chadwell, South Vienna Northeastern, 5-10,180, sr., WR; Nate Russell, Milford Center Fairbanks, 6-2, 170, sr., K; Cody Houseman, Northeastern, 5-10, 175, jr, LB.

Honorable Mention: Logan Bush, London Madison-Plains, 6-3, 275, sr., OL.

Division VII

First Team: Brody Adams, Catholic Central, 6-4, 225, jr., LB.

Third team: Colt Coffey, Cedarville, 6-1, 210, sr., RB; Hayden Carter, Southeastern, 6-3, 165, sr., DL; Hayden Davis, Southeastern, 6-1, 210, sr., LB.

About the Author