Carlisle (10-2) hosts North Union (8-4) on Friday night in a Division V regional semifinal at Laughlin Field, riding one of the program’s most memorable seasons in recent memory.
Behind a selfless senior group, a school-record-setting quarterback and a community that’s come alive on game nights, the Indians have become one of southwest Ohio’s most inspiring football stories. Carlisle, having won six in a row, has compiled its first 10-win season since 2010.
And for Koogle, a 33-year-old Carlisle graduate, this run has been deeply personal.
“Last year was kind of about surviving,” Koogle said. “This year, we’re doing all the things that we set out to do. We’re acting the way we set out to act. The jump we’ve had in a short amount of time — anybody would tell you, it’s a little surprising.
“But these kids have bought in. They’ve worked really hard and they care about each other a lot. And those two things have carried us to where we are right now.”
Carlisle’s season began with questions and grew with confidence. After an early scrimmage learning curve against Kenton Ridge, Koogle said the team discovered what kind of group it really was.
“You figure out who wants to win and who’s going to put in the work,” the coach said. “Luckily for us, we’ve got a group of really good kids. It makes our job fun.”
The Indians’ success, he added, began in the offseason — through summer workouts, 7-on-7 tournaments and a growing belief that something special was forming.
“Once we went to camp, I knew this team was a little bit different,” Koogle said. “Once we went to the state 7-on-7 tournament and had some success, I thought, ‘Maybe they really do believe in themselves.’ And that’s the piece that always has to change. When the kids believe, the possibilities are endless.”
At the heart of Carlisle’s rise has been junior quarterback Kolby Morgerson, who has already rewritten the school record books as the Indians’ single-season passing leader. He’s thrown for 2,150 yards and 22 touchdowns.
“It’s been a great year so far,” Morgerson said. “We definitely have high hopes for even what’s to come in the future. I think a lot of the reason for our success this year is the bond that we have together.”
Morgerson has guided Carlisle through a rugged playoff stretch, including last week’s thrilling 42-41 win over Graham that came down to a gutsy two-point conversion — a moment that symbolized the team’s fearless mindset.
“It’s just trust in the work,” Morgerson said. “Trust in what the coaches tell us to do and executing our job. We know that if we all execute selflessly, it’ll all flow together.”
Asked whether he envisioned this kind of season, Morgerson nodded.
“At the start, I knew it was something special for sure,” Morgerson said. “We’ve come a long way throughout the season to this point, and I believe we still have a long way to go. So, yeah, I did see this for ourselves — but also not in the way that it’s been.”
Even with personal accolades, Morgerson remains grounded.
“It’s been great for me,” he said. “But I have a long way to go, and I’m not where I want to be yet at all. I’ve gotten a lot of help from my big guys up front and my receivers and running backs. It’s always great to have them out there with me.”
When asked about his mindset heading into Friday’s regional semifinal, Morgerson kept it simple.
“Just another game,” the quarterback said. “Put your head down and work throughout the week, then Friday night comes and you execute. Show the hard work you’ve been putting in — not only this week, but the past 12 weeks and all summer. I don’t think a lot of people understand how much work you truly put in to get where we are today.”
That humility runs through the entire Carlisle roster — especially in the trenches.
Senior lineman Austyn Benton, one of the emotional anchors of the team, said this season has been about shared pride.
“It’s just all the hard work we’ve put in across the board,” Benton said. “There’s no one specific group you can point to and say, ‘You made this happen.’ We’ve had some really awesome people step up this year, and I’m really proud of everybody.”
Benton said he can’t really measure success by his own numbers, but he does by what his teammates accomplish. Sophomore running back Alex Collins leads the Southwestern Buckeye League with 1,383 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
“I don’t have stats,” Benton said. “So I look at their stats — like seeing Collins hit 1,000 yards — and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I helped that.’ My stats are their stats. That’s awesome to look at.”
Koogle is expecting another emotional scene when the Indians take the field Friday night.
“I can’t wait to come out right before kickoff,” Koogle said. “I know how our community is. We’re going to walk out on that field, and it’s going to be packed, it’s going to be loud, and it’s just going to be another special moment for our kids.
“To be on the sidelines and feel an entire community behind our kids, that’s been the most gratifying piece. You hope things go the right way, but what’s awesome is seeing something a bunch of 15- to 18-year-old kids do on a Friday night inspire people. It’s getting people on the same page.”
Carlisle High School has rallied around its team with parades, pep assemblies and hall walk-throughs that bring the whole district together.
“I get a hug and a kiss from some of the lunch ladies who are just thrilled that Carlisle football is where it’s at,” Koogle said with a laugh. “It reminds me a lot of how it was when I was in school. Those good football seasons led to more good seasons — in baseball, basketball, everything. That’s what we’re after.”
Last week’s dramatic two-point call to win was the kind of bold decision that defines a season.
Koogle said it wasn’t a tough call — especially when senior lineman Michael Parks demanded it.
“He came up and said, ‘Coach, when we get it, I want two,’” Koogle recalled. “In my mind, I already wanted to go for two. How could I tell him no? He believed in what we were doing.
“On that last play, Parks and Benton on the left side completely crashed down the line. The guy who said, ‘Let’s do this thing’ — he was right. He made the right call.”
Now, the Indians find themselves on the doorstep of something special — a regional final appearance that once felt like a dream.
Koogle won’t sleep much this week, but he doesn’t mind.
“I’m fired up. I can’t wait to come out right before kickoff,” Koogle said. “I know how our community is, and we’re going to walk out on that field and it’s going to be packed. It’s going to be loud. And it’s going to be another special moment for our kids.”
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