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Over the last four years of  Volleyball in the WOAC Preble Shawnee and Arcanum are tied with two league championship.  The Arrows won outright in 2022 and shared with Arcanum in 2023.  The Trojans won it outright last year going undefeated 2024. Tri-Village won the first ever championship in 2021.
 

It's no surprise that Arcanum will once again be considered the front runner with Mississinawa Valley and Tri-Village.  Newton who has been knocking at the door the last 3 years and has finished runner-up twice will also be in the hunt.

Arcanum (2024 Record 19-4, 11-1 WOAC) Undefeated League Champions

2025 Arcanum Volleyball Team (Handshoe Photo)

Arcanum made it two league championships in row in Volleyball.  They were 10-1 in 2023 and a perfect 11-0 in 2024 and once again must be considered the front-runner in 2025.

Coach Jacie Holman continues to have Arcanum playing well as they won the third straight Greenville Federal Invitational title to start this season.

Our focus this year is playing on one another’s strengths, which allows the team to become stronger together. Each of the girls brings something different to our offense, whether through serving, hitting, blocking, or passing. As a team, we are relying on each other’s strengths for each game to ensure we play our best game every time we step onto the court.

We have a very deep front row of hitters – including Kamryn Beisner, Avery Leeper, Caroline Long, Grace Psczulkoski, Gabby Nottingham, and Ella Flatter. Not only are they strong hitters, but they are versatile – where they can hit in any position in the front row. Additionally, our setters, Grace Fry and Halle Bennett, run a strong offense – where they are using each players strengths to our advantage.

We want our defense to be aggressive and make our competition earn every single point. As a defense, our focus is to not give our competition any easy points through dropped balls, balls hit out of bounds - we want to be able to control the tempo of the game. 

Players who will make the defense strong, we will rely on our 2nd year libero, Cameron Garbig. After her injury last year, Cameron has come back stronger with her passing and leadership on the court. We also have additional defensive specialists – Jordyn Garbig and Emily Fox – who we can rely on giving consistent passes to run a better offense. 

Our team’s strength this year is our desire to want to win and be the best team we can be every time we step onto the court. We want to ensure every time we step onto the court, we give 110% and leaving no “what ifs.” This team has also been really strong with celebrating the team’s success versus celebrating individual success. They all understand the individual success comes with the team success – but their main focus is the team being successful again this year. Our motto this year has been “Better You, Better Us” and this team has truly bought into this idea. As a team, we are only going to get better as each individual gets better. 

The key to Arcanum being successful this year is playing together - and ensuring we give our all EVERY point of every set. We really want to focus on eliminating our mistakes and forcing our competitors to make the errors by being consistent, smart, and aggressive. Our key is to play point by point rather than focus on set by set. We focus on games of 5 – first to 5, first to 10…this allows us to focus on each point versus focusing on the game.

I believe every team will be competing for the top spot this year. When I look at our conference, it is always fun to follow what is happening with one another – because you truly never know what is going to happen night by night. I am excited to see what this season brings - because I have a feeling it’s going to be a tight race. 

Arcanum Trojans Roster

Emily Fox Jr.                               DS           

Mollei Gilbert So.                             S/RS       

Ella Flatter Jr.                               RS           

Grace Psczulkoski Sr.                              OH/DS  

Jordyn Garbig Jr.                               DS          

Cameron Garbig Jr.                               DS           

Grace Fry Sr.                              S              

Avery LeeperSr.                              RS           

Kamryn Beisner Sr.                              OH/DS  

Caroline Long Sr.                              MB          

Halle Bennett Fr.                               S              

Harlow Etherington Fr.                               OH          

Gabby Nottingham So.                             MB          

Gabrielle WootenSo.                             MB/RS   

Mississinawa Valley (2024 Record 16-7, 9-2 WOAC) 2nd Place in League

2025 Mississinawa Valley Volleyball Team (Dale Barger Photo)

Mississinawa Valley will be coached by Taylor Rawlings coming over from Tri-Village last year.  She steps into a program that finished 2nd last year and is a serious contender for a title this year as well.

We will run a fast offense specifically designed for player success. Key players that will make that offense go are Allyson Waymire, Cora Hoggatt, Makenna Hoggatt, Gretchen Rodeheffer, and Danika Neargarder.

Our defense will be scrappy yet disciplined. The set type of defense will be dependent on the opponent. Key players to make it go include Ava Hummel, Ella Godfrey, Allyson Waymire, Makenna Hoggatt, and Cora Hoggatt.

Our team strengths are abundant; however, the most prevalent is the amount of returning lettermen to the roster. Varsity experience is key, and these girls are hungry to win.

Communication, discipline, and trust will be important to winning.

Mississinawa Valley will be competing for a first-place finish in the league. Other teams expected to challenge for a title will include Tri-Village and Arcanum.

Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks Roster

Newton (2024 Record 17-8, 8-3 WOAC) 3rd Place Tie in League


2025 Newton Volleyball Team (Handshoe Photo)

The Indians will be led again by veteran Coach Danita Rapp who has had a lot of success over the last five years and has been knocking at the door of a league title.

With only 3 returning Varsity Players for the 2025 season, I am anticipating this group to rise to the challenge together. Our returners will be key in setting the pace and bringing experience to the court.

Although this year’s team is young they bring a big range of strengths to the court. Most noticeable is their grit and determination on the court. They are scrappy and will give 100% every time they step on the court to compete. They are also a very coachable group of athletes, and I expect to see big growth from all of them throughout the season.

As a team we are committed to staying focused on our goals and staying united as a team. We want to see growth in our personal and team goals every time we compete and know that keeping this focus we will have a successful season.

Each year WOAC teams prove to be competitive, and teams are eager to win. As in previous years I expect the  title to be up for grabs by a number of teams in the League and I am confident Newton will be one of those teams eager to finish in the top of the WOAC.

Key Players
Senior Team Captain Estie Rapp will be a key 6-rotation player and bring all around depth to the court.

Senior Team Captain Aubrey Stetzel will be our starting setter and is also currently our top server for aces in a season.

Sophomore Isabelle Prickett will bring a big presence in the front row on both offense and defense.

Newcomers
Junior  Emily Laughman will bring strong setting and serving skills along with Junior Middle Holly Morse rounding out front row.  Junior Libero Mya Denlinger and Sophomore DS Laila Avila will lead the backrow on defense.

Senior Candance Shellenberger will bring added support to our serving and passing game.  Sophomores Emma Rapp, Team Captain Ella Bayer and Meghan Addison will all add the needed depth to our front row as pin hitters.

Team Roster

Tri-Village (2024 Record 12-12, 8-3 WOAC) 3rd Place Tie in League


2025 Tri-Village Volleyball Team (Photo by Dale Barger)

Alaine Kirby has replaced Taylor Rawlings as the 2025 Patriots Volleyball coach.  Rawlings has moved on to Mississinawa Valley.  Kirby was the varsity assistant last year and will hit the ground running.

Kirby is a nurse practitioner who is passionate about caring for the women in her community and is the owner and operator of Kopper Top Barn, her family business.

She and her husband Zeb have three children: Gavin, Gage and Gabby. In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, CrossFit and traveling. She brings her energy, leadership and love for the game to guide her athletes on and off the court.

Offensively we plan to run a fast-paced offense that keeps our opponents on their toes. Key returning varsity players Gabby Kirby, Camryn Osborne and Zoe Ayette will be instrumental in driving our attack and maintaining our tempo.

Defensively we will be anchored by disciplined positioning and strong court awareness, relying on quick reads and communication to counter fast plays. Our experienced leaders Mylee Bierly, Heidi Bell, Gabby Kirby and Cameron Osborne will help set the tone for defensive intensity.

Our greatest strengths are our strong mental toughness, team chemistry, and willingness to push through adversity. We thrive on staying composed and confident in high-pressure situations.

Our success will be measured both on and off the court. We want to grow not only as athletes, but also as students and individuals. That means committing to hard work, supporting each other and maintaining a positive mindset throughout the season.

We expect to be competitive in the league and push for a strong finish. We know Mississinawa Valley and Arcanum will be tough opponents, and we look forward to the challenge of matching up with them.

Tri-Village Patriots Roster

• Heidi Bell*                  Senior 5’6” OH/DS
• Cameron Osborne*  Senior 5’7” OH/DS
• Emma Whaley* Senior 5’10” MH
• Zoe Ayette* Junior 5’6” Setter
• Mylee Bierly* Junior 5’5” L                           Nearing 1000 digs
• Bailey Frech* Junior 5’8” RS
• Gabby Kirby* Junior 5’11” MH
• Kaylie Lytle* Junior 5’5” RS
• Jaelyn Sweet* Junior 5’5” DS
• Aubrey Eley Sophomore 5’4” S/DS
• Hannah Whaley Sophomore 5’6” OH/RS
• Abbi Brewer Freshman 5’4” OH/DS

Ansonia (2024 Record 11-11, 7-4 WOAC) 5th Place Tie in League

2025 Ansonia Volleyball Team (Dale Barger Photo)

This is the first season for Lexi Custenborder as head coach at Ansonia. She was an assistant last season and familiar with the girls and the program.

“I am thrilled to work with my assistant Craig Reithman and JV coach Katie Walters as we have the same goals and are very much on the same page,” Lex stated.

“I am 23 years old, and this is my 2nd year teaching 3rd grade at Marion Local. I graduated college from Heidelberg University in 2024 with my bachelor’s degree in Primary Education.

Throughout college I was also a 4-year member of the volleyball team where I played middle hitter.
I also coached club volleyball for 3 seasons at Black Swamp which is where I found my love of coaching. I love that I am still able to be connected to the sport of volleyball and find so much reward in mentoring young women to not only be confident on the volleyball court but in life as well.

This season we have a few options for the type of offense we will run. We have a solid 5-1 lineup but also have the option to run a 6-2 if need be for a different look.

Key players include 5 seniors:

Rose Barga (MH/OH),
Olivia Schmitmeyer (All Around),
Lydia Hahn (Libero),
Lily Kaiser ( All Around)
Camryn Winner (OH).

This group of seniors have a lot of skill not only regarding the fundamentals but with their knowledge of the game. We also have a pair of sophomores, Charlotte Barga (Setter) and Autumn Best (MH) that have stepped up into their role on the varsity team and have gelled perfectly with the other varsity team members.

We plan to play perimeter defense. The ladies I mentioned above will make this go. Some of our team strengths regarding defense is our senior libero, Lydia Hahn, she is an extremely talented defensive specialist. A few of our other defensive strengths include hustle, speed, and blocking.

The key to our success this season will be confidence, focus, attitude, and energy. As a program, we have the goal to build our volleyball team into something special. If we can focus on becoming better teammates and humans, the wins will follow. I am proud of the growth we have made throughout the summer, and I know if our girls buy in, focus, and believe, the growth will continue to increase at a positive rate.

Our goal is to finish this season in the top 3. I expect Arcanum to be our biggest challenge for a title as they were talented and intense last season, and I assume them to be the same this upcoming season.

Ansonia Tigers Volleyball Roster

Franklin Monroe (2024 Record 10-13, 7-5 WOAC) 5th Place Tie in League

Franklin Monroe Volleyball Team (Submitted Photo)

Ashley Day will be a first-year head coach at Franklin Monroe, she has coached 13 years at various clubs in the area and currently coaching with Team Atlantis. She is married with two beautiful children and two beautiful stepchildren.

“I am honored to be the new head volleyball coach, and I am looking forward to this season and many seasons to come,” Day exclaimed on her new role.

We will be running a 5-1 offense this season. Some of our key players to make it go will be Seniors: Alivia Addis (OH) and Katie Waller (OH), along with a couple of our Juniors: Jaylin Swiger (MH) and Brooklyn Miller (S).

We will utilize a Read-and-React Block defense, where our blockers don't commit to a specific direction until they see where the setter is going with the ball. Our Juniors: Reagan Flora (Libero) and Emma Muhlenkamp (DS) are going to be a big part of our defense this season along with Junior Middle Hitter Jaylin Swiger.

We have exceptional ball control and passing. The foundation of any successful volleyball team is its ability to handle the ball. We excel at serve-receive and defense, which allows us to stay in-system and run a fast, varied offense. We have a strategic and adaptive offense. Our offense isn't just about power; it's about smart, strategic play. We also have cohesive teamwork and communication. Volleyball is a true team sport, and our success is a direct result of our unity on the court. We have strong communication, both verbal and non-verbal. We trust each other to do our jobs, and we are always looking out for our teammates. Our players are not only committed to their individual roles but are also willing to do whatever it takes to support the team's overall goals.

Being successful in volleyball this fall, whether as an individual or a team, requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond just on-the-court practice. It's about a commitment to continuous improvement in all aspects of the game—physical, mental, and technical. Success in sports, and in life, is about more than just the final score. If our team's success were to be measured by criteria beyond wins and losses, we would focus on the following key areas: Player development & growth, team cohesion & culture, and community & program impact.

I think we will be competitive in the league this fall. This group that is on the Varsity squad went 16-4 as a JV team.  They will be able to hold their own out on the court. I think Arcanum and Newton will be good contenders that we will face for a title.

Franklin Monroe Jets Roster

Dixie (2024 Record 8-15, 5-6 WOAC) 7th place in League


2025 Dixie Volleyball Team (Champine Photography Photo)

The Lady Greyhounds volleyball team will be under the direction of a new coach Cassidy Monnig … but also a familiar face as she was the Assistant varsity coach at Dixie the last 5 years (2019-2023).  She also has experience 2019 till now as the club volleyball head coach.

We are looking to have a strong aggressive offense ran around our veteran setter Teegan Miller.

With two returning defensive specialists, we will have a strong, smart defense.  With a core group of girls returning to varsity this year, they have a great connection playing with each other and knowledge of the game.

Keys to success will be playing consistently at our level of play.

With the vast strengths and knowledge from returning players, we see ourselves finishing at the top of the league.

Dixie Greyhounds Roster

Twin Valley South (2024 Record 10-13, 4-7 WOAC) 8th Place in League


2025 Twin Valley South Volleyball Team (Champine Photography Photo)

The Panthers will be under first year head coach Mary Johnson who will have a competitive team.

We will likely be running mostly a 5-1 but have the option of running a 6-2 as times as we work to build our second setter for the Varsity Level.

We plan to run a perimeter defense, the girls have been working hard at reaction times and covering the court.

This is a great group of girls with great relationships between each of them, they truly are a family on and off the court and I believe this is what is going to help them through the hard spots this season.  They do a tremendous job pushing each other and lifting each other up, keeping their mental game strong.

Staying focused on having fun, remembering that skill doesn’t always win sometimes strategy comes into play.  Keeping our mental game strong and using each mistake to make us better the next time.

I am excited for this team this year.  We have a lot of talent and a lot of strategy driven players. I am confident we will be able to compete again this year, and our goal is to move up in the league.  I believe the league title is up for grabs from anyone of the teams that are willing to put in the work to get there.  It’s going to be a fun season for sure!

Twin Valley South Panthers Roster

Preble Shawnee  (2024 Record 9-14, 4-7 WOAC) 9th place Tie League


2025 Preble Shawnee Volleyball Team (Champine Photography Photo)

Kaylie Case is honored to serve as the new Varsity Volleyball Coach at Preble Shawnee, and she is a proud 2019 Arrows graduate who went on to play four years of collegiate volleyball at Bluffton University.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She continued her education at the University of Dayton, currently completing a master’s degree/Education Specialist degree in school psychology and will be graduating next summer. Kaylie celebrated an exciting milestone this summer of getting married!

“I’m deeply passionate about building not only skilled athletes but also strong, confident young women, and I’m thrilled to lead and grow this program both on and off the court,” Case stated on her new head coaching job.

We’ll be running a 6-2 offense this season, which will allow us to keep three strong hitters in the front row at all times and maximize our attacking options. Our offense will be centered around our two strongest hitters, Sallie Montgomery and Macy Price. Their versatility, leadership, and ability to execute under pressure will be key in driving our success.

We’ll be running a perimeter defense this season, relying heavily on Macy Price when she is backrow and also our new Freshman Libero, Bentlee McCain. Their quick reactions, court awareness, and ability to keep plays alive will set the tone for our team and give us the opportunity to transition into our offense.

One of our biggest strengths is our youth. We have a group that’s eager to learn, ready to compete, and full of energy. Their willingness to grow together and embrace challenges creates a style of play with so much potential ahead of them, the future of our program is incredibly bright.

For us, success this fall will come from growth, both as individual players and as a team. Our keys will be consistent communication and effort in practice and matches, and the ability to stay composed in high-pressure moments. While wins are always the goal, we’ll also measure success by how much we improve from the start to the end of the season. If we can look back and say we became a stronger, more united team and program, then we’ll know we’ve had a successful season.

I see our team competing with a lot of heart and grit in the league this year. We may be young, but our energy, work ethic, and willingness to learn will keep us competitive in every match. I expect us to challenge ourselves against every opponent and continue to close the gap with each week of the season. I except to challenge each team in the league and hope to be battling for a league title in the future.

Preble Shawnee Arrows Roster

National Trail (2024 Record 4-17, 3-8 WOAC) 10th Place in League

2025 National Trail Volleyball Team (Champine Photography Photo)

The Blazers will be coached by Ashley Blevins who is a 2005 National Trail graduate where she played volleyball for four seasons. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has three kids. She was was the JV coach the past two seasons.

Key Players
Eva Swartsell, MB, 2-year letterman is new to the middle. Previously filled in for OH last season and now is taking on the new position of MB.

Jaelynn Remaklus, OH, 2nd year letterman. Last season played OH and was a strong, smart hitter.

Evie Hoffman, RS, 3rd year letterman. Last season played OH and is taking on the new role of RS and back up setter.

Kylie Schul, S, 2nd year letterman. Returning to be the team's setter.

Madi Mann, MB, 1st year letterman.We are a young team that has girls working day in and out striving to be better players that will contribute to the team.

Defensively Haydn Davies, L, 3rd year letterman. She will be returning for her 3rd year in her position. Jaelynn Remaklus, DS, 2nd year letterman. Raylen Parker, DS, 1st year letterman. Maya Palmer, DS, 1st year letterman.

Previously the team had run the Libero out of the middle back, this year we are trying something different and running it out of the left back. The team as a whole is learning and adjusting to the new “defense” and making an effort that every ball gets a touch.

Our strength would have to be our passing as we have our 3rd year Libero returning along with a few others that have DS skills along with the entire team being scrappy and eager to put a hand on the ball.

As a new coach we have gone back to the basics. We spend a lot of time on fundamentals and how our team plays best together. We are fairly young with only two, three-year lettermen. We are learning and getting better day by day. Although we'd love to be on top we still have a lot of work to do and continue to work towards that goal. We are striving to have a better record than we had in the past and with a new coach brings new ideas, changes and challenges. The team will continue towards their goal and that to the coaching staff is a win.

I believe Arcanum and Mississinawa Valley will both have competitive teams. There are more than those two teams that can surprise you on any given night. Our goal as a team is to be able to compete with a good volley and finish higher than our previous year, somewhere in the middle.

National Trail Blazers Roster

Bradford (2024 Record 4-18, 2-9 WOAC) 11th Place in League


2025 Bradford Volleyball Team (Don Selanders Photo)

Bradford will be coached by Jaimie Hocker as they look to improve upon four wins from last year.

Offensively we plan to run a 5-1. I have several key players this  year that will take control of the court.

Defensively we hope to play a quick defense and utilize all the players .

Our strength is that they (girls) all get along great as a team and lift each other up.

Communication is key to winning. Also, the number one thing I want to drive home is to have fun because you don't get these years back.

I'm hoping to beat our record from last year and add several more wins to it.

Every team is a top team to beat. Who doesn’t want to win right?

Bradford Railroaders Roster

Tri-County North (2024 Record 1-21, 0-11 WOAC)

2025 Tri-County North Volleyball Team (Champine Photography Photo)

Key Players for the Panthers

Good luck to all WOAC Volleyball Teams this year.
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The Western Ohio Athletic Conference is pleased to welcome media coverage at select events this fall through TKDS Sports Network.

TKDS will cover at least one set of games for all our WOAC Schools this fall.

“Our mission is to highlight your kids on a big stage,” said Jackson Lightcap of TKDS.

TKDS first broadcast of WOAC events commenced at the Mississinawa Valley football game last Friday vs Waynesfield Goshen which you can view at the link below:

https://www.tkdssports.tv/sports/watch/week-1-gow-waynesfield-goshen-at-mississinawa-valley/335

“We had over 400 viewers in our week one game, and we expect this will grow over time, and will be a great advertising opportunity for those interested,” Lightcap stated on the first WOAC game broadcasted by TKDS Sports Network.

Below is a list of that TKDS will broadcast this fall. *(Schedule subject to change) *

Week 2 - 8/28 B/G Soccer - Preble Shawnee @ Newton - Boys 5:30pm, Girls - 7:30pm

Week 2 - 8/29 – Football - TV South at Bradford – 7pm

Week 4 - 9/12 – Football – Mississinawa Valley @ National Trail

Week 5 – 9/17 – GOLF – WOAC Boys & Girls Golf Championship @ Richmond Elks Golf Club

Week 5 - 9/19 – Football – Bradford @ TC North – 7pm

Week 6 - 9/26 – Football - Tri-County North @ Dixie – 7pm

Week 7 - 10/3 – Football - Twin Valley South @ Arcanum – 7pm

Week 8 - 10/10 – Football - National Trail @ Twin Valley South – 7pm

Week 9 - 10/17 – Football - Tri Village @ Preble Shawnee – 7pm

Week 10 - 10/24 - Football - Arcanum @ Tri Village – 7pm

If you are interested in watching any of the events, they will broadcast each game live and then after 24 hours the game will be on their website for viewing at a later time.

You can watch at https://www.tkdssports.tv/ or if you have Roku, you can stream it on the Roku App.
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Ansonia's Lander Shives split two Riverside defenders in their opening week 36-6 win over the Pirates. (Dale Barger Photo)

In the 2025 football preview the top four teams mentioned as challengers for a league title also happened to be the top four teams’ last season. Those top four teams Ansonia, Preble Shawnee, Tri-Village and Arcanum would also be the only league teams picking up wins in the season openers against non-conference teams in week one. 

Ansonia 36 – Riverside 6

The Tigers rolled to a 28-6 lead, scoring on every possession they had in the first half against Riverside.  They would go on to register a 36-6 win over the Pirates who handed Ansonia a season opening loss last year 41-32.

Ansonia rushed for 350 yards but also had 54 yards in the air.  They would throw three consecutive passes in the first half completing all of them, the last one being a strike from senior quarterback Layne Bowman to sophomore Graham Coppess for a 27-yard touchdown.

The Tigers got 137 yards running from junior Jacob Schmitmeyer and two TDs, Layne Bowman also scored twice on the ground and had 54 yards on five keepers.

The Tiger's Jacob Schmitmeyer broke this tackle and turned it into a long TD run.
(Dale Barger Photo)

Lander Shives also had 65 yards running as well.

Defensively Ansonia limited the Pirates offense most of the night with the exception of a few big run plays each going for about 50 yards.  Riverside had 178 yards total yards rushing and just 38 yards in the air.

Tiger’s junior Cade Shellhaas led the way on defense with 7 tackles, 5 solo.  Sophomore linebacker Carson Tobe also had 7 tackles with 2 solos.

Ansonia will travel in week two to Preble Shawnee for an early season showdown in the WOAC.

Preble Shawnee 35 – Middletown Madison 18

The Arrows put some distance between themselves and Madison by jumping out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, putting the Mohawks on their toes the rest of the night.

Senior running back Bryson Doran scored the first TD on the ground from 3 yards out. 

Shawnee then blocked a Madison punt on their next possession that was recovered in the end zone by sophomore linebacker Ethan Mauller for a 14-0 advantage.

Senior running back Ian Francis capped the first quarter, scoring on a 15-yard run for the 21-0 lead.

Madison was able to get their run game going in the 2^nd quarter, scoring twice on the ground.  The Mohawks had success running the ball finishing the game with 301 yards.

The Arrows however matched TDs with two of their own in the second quarter.  Junior receiver Caleb Blankenship hauled in 44-yard catch from senior quarterback Brody Morton and Morton added a three-yard keeper to end the scoring at the break with the Arrows up 35-12.

Preble Shawnee's quarterback Brody Morton shown in pre-season Jamboree is poised for a big senior year.  He led the Arrows to a win over Madison 35-18.  (Eddie Mowen Photo)

Morton had 119 yards on 5-for-7 throwing for the game.  The Arrows rushed for 232 yards with Morton also leading the way with his feet for 88 yards on 9 carries. 

Preble Shawnee didn’t score in the second half but won the game 35-18 for the season opening win. The Arrows will host Ansonia next Friday in what will be the WOAC Game of the Week.

Tri-Village 68 – Troy Christian 12

The Patriots’ big Play offense helped them jump out to a 47-0 lead before the Eagles found Paydirt. 

Tri-Village struck quickly off a punt with junior wideout Griffin Richards electrifying 96-yard punt return.  TV added back-to-back TDs on a couple of 1-yard runs from sophomore running back Staley Colston and senior quarterback Trey Sagester for a first quarter 21-0 lead.

Richards hauled in a 47-yard pass from Sagester to start the second quarter followed by a defensive score from sophomore Colt Camacho with a 38-yard interception.

Richards then scored on back-to-back TD’s catches of 63 and 66 yards from Sagester to push the lead to 47-0 before the Eagles crosse the goal line on a 57-yard pass making the score 47-6.

The Patriots Griffin Richards scored 4-TDs in season opening win over Riverside. 
(Dale Barger Photo)

Camacho capped first half scoring with a 44-yard run to go in at the half 54-6.

Sagester scored early in the third quarter on a 18-yard keeper and sophomore Brecken Gray taking snaps, scored early in the fourth frame for a 1-yard touchdown as Tri-Village went on to a 68-12 victory.

Tri-Village had 568 totals yards of offense in the game.  Trey Sagester was 12-for-15 passing, 285 yards and 3 TD passes.  Griffin Richards had 7 receptions for 229 yards and 3 TD receptions and 1 punt return for a score.  On the ground Staley Colston led the way with 108 yards on nine carries.  Senior Noah Finkbine had 53-yard rushing and 33 yards receiving in the game. Colt Camacho had 45 yards rushing a TD score.

Defensively Noah Finkbine led the way from the safety position with 10 tackles, 7 solo.  Senior middle linebacker Landen Moore had 9 tackles, 5 solos and freshman outside linebacker Ryker Marshall had 8 tackles, 3 solos in the Patriots win.

Tri-Village will travel to National Trail this Friday.

Arcanum 14 – Covington 13

The nailbiter game of the week goes to Arcanum who squeaked out a 14-13 win over the Buccaneers.

Arcanum's sr. quarterback Biship Cartwright rolls out with his line in tow.  The Trojans were able to pull out a big 14-13 win over Covington.  (Ben Robinson Photo)

Arcanum got the early lead when a bad snap to the Covington punter was scooped up by senior linebacker Robert Denniston near the goal line and he turned it into a score for the Trojans for first quarter 7-0 lead.

The Buccs answered with three-yard pass to tie the game, and they would go into the half at 7-7.

Arcanum mounted a nice drive in the third quarter controlling the line of scrimmage and a 30-yard run at 7:25 by junior MJ Macy along with the game winning extra point from Joey Marshal put the Trojans up 14-7.

Covington answered later on nice drive of their own but would miss the extra point and Arcanum would hold on as neither team scored in the 4^th quarter to earn a 14-13 victory.

Macy led the rushing game with 119 yards on 23 carries.  In total the Trojans had 195 yards on the ground and 77 yards in the air on 8-for-17 passing from senior Bishop Cartwright with two interceptions.

Defensively sophomore linebacker Hudson Knaus led the way with 13 tackles, 3 solo.  Senior linebacker Kolton Quigney had 10 tackles and Robert Denniston added 9 for Arcanum in the win.

Arcanum will travel to Tri-County North next week.

Other Scores

Tri-County North 16 – Brookville 49

(Tri-County North will host Arcanum in week 2)

National Trail 6 – Carlisle 42

(National Trail will host Tri-Village in week 2)

Dixie 0 – Lima Perry 12

(Dixie will host Mississinawa Valley in week 2)

Twin Valley South 6 – Bethel 35

(Twin Valley South will travel to Bradford in week 2)

Mississinawa Valley 6 – Waynesfield-Goshen 26

(Mississinawa Valley will travel to Dixie in week 2)

Bradford 0 – Springfield Catholic Central 54

(Bradford will host Twin Valley South in week 2)

In the first week the WOAC was 4-6 in non-conference games, now the remainder of the season will be head-to-head conference games.


It was the debut for a new coaching staff at Mississinawa led by former player Brandon Williams (White Hat).  The Hawks fell to Waynesfield Goshen but will look to get in the win column next week when they travel to Dixie.  (Dale Barger Photo)
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Summer is winding down, county fairs ending and a new school year is beginning which means Friday night football.  

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference was solid at the top in 2024 and going into 2025 the expectations are the top tier teams will continue to be strong with a few more teams throwing their helmet onto the field to challenge.

The Arrows won the first ever WOAC league title in 2021 with Tri-Village and Ansonia sharing it in 2022, and then Tigers have won back-to-back outright championships in 2023 and 2024.

Ansonia, Preble Shawnee and Tri-Village will once again challenge for a league title with Arcanum nipping at their cleats.

Key games to watch this year in week 2, Ansonia will play at Preble Shawnee.  In week 5, Tri-Village plays at Ansonia and Arcanum at Preble Shawnee.

In week 9  it’s Tri-Village at Preble Shawnee and Ansonia at Arcanum.

The drama and climax to the season could go down to the final week with Arcanum playing at Tri-Village.

Let’s take a look at all 10 teams in the Western Ohio Athletic Conference in the order they finished in 2024.

Ansonia Tigers (2024 Record 12-2, 9-0 WOAC) Undefeated League Champions


2025 Ansonia Tigers Football Team (Dale Barger Photo)

After opening the regular season with a loss to a Riverside last year the Ansonia Tigers ran off nine straight league wins and for the second straight year went undefeated in the WOAC to capture their third straight championship. They then beat Twin Valley South and Lehman Catholic in the post season before falling to Marion Local in the State Regional Quarterfinals and had a 12-2 overall record.

The Tigers graduated eight seniors including WOAC Offensive player of the year Zane Henderson.  Coach Adam Hall was the WOAC COY for the 2^nd straight year and has seven seniors on a roster of 39 players for 2025.

The Tigers are still king of the mountain in football until someone knocks them off the hill and still considered as one of the front runners for another league title run.

When you play Ansonia you know what to expect as they will line up and bring it to you in their traditional Wing T offense and run the ball right at you.

Key Players

Layne Bowman 12 QB/DB    Started at QB and DB last year
Lander Shives   11  RB/LB     Started at RB and DE last year 
Jacob Schmitmeyer 11 RB/DB     Started at RB and DB last year
Cainan Robinson 12 RB/DB     Started at RB and DB last year
Oden Hoening 11             OL/DL      Started at OL and DL last year
Ben Barnt      12             OL/DL      Started at OL and DL last year
Austin Singer 11             OL/DL      Started on the OL last year
Matthew Middleton 12 TE/LB       Started at TE and LB Last year
Cameron Grilliot 12 OL/DL      Started at TE and LB last year
Cade Shellhaas 11 RB/DB     Started last year at DB, 1st year starting at RB
Carson Tobe 10             RB/LB      Started last year at DB, 1st year starting at RB

Coach Adam Hall Team Overview

“Offensively we are a run heavy straight T/ Wing T offense. We return a number of backs from last season that we expect to carry the ball for us. The key to our offense being successful will be replacing the guys we lost to graduation on the offensive line and being able to execute up front.  

Defensively we are a 4-4/3-4 team. We have some new guys playing on the DL and at LB that we will be relying on to be successful.

Our team strength will be running the ball and playing good defense. 

If we are able to replace the guys we lost to graduation, and execute on both sides of the ball, we will have success this season. 

We will go out and compete each week of the season and I would expect the top teams to be Tri-Village, Preble Shawnee, and Arcanum.”

Preble Shawnee Arrows (2024 Record 10-2, 8-1 WOAC) 2nd Place in League


2025 Preble Shawnee Arrows Football Team (Champine Photography Photo)

Preble Shawnee gave Ansonia a run for their money last year coming up short in their head-to-head match-up 24-13 in their only league loss finishing second in WOAC. 

They beat Marian Pleasant in the first round of the playoffs but then fell to a very good Indian Lake team in the 2nd round. 

The Arrows lost a few good four-year players … but they will just reload and still be in the mix once again in 2025.

They have a few big-time players returning in All State Senior Quarterback Brody Morton, Running Back Bryson Doran, All State Offensive and Defensive lineman Cooper Shrout and Junior Receiver Caleb Blankenship.

Here is a look at returning starters, key players and newcomers this year.

Returning Starters

Senior QB Brody Morton - 4-year starter.  3rd team all-state, first team all-district, first team all-league.  Brody threw for over 1900 yards last season and ran for over 400.  Outstanding young man.  Extremely dangerous QB.
Senior OL/DL Cooper Shrout - 4-year starter.  3rd team all-state, 1st team all-district, 1st team all-league.  Leader of our offensive and defensive lines. Difference maker for us up front.
Senior RB/LB Bryson Doran - 3-year starter.  2nd team all-league.  Very tough, physical player for us.  Leader on both sides of the ball.  
Junior WR/DB Caleb Blankenship.  2-year starter.  Extremely good athlete.  Very exciting player with big play capabilities.  
Senior OL Wyatt Hawkins - 2-year starter.  Great snapper and leader on our line.
Senior K Colton Schroeder - 3-year starter.  Colton does a great job punting and kicking.

Other Returning Key Players
 
Senior WR/DB Zarrin Walton - Very tough, quick player with great instincts.  We expect a lot out of him on both sides of the ball.
Soph RB/LB Ethan Mauller - Has the potential to be an extremely good player.  Very explosive player with tons of speed.  Tough on both sides of the ball.
Junior OL/DL Ethan Scott - Very tough, physical player up front.  We expect a lot out of him this season.

Newcomers   

Senior QB/DB Ian Frances - Versatile athlete that brings a lot of energy and leadership.
Senior WR/DB Kellen Sargent-Eckert - Very good athlete that brings senior leadership.
Senior WR/DB Bryson Allen - One of most improved players I’ve coached a hard worker & Sr. leader.
Junior OL/DL JT Long - Has the potential to be a huge impact up front.
Junior RB/LB Jackson Finch - Brings a lot of grit and physicality to the field.  Will continue to develop into a good defensive player.
Soph OL/DL Gavin Finch - Very solid player up front on both sides of ball with tons of potential.
Soph TE/DL Klayton Taylor - Very physical player with a great motor.  We expect great things from him.
Soph DL/RB Jasper Sizemore - Potential to be very good defensive lineman.
Soph WR/LB Andrew Unger - Versatile skilled player with tons of potential.
Soph TE/LB Foster Jewell - Young player that works very hard and has tons of potential.  Will continue to develop into a leader on both sides of the ball.
Soph OL/DL Jackson Tincher - Big body with tons of strength.  Should develop into a dominant defensive lineman.
Soph OL/DL Lief Taylor - Another big body defensive lineman with tons of potential.
Soph WR/DB Jacob Carter - Potential to be a very good receiver.

Coach Dave Maddox Team Overview

“We are a spread style offense.  Brody Morton, Caleb Blankenship, Bryson Doran, and Ethan Mauller are very good skilled type players.  Offensive line anchored by seniors Cooper Shrout and Wyatt Hawkins.

We are mainly a 4-4 defense.  DL Cooper Shrout, LB Bryson Doran, and DB's Caleb Blankenship will be the leaders defensively.

We are big up front and have some very good skilled players. 
 
We try to measure our success by whether or not we are doing everything we can to reach our full potential.  This team has the potential to win the region, but as long as we work as hard as we can, stay focused, stay positive, and continue to develop as a team, then we will consider this season a success.

I expect us to compete with Ansonia and Tri Village for the league title.”

Tri-Village Patriots (9-3, 7-2 WOAC) 3rd Place in League

2025 Tri-Village Patriots Football Team (Dale Barger Photo)

The Patriots won a decisive first round playoff game last year against Waynesfield Goshen but then ran into Marion Local in the 2^nd round.  The Flyers were pretty much unbeatable on their way to a State Championship and state record 59 straight wins.  TV scored twice on the Flyers and was the only team to do so all year.

They return a number of skill players including Senor All-State QB Trey Sagester who has a few quality receivers he can move the ball around to in Senior Noah Finkbine, Junior Griffin Richards

Key Returning Starters

Trey Sagester 12 QB - Southwest District Offensive Player of the Year; 1st Team All-Ohio as first year starter at QB
Noah Finkbine 12 WR/LB - Multiple time 1st Team All-WOAC, District, and State award winner
Levi Farmer 12 OL - 2nd Team All-District
Griffin Richards 11 WR - 1st Team All-WOAC and District, 2nd Team All-Ohio WR
Dom Black 11 OL/DL - 1st Team All-WOAC OL and DL, 1st Team All-District, 3rd Team All-Ohio
Colt Camacho 10 ATH - 2nd Team All-WOAC and District

Coach Matt Hopkins Team Overview

“We are a multiple spread offense.  The offensive line will be the key to our offense (Dom Black, Logan Delong, Jake Buckley, Hunter Johnsman, and Levi Farmer).  They will allow our talented skill players to make the plays needed for us to be successful.

We are a 3-4 base defense.  Key defensive players will be Dom Black, Noah Finkbine, Hunter Ridout, Colt Camacho, and Landen Moore.

I like our competitiveness, and we are returning experience in key positions.

Our goal is to remain undefeated and compete for a league title, and make a deep playoff run.

We see ourselves as one of the top teams in the league.  We expect to battle Ansonia and Preble Shawnee for a league title.  Arcanum is another team to watch as they return the majority of their skill players and their offensive line.”

Arcanum Trojans (2024 Record 6-5, 6-3 WOAC) 4th Place in League

2025 Arcanum Trojans Football Team (Gary Handshoe Photography Photo)

Arcanum coach Matt Macy is now in his third season at the helm for the Trojans.

Don’t sleep on Arcanum … a team that two short years ago was playing mostly freshmen and sophomores, have now grown up both physically and mentally.  They battled both Ansonia and Tri-Village down to the wire last year and finished fourth in the conference. 

This Trojans team is capable of taking down anyone in the conference and will play heavy in the mix for 2025.

Key Returning Players

Marcus Rayburn                     Sr.             6’              270           1st Team WOAC 2024- OL
MJ Macy                                 Jr.              5’9            185           1st Team WOAC RB in 2024
Brayden Freeman                  Jr.              6’3            265           2nd Team WOAC OL in 2024
Kolten Quigney                       Sr.             5’10         190             3rd year starter at Middle Linebacker
Bishop Cartwright                  Jr.              6’2            170           Returning Starter at QB
Conner Rogers                        Jr.              6’2            270          Returning Starter OL
Avery Bowser                          So.            5’10         200           Returning Starter DL
Isaiah Frazee                            Jr.              6’              260           Returning Starter OL/DL
Hudson Knaus                         So.            6’              180           Returning Starter OLB and RB
Cody Werling                          Sr.             6’1            220           Two-way starter OL/DL

Coach Matt Macy Team Overview

“We will feature run game with an explosive downfield passing game to compliment. Our strength is our offensive line led by seniors Marcus Rayburn, Brayden Freeman, and Cody Werling.    We have several key skill guys, Hudson Knaus, MJ Macy, Bishop Cartwright, Talan Stone to help make it go

We are a 4-4 defense and will be relying heavily on our defensive line

I feel like our team strength is our line on both sides and how big, strong and explosive they are. 

Our keys are to not kill ourselves with turnovers and mental errors, if we can do that I see us having a successful season. 

I see us being in mix with usual suspects, Ansonia, Tri-Village, Preble Shawnee, and National Trail.”     

Twin Valley South (2024 Record 5-6, 5-4 WOAC) 5th Place in League


2025 Twin Valley South Panthers Football Team (Champine Photography Photo)

Coach Brian Butts is now in his third year at Twin Valley South.

The Panthers had a couple big league wins last year against Tri-County North and National Trail. They made it to post season but fell to Ansonia in the opening round of the playoffs.

South went 5-4 in the conference and will be looking to inch up a spot in the league race.

Key Players

Jayden Bradley 12 5’11 T, DT - 3-year starter on both sides of the ball
Andrew Johnson 12 6’0 OL, DL - 2-year starter and can play all line positions
Owen McKee 11 6’ 1 FB, LB - Last year was 2nd team WOAC Guard and LB
Dustin Miller 11 5’ 9 RB, DB - Start on both sides of the ball last year
Lucas Barlow 11 6’ 4 TE, DE - Two-way starter last year
Wyatt Harrod 11 6’ 0 RB, OLB – Two-way starter last year
Evan Day 11 6’ 0 QB, FS - Started at FS last year
Joseph Shewman 11 5-10 G, LB - Starter at Guard last year, will also start at LB this year
Matthew McClanahan12 5’ 9 C, DT - Started at offensive tackle last year
Levi Ritchie 11 6’ 0 WR, CB - Will be a two-way starter this year

Coach Brian Butts Team Overview

“We will be a Wing T again this year. We feel like we have a lot of weapons to work with as all three backs will be very good and the passing game with the TE and WR should also be a strong point.

The key player to make it go will be the offensive line of Bradley, Shewman, McClannahan, Thorpe, Johnson. The execution by them will set the tone and allow us to be able to get the ball to all of our weapons.

Our Defense will be a 4-2-5 this season. The Linebacker core of Harrod, Mckee and Shewman have the potential to be very good.

With a small roster they are really working hard on both sides of the ball and multiple position to give us the flexibility to succeed when injuries and such happen. These kids put in a lot of work this offseason and we are excited by their commitment to the program.

Staying as healthy as possible. If we can manage games to a pace of our liking that should help us overcome the smaller roster.

We feel we can compete and be better than the previous two years when we finished in the top half of the league. Several teams look really good on paper and have the potential to win the WOAC this season. But until one of them does the favorite is Ansonia. They have earned that recognition.”

National Trail (2024 Record 4-6, 4-5 WOAC) 6th Place in League


2025 National Trail Blazers Football Team (Champine Photography Photo)

National Trail almost pulled off a big upset verses Arcanum but came up short 14-13.  The Blazers had a big win against Tri-County North and have some young talented skill players mixed in with older experienced players as well.

Coach Eric Wolfe is now in his third year with the Blazers and looking for his team to settle more into his style and is not a team anyone would want to overlook.

Key Players

Luke Vernon                             SR                               OL/DL
Killian O Connor                     SR                               OL/DL
Jonah Brinkley                         JR                                RB/End
Korbin Sullivan                        JR                                RB/LB
Christian Miears                     JR                                OL/LB
Westin Marker                        JR                                OL/DL
Aiden Martin                           SR                               Slot/DB
Grady Ott                                  SOPH                         TE/DB
Talon Bousman                       SOPH                         QB/DB

Coach Eric Wolfe Team Overview

“Offensively will run the Gun Wing T – Talon Bousman, Jonah Brinkley, Korbin Sullivan, Jason Lofton Running the ball, while Aiden Martin and Nick Clark handle receiving duties Receiving. Westin Marker, Luke Vernon, Killian O Connor, Christian Miears, and Grady Ott paving the way up front.

Will run a 4-3 Defense with Evan Gierzak, Weston Marker and Jonah Brinkley will be fighting in the trenches. Meanwhile Christian Miears, Matt Jones, Korbin Sullivan, and Jason Lofton will back them up at LB spots. In the secondary Aiden Martin, Talon Bousman, Grady Ott, and Henry Roberts will be going to work.

Our team strengths are some size and strength up front and some speed in the backfield. Defensively we bring back a good deal of experience and they communicate well. Overall team leadership is very solid for a younger team.

Success for us is measured in continual improvement and the ability to consistently give every team a very hard time dealing with us. Continuing to build on what we have set in motion.                                                                                            

Top teams to beat will be the same as in previous years. Tri-Village, Ansonia, and Arcanum.”

Tri-County North (2024 Record 3-7, 3-6 WOAC) 6th Place in League


2025 Tri-County North Panthers Football Team (Champine Photography Photo)

For the third straight year Tri-County North will have new coach as they welcome in Nicholas Bandstra a former Bradford and Northwestern (Springfield) Head Coach.  He returns to the league after one year away dealing with a family health issue. Nick is also the social media Director for Ohio High School Football Coaches Association (OHSFCA) & (Miami Valley Football Coaches Association) MVFCA.

The Panthers will look to improve upon a three-win season last year.

Key Players

Peyton Fanning                       Jr 5’8 RB/DB
Frank Filbrun                           Sr 5’7 RB/LB
Mason Givens                         Sr 5’9 RB/LB
Bennett Woodyard                 Sr 6’3 OL/DL
Luke Wright                             Jr 6’0 OL/OLB
Logan Watts                             Jr 5’11 OL/LB
Corbin Flory                             Jr 5’10 WR/TE/CB

Coach Nicholas Bandstra Team Overview

“We are a wing-based offense that will run through Mason Givens, Frank Filbrun, and Peyton Fannin.

Defensively we are a 3-3 stack base defense, that will run through Luke Wright, Jake Wiegand, Mason Givens, Frank Filbrun, and Logan Watts.

We are fairly deep at our skill positions, particularly our running back position.Keys to being successful are staying healthy and focusing on getting better each week.

I think we can compete with most teams in our league, especially if we can stay healthy.

I expect Tri-Village, Ansonia, and Preble Shawnee to be the teams to compete for a title.”

Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks (2024 Record 2-8, 2-7 8th Place WOAC)


2025 Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks Football Team (Dale Barger Photo)

Mississinawa Valley finished with just two wins last year and was looking to go a new direction with the program.

A former alumni and player Brandon Williams a 2005 graduate takes over the program.  He resides in Union City and is married to Shanna and has three children.  Brandon played for coach John Graher and also coached with Graher for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Key Players

Kyle Wehrkamp    Senior     6'               RB/LB      School record on receiving IDs
Bryce Watson        Senior     5' 8"         RB/S         School record on receiving IDs
Caleb Spradling     Soph        5'10"        QB/DB    School Record on Career Passing yds and IDs

Coach Brandon Williams Team Overview

“We will be a Wing T offense that will have the ability to spread it out for a passing game. We will rely heavily on our guys up front with Ty Houser, Mateo Castro-Weiss, Jake Norris leading the charge up front. We have some good athletes at the skill positions with seniors Michael Bell, Kyle Wehrkamp, and Bryce Watson playing the running back and wing positions. They all have good athleticism and can run it as well as catch it out of the backfield. The offense will be conducted by sophomore Caleb Spradling. He had a great year last year as the starting QB as a freshman that has the ability to sling it and be a threat on all levels on the football field.

We will be in a 4-4 defense  with some mixed coverage  schemes.   Again, the guys up front will be key to our success defensively. Ty Houser, Nolan Stump, and Mateo Castro-Weiss  are good sized kids that  use their hands well to fight blocks. Ashton Amspaugh and Cole McGlothlin will play the corner back position for us. These 2 players are very athletic, and I think they will be really good for us.

Sophomores Colton Hiestand and Cooper Nieport will be Linebackers for us. They are young but ready to make an impact.Seniors Kyle Wehrkamp and Bryce Watson will be at the Linebacker and Safety position. These two can really run sideline to sideline and make tackles.

Our biggest strength will be up front where our most experience is with our Running Backs leading the way.

Numbers are a big deal in this conference, we believe if we can have competitive football games with a chance to win the games where our numbers are similar to our opponents we will be making progress.

Ansonia, Tri-Village, and Preble Shawnee will be at the top with Arcanum we believe challenging these teams for the title.”

Bradford Railroaders (2024 Record 1-9, 1-8 (WOAC) 8th Place in League


2025 Bradford Railroaders Football Team (Don Selanders Photo)

In Bradford Chuck Cantrell is back for his second season.  Fighting low numbers, they won just one game last year against winless Dixie and had a close game with Tri-County North in a 21-18 defeat.

The numbers are looking better this year with 29 on their roster with five seniors and 11 juniors.  They will also be looking to replace a talented quarterback in Owen Canan.

Key Players

Kaleb Tegtmeyer SR 5’9 RB/LB – Strong showing in limited action at RB last year. Ready to take a step forward
Raiden Wombold JR 5’10 QB – 1st Year starting at QB; Has put in a lot of work going into season
Adam Hudelson JR 5’10 OL/DL – Leader and strong contributor on both sides of the ball
Morgan Hudelson JR 5’9 OL/DL – Leader and strong contributor on both sides of the ball
Doolin Puterbaugh SO 5’7 WR/CB – Had a strong freshman season and has worked hard to continue to improve
Isaiah Purpus SO  5’10 WR/CB - Excellent Speed and dynamic player

Coach Chuck Cantrell Team Overview

“We will run multiple formations both under center and shotgun. Goal is to have balance and take advantage of defenses weaknesses.

Quarterback Raiden Wombold is important in every phase of the offense. Running backs Kaleb Tegtmeyer and Riley Gardner are key to keeping the balance of the offense.

We run a 3-4 aggressive defense. Linebackers Nick Swiger and Fenix Spurgeon are young but solid players.

The team is determined to continue to improve. The strengths of the team really come down to the determination and work ethic of the players.

We are continuing to build the program and establish the culture and mindset of a successful program from top to bottom. Getting better every day through hard work is the key.

We hope to be competitive and play hard in every game. I expect the top teams this year will be, Tri-Village, Preble Shawnee, and Ansonia.”

Dixie Greyhounds (2024 Record 010, 0-9 WOAC) 9th Place in League


2025 Dixie Greyhounds Football Team (Champine Phtography Photo)

The Dixie program is under their third coach in as many years and with the departure of Charles Kash the Greyhounds welcome Sean Schooley who has an impressive resume of coaching experience.

2012-2017 – Xenia O-Line Coach / Run Game Coord.

2017-2018 - Middletown O-Line Coach / Run Game Coord

2018 – 2019 – Valleyview Single backs Coach

2019 – 2022 – Miamisburg Outside Line Backers and Safeties Coach / OL Coach Run Game Coord.

2023-2024 - - Middletown O-Line Coach / Run Game Coord / Special Teams Coord.

2024-2025 – Dayton Christian Defense Coord / Outside Line Backers Coach

Key Players

Cole Swafford        So.            6’0            QB
Blake McDaniel       Sr.             5’11         FB/ISLB
Ayden Hipp             So.            5’10         WR/DB
Gavin Cooper         So.            6’0            OL/DL
Jason Myers           So.            5’10         FB/OLB
Zach Poston           Jr.              5’10         OL/ISLB

Coach Sean Schooley Team Overview

“Run & Shoot Triple – Key Players Cole Swafford, Blake McDaniel, Jason Myers

3-3 Stack – Key Players Elijah Dillon, Blake McDaniel

Willingness to lean.

Giving and uncommon effort, being a great teammate, and staying positive

We should be competitive in every game with a chance to win. Ansonia, Tri-Village, Preble Shawnee, Arcanum”

Good luck to all WOAC football teams who open the season Friday August 22nd with non-conference games.
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The Lady Patriots have gone 54-2 in the last two years in softball and ran the table this year going 30-0 to become the OHSAA D6 State Champs.

Story & Photos by Dale Barger

AKRON – The Tri-Village Softball Team capped off a perfect 30-0 season, running the table in 2025 by beating Sugarcreek Garaway 6-0 in the OHSAA D6 State Championship game in the 100^th Anniversary Celebration of Firestone Stadium.

The Patriots had 7 hits & scored 6 runs on offense while Liz Poling allowed just three hits, one walk and three strikeouts with solid support from the defense in the win.   It was Poling’s 24th victory of the season.


Elizabeth Poling has been a rock in the circle this season notching 24 wins along the way.

Camryn Osborne led off the 2nd inning taking one for the team on a hit by pitch.  Kash Mead hit the ball toward second with Osborne heading that direction and she slid around the tag safely to give TV runners at first and second base.

With one out the Patriots went small ball with Tai Mize bunting and the ball just cleared the pitcher toward an empty second base.  The fielder at second left to cover first on the bunt and Mize picked up a single while Osborne scored on the play.

Tai Mize who had a double and this bunt single got things started off well the Patriots.

Garaway’s pitcher then plunked Mylee Bierly, and TV had bases loaded. A walk to Emma Greer allowed Mize to score giving the PATS a 2-0 lead at end of 2nd inning.

In the bottom of the fifth inning Greer gathered past second base … but the next two hitters were retired.  Osborne, who set a new school record with 13 homeruns drew a walk giving Tri-Village two on with two outs.

Aereonna Baker delivers big blow with this double to plate two runs and give the Patriots some breathing room in game with Sugarcreek Garaway.

Aereonna Baker returned to the plate looking for redemption on her previous at bat, where she was thrown out from right field at first base.  Baker delivered  this time with a rocket past the right fielder to the fence for a stand-up double that scored both Greer and Osborne for a 4-0 lead.

Mize started the bottom of the 6th with a hard-hit to center for a double.  Mylee Bierly who appeared to be a  ball magnet took a second hit by pitch to the shin.

Emma Greer set a new school record for hits in a season collecting her 59th hit and getting an RBI in the process her team leading 46th on the year.  Greer would later score her team leading 54th run as as well.  Her performance this year led her to be the WOAC Conference Player of the Year, 1st team All-Southwest District, 1st Team All State and D6 State Player of the Year.

Greer then singled to score Mize with Bierly moving up to third base.  Bierly then scored on a pass ball to complete the game scoring with TV up 6-0.

Sugarcreek Garaway had one last opportunity at the top of the 7th.  Liz Poling got a fly-out on the first hitter to center.  The next batter ripped a hard shot down third base line for a stand-up double giving the Pirates a glimmer of hope.

But hope turned to despair as the next hitter lined to Mize at second and she quickly relayed to Osborne covering the bag for a double play to end the game and the Patriots went into full celebration mode.

Girls were jumping around, lots of raw emotion, screams of joy, hugs and plenty of smiles all around as the girls completed their journey to win a state championship. 

They are the fifth Tri-Village team to reach the state final four joining the 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1985 teams.  The second team along with 1980 to make the state final and the first softball team in school history to win a State Championship.

They became the third sports team in the last decade at Tri-Village to go undefeated to win a state championship and is the newest member of the 30-0 club joining the 2015 Boys Basketball and 2023 Girls Basketball State Championship teams.

Becoming a championship team doesn’t just magically happen, in fact the groundwork started years ago with nine starry eyed young girls with a passion for the game all playing for current varsity assistant coach Shane Mead.  Mead started coaching the Darke County Rebels in 2018 and at one time 11 of the current Patriot players were involved in one way or another.  

Aereonna Baker started with them her first year … but her birthdate forced her to play up with a different team … but still she was playing Focus softball with Emma Cantrell who is the only senior on this year’s team.   

Caley McCarroll and Emma Greer subbed several times over the years … but the core team included: McKenzie Besecker, Kaley Brandon, Camryn Osborne, Kash Mead, Addy Wright, Elizabeth Poling, Mylee Bierly and Hailey Burk.

These young ladies didn’t just wake up one morning and say, ‘hey I think I’ll start playing softball today’, they’ve all put in the time and worked hard to become state champions.

Coach Mead talked about how it all came together.

“When Kash was a second grader we had a few local kids playing on our team but there were a few other 3rd and 4th grade kids playing as well on another team.  (They are all now currently sophomores and juniors on the Patriots varsity softball team except Mead a freshman)  So, we put the two groups together and that was the beginning for this team,” Mead explained.

The foundation and beginning of the current Lady Patriots began in 2018 with 9 current players on the same team.

“The girls started winning some “C” type tournaments, then stepped up and won “B” tournaments which eventually led to high level “A” national  tournaments.  When we won a National Tournament playing against teams with kids from all over … they were stunned to know all the kids playing on our team were from the same small school,” Mead added.

Fueled by that success the girls continued to work on their own individual skills and had high expectations coming into high school. 

Last year’s Lady Patriots softball team may have surprised many, but the team including Coach Emily Osborne and Coach Mead had already prepared these girls to be competitive and ready to win.

Catcher Hailey Burk has worked hard to hone her craft and perfectly frames the pitch from Liz Poling giving the umpire a great view to call the strike.

In 2024 the Patriots won the conference with an 11-0 league record winning the WOAC Conference.  They then marched through the tournament racking up some impressive wins including Ft. Loramie in the regional semifinal to set-up a regional final game with Minster. 

They lost to the Wildcats 5-3 in the regional final and up to that point losing never entered their mind.  The loss provided the motivation needed for the team as they collected dirt from the field in vials only to be returned if they won the regional final in 2025.

The formula used when they played tournament softball by moving from “C” to “B” and then “A’ level competition was applied to the 2025 schedule.

“We beefed up our schedule, we needed it, and we wanted the challenge of playing better teams and these girls were ready for it, that’s why we scheduled Russia, Greenville, Covington and Northmont to start the season.  In the Greenville game we had a lead, but they rallied late, and we had to focus to find a way to win, and the girls did that,” Osborne stated.

A reporter asked if they ever thought about losing a game.

“We don't talk about losing … but in our first scrimmage this year we lost to a really good Tipp City team and that might have been the best thing to happen because it showed us, if we don't play our strongest game or play as a team, we’re not going to win. So, it reminded us that we have to stay humble and to trust each other knowing any one of us can make a big play to help the team,” Aereonna Baker remarked.

Tri-Village coaches and players welcomed the challenged and found it to be fun.

“It was definitely very fun. And we obviously played some teams where it was just kind of an easy game, but we learned a lot with tight games where it was like one to nothing. Early in the season we only beat Greenville by one, and it was a team we were dying to beat. So, having a zero in the loss column was something we all earned, and we wanted it for each other.  We didn't want one or two losses, it was all of our mindsets the whole season,” Tai Mize declared.

In order to do that the Patriots would have to come together as a team and get contributions across the board. Many times, throughout the year you expect certain players to make headlines game after game … but for Tri-Village in the biggest games of the year it wasn’t necessarily the big headline players making the biggest contributions.

Against Minster in their regional semifinal re-match the Patriots got a spectacular relief effort from Emma Greer pitching out of two bases loaded innings.  They also got a heads up throw from Addy Wright to Tai Mize who flipped to Hailey Burk tagging out the go-ahead run at the top of the 7^th inning. Then in the bottom half of the inning after collecting just one hit all game long, coach Osborne called on Kaley Brandon to pinch hit and she produced with just the second hit of the game. The Patriots then got a sacrifice bunt from Burk to move Emma Cantrell on to run for Brandon.  Cantrell then stole third base and eventually scored on a squeeze bunt from freshman Kash Mead to win the game 1-0.

Mylee Bierly, Addy Wright & Aereonna Baker with big smiles because they are state champions.

In the state semi-final game Emma Cantrell would duplicate her aggressive base running walking in the first inning, then stole second base, then third and finally home and the Patriots made it hold up with solid pitching from Liz Poling and excellent defense to eke out another 1-0 win. 

Then in the championship game contributions came from Aereonna Baker on a two RBI double, Emma Greer was 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored, Camryn Osborne scored two runs, Kash Mead was 2-for-3, one run scored, Tai Mize had a big double was 2-for-3 one RBI, one run scored, and Mylee Bierly scored one run after getting beaned twice. To wrap it up Liz Poling went the full 7 innings giving up just 3 hits and the defense was right tight behind her to secure the 6-0 shutout.

In the post-game press conference Tri-Village coach Emily Osborne talked about having a complete team with contributions from everyone being key to helping them achieve a perfect season.

“What a game and a great season, 30-0!  I’m so proud of this team from top to bottom.  We sat in here yesterday with three other leaders. Today, I have three new leaders, just the fact that they can play together and know their responsibilities and do them confidently, is what we needed today. I’m so proud of them and what they're able to do,” Osborne stated.

Over the course of the last three game this reporter interviewed ten different girls just to give you an idea of how spread out the contributions were for the team.

In the press conference with shortstop Camryn Osborne, second baseman Tai Mize and left fielder Aereonna Baker they talked about how they achieved their dream of a state championship and agreed that doing their job and trusting teammates were key.

Baker who hit the redemption double, struggled knowing she got thrown out at first on the hard hit to right field, stated she has learned to trust her girls.

“I mean, we’ve been playing together since I was eight, nine years old. I was struggling at the beginning of the game and coach Shane looked at me and said, hit the ball, and I did. We all know how to communicate really well. There are times if I'm not hitting good, somebody will be. There's always somebody hitting super good we just have to rely on our teammates,” Baker commented.

“Today wasn’t Emma Cantrell’s day but if it wasn’t for her in the last two games we wouldn’t be here.  Today was my day,” Baker added.

Shortstop Camryn Osborne chimed in about the team’s defense, that helped to shut out the last three teams they played.

“I think our defense might be the best thing about this team … maybe better than our hitting,” Osborne said.

Shortstop Camryn Osborne runs down a fly ball into the outfield.  Osborne led her team this year with a school record 13 home runs thinks the Patriots defense gets overlooked because of their offense.  

“I really believe our communication is so good. I think it comes back to that trust again. Like, we just trust each other and I’m not sure where we would be if we didn’t, we’ve just learned to play together over time,” Osborne added.

Tai Mize who came to the group a little later than some of the others was just happy to be a part of the amazing run.

“It's an honor being able to be a junior and then becoming a senior finishing my career with these girls makes me so happy,” Mize said.

“I have to agree with them about the trust, is just like having each other's back. Like when Cam or I back up Liz on tip balls off her glove, or even Kaylee or Emma, we're always there, but so is our outfield.  They do a great job of backing up balls that me and Cam can't get to, so it's having each other's back when things do go wrong,” Mize added.

Players from L-R: Camryn Osborne, Hailey Burk, Tai Mize, Mylee Bierly, Addy Wright, Kaley Brandon, McKenzie Besecker, Aereonna Baker, Emma Cantrell, Emma Greer, Caley McCaroll, Claire Royer, Elizabeth Poling and Kash Mead.  

But the biggest thing that became clear was how much these girls care for each other and the encouragement they provide to pick one another up.

Baker talked about how important McKenzie Besecker and other players that weren’t able to play in the game and what they mean to the team.

“McKenzie, if she didn't come in and talk to me and give me sips of Red Bull, like those girls are so good even if they're not getting playing time, there just such a solid set of girls who make the difference, making us laugh, giving pep talks, it all matters,” Baker alluded.

It seemed like whenever the team needed a big play coach Osborne and Mead pulled the right strings and coach Osborne talked about that.

“They are all good girls. I believe in all of them They've all put in the work and all of them want it just as much as I do.  So, I'm confident that whoever I put in, they want to be there, they want to play for their team. And that's just kind of how we work it. We kind of look at who's hitting, who's staying positive for the team. Because it matters, these girls are alluding to that. You know, it matters to stay positive and be part of the team, and it's awesome,” Osborne asserted

“Technically, per OHSAA we have two players who aren't on the roster, but they're part of the team, and keys to keeping us up, and helping us focus, to make us laugh when we need it. You know, it's a team effort, they were part of it and that’s why they're an awesome team,” Osborne related.

In the last two years Patriots softball has a 54-2 record and returns everyone but Emma Cantrell who will leave as a state champion.   


Patriot players McKenzie Besecker, Emma "Wheelz" Cantrell and Emma Greer sporting new hardware.

While they will want to enjoy this magic title run for a bit, something tells me they’re ready to up the ante in 2026.

“We've got some ideas in mind for next year to continue keeping them challenged, because you need to keep the focus and momentum and that can be done by making them work,” Osborne concluded.

What began as innocent, wide-eyed young girls playing softball for the first time eight years ago, has evolved into a group of young women united by their love for the game. This shared passion has fostered a strong sisterhood among them, allowing these girls to develop trust in one another and play for each other, ultimately leading them to become State Champs!


The 2025 Softball team joins the 30-0 club at Tri-Village.  The 3rd team in the last decade to be state champions while going 30-0 joining the 2015 boys basketball and 2023 girls basketball state championship teams.
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