It’s finally game week and the start of the 2024 high school football season is just days away.
With this anticipation and excitement come questions like: Which powers will remain powers, what are the best leagues in Central Ohio, and who could cause surprises to watch for?
Dispatch high school reporters Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura answered five burning questions about the 2024 season last week, and here are the remaining five.
This is the second of two parts.
1. What will be the best high school football league in Central Ohio?
We’ll break down our predictions in another article, but a few immediately come to mind, such as CCL, MSL-Buckeye, and OCC-Central.
DeSales, Hartley and Watterson, the 2023 Division III runner-up, are all set for big years in the CCL, and St. Charles has tasked new coach Anthony Colucci with turning things around in hopes of competing for the league championship and the program’s first postseason win.
The MSL Buckeye boasts two top-notch quarterbacks in Bloom-Carroll’s Ethan Thanthanavong and Logan Elm’s Aaron Walters, and Fairfield Union has a wealth of individual talent, led by Owen Ruff, who excels at running back as well as on defense and special teams.
Hilliard Bradley and Upper Arlington faced off in an all-OCC Central Division I, Region 3 final last fall, and at the same time, league foe Dublin Coffman faced Springfield for the Region 2 championship. Elsewhere in the league, Olentangy Orange has a new coach in the successful Wes Schroeder, Olentangy Liberty has matured in its second season under John Sansbury, and Hilliard Davidson has always known how to get teams in trouble.
2. How does Ready compensate for the transfer of star RB Rinehart to Westland?
Despite the loss of highly-touted running back Kentrell Rinehart, TJ Burbridge, who has been Ready’s coach for two years, is confident his team will compete for a second consecutive Central Buckeye League title.
Rinehart, who committed to North Carolina State, transferred to Division I Westland. Last season, he rushed for 2,837 yards and 42 touchdowns and led Ready (10-2) to the Division IV, Region 15 quarterfinals. He was named first-team All-State, the district’s Offensive Player of the Year and the CBL Player of the Year.
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Burbridge expects senior Anthony Campbell to replace Rinehart in the backfield. Campbell missed the 2023 season after suffering a leg injury during a practice game.
“The senior class is coming on,” Burbridge said. “They really want to play Bishop Ready football, and that’s what we expect from them now. Everything is about Bishop Ready, and it always has been that way. We have a lot of great kids that want to be there.”
3. Can Northland win its third consecutive City League-North title?
Ryan Sayers, who has been a coach for five years, believes his team has the potential to win City-North and advance to the Division II, Region 7 playoffs.
The Vikings will play their first home game against Walnut Ridge on Friday and will look to avenge a 29-22 loss in the 2023 opening game.
Northland won nine games in a row and went 6-0 in City-North play before losing 43-14 to Big Walnut in the first round of the playoffs.
Key returnees include seniors Uzziah Bailey (WR), Malakai Hammond (OL), Tyreek Lewis (DL), Alex Neff (QB) and Justin Ofori (DL), as well as junior Mahari Bowles (RB). Junior TeJuan Barbour (WR/DB), a transfer from Reynoldsburg, is also expected to contribute.
“We have great kids,” Sayers said. “We have a good culture. We’ve stopped talking about last year’s successes. We need to create our new memories and our new successes, and then this class will be able to put their stamp on the program.”
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4. How will Westerville Central and Westerville South fare under the new coaches?
After six successful seasons in Toronto’s Division VII, Josh Franke took over at Central after two-year coach Ed Miley resigned.
South didn’t have to look far for a successor to Matthew Christ and promoted longtime assistant Eric Calland. Christ resigned after seven seasons.
The new coaches are optimistic thanks to the performances of each team.
Central, seeking its first winning season since 2020, opens Friday against Westerville North looking to avenge a 21-12 loss in last season’s opener. North ended a 13-game losing streak to Central.
The Warhawks should be led by senior quarterback Jaystin Gwinn, who threw for 1,869 yards and ran for 1,287 yards last season, scoring 30 touchdowns (17 passing, 13 running).
South begins Friday at home against Dublin Jerome, looking to avenge a 30-15 loss to the Celtics in their 2023 opener. South leads the all-time series 7-4.
The Wildcats will be looking for big plays from 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior tight end Tyler Kielmeyer and 5-foot-10, 195-pound sophomore running back Ian Gordon. Kielmeyer has committed to Northwestern and Gordon succeeds All-State running back Nasir Phillips, who graduates in 2024.
5. Danville was a power among small schools last year. Will it continue?
It should. With nine starters returning from a 13-1 team – four on offense and five on defense – the Blue Devils have talent.
That’s especially true at or near the line of scrimmage, as two offensive linemen return, all-state defensive end Caleb Lucas (120 tackles, 11 sacks) and star middle linebacker Josh Byers (183 tackles, 90 solo, 4 ½ sacks). Byers and Lucas also play tight end, which coach Matt Blum called a strength of the offense, along with a group of running backs led by senior Aidan Burke.
Burke’s job is to replace 1,700-yard runner Cole Delaughder, who scored 25 touchdowns on the ground and four more as a receiver.
Senior Jacob Hackman takes over the quarterback position for 1,415-yard passer Walker Weckesser.
The Blue Devils also move from Division VII, Region 25, where they finished second last year, to Region 27, joining more Central Ohio teams.
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