D.L.B

  Caleb Wheeler Marion Pleasant  Guard, Center, Tackle, 3T, NG 2024 Otterbein University  What was the highlight of the 2023 season? Beating North Union to kickstart our season as well as beating Highland What was the biggest disappointment as far as the 2023 season goes? Losing the first round to Eastwood What are you going to miss the most, not only from playing football for Marion Pleasant but also from going to school there? The small school environment and the guys you grow up playing with.  Who was the best player you ever faced during the 2023 season, along with the team he played for? We played a lot of D1 guys this year, but probably Dane Nauman from Highland. The Spartans had a really nice turn-around season, finishing over 500. What do you think was the biggest reason for the turnaround? The new coaching staff and everyone were being bought into what was being preached to us day in and day out and just staying the course.  What mark do ...

  Demetrius Lee Stanley Jr. Lakota East High School  DT/Rush Side DE  Class of 2025  What is the best part of being a student-athlete at Lakota East High School? At Lakota East, you have a big support group ranging from administration, staff, and students. And despite anything, they’re always understanding and willing to lend a helping hand in any area needed.    What is the hardest part of being a student-athlete at Lakota East? Just being disciplined enough to stay on top of everything and making sure you’re performing well in all areas of life on and off the field  Along with football, you also wrestle. How long have you been involved in both sports?  I started playing football in 2012, when I turned 5. I started wrestling in 2015, when I was 8 in the third grade. I played both all through my youth, middle school, and up until now. But I had some roadblocks along the way, like injuries and things.  How did your wrestling season go...

  Brent Thompson Gamble Montessori RB/LB 2024 Central State University  What are you going to miss the most about not only playing football for Gamble Montessori High School but attending there as well?  I'm going to miss all the relationships I built with the younger classes; the high school will always be like family to me, and I will forever be happy to be a gator! What mark do you believe your class left on the program? I believe we set a high bar for the youth to come up in a positive way; we left a tough act to follow! Who was the best player you ever faced in a game, along with the team he played for? The best overall player I would say I ever faced would have to be Aaron McFarlan Jr. at Taylor High School. His potential is limitless, and for a young player, he torched us two years in a row. That kid has a bright future, and I sure have so much respect for his game! Who was the best team you ever faced, along with what made them so good? The best team I...

  Dylan Stewart Conner High School Left Tackle, Right Tackle, and Defensive Tackle 2025 Last time we spoke, you said you needed to work on your pad level. Was you able to improve that part of your game? Yes, I was able to improve on my pad level, mainly when I fire off of the ball, but I feel I could still get better at it. You had also mentioned improving your confidence. Were you able to do this? Explain Yes, I was able to improve my confidence as well. I knew that for me to be able to perform to my best ability, I had to believe that. Every time I put my hand in the ground, I knew I was the baddest man in that field, and that’s the mindset I had throughout the season. As a team, you guys were able to improve your win total by three last season. What were some of the things that helped with the improvement? I feel like we bonded more as a team in general, and we were all closer together. We also put in extra work after practice and really focused on our technique.  ...

  Qa’id Wilson  Aiken New Tech Middle linebacker and right guard 2024 Otterbein University  You entered the 2023 season with a new team in Aiken after transferring from Purcell Marian. How long did it take for you to feel like you were part of the Aiken family? As soon as I got there,. There are a lot of people there, so it’s pretty hard not to fit in somewhere. For you, what were the biggest differences between the two teams? The biggest difference between the Purcell team and the Aiken team was definitely the age of the team. Purcell had about 20 to 25 seniors that made up the team, and a good 15 of them had started a varsity game, but Aiken had a lot of juniors and sophomores that were playing this year, and some of them were in their first year of playing varsity football. What were your personal goals for the 2023 season, and were you able to achieve those goals? My personal goal was to make all conference and all city teams, but sadly, I didn’t get that ch...

  Tony Hurps Berne Union  Head Football Coach What are you going to miss the most from the 2024 class? Their work is off-the-field. There is a lot that we ask of our players in terms of culture and program development. We started Sunday Night Lights for our youth last spring, and this past fall we ran our own flag football league within Berne Union Elementary, and our players were their coaches. I asked for an extra hour from them after practice each week and two hours after film on Saturdays, and I never heard a complaint from any of my players. There are some big things happening at Berne Union surrounding the football program. Can you share with the readers just what the changes are? We just finished redoing the football field with turf, along with resurfacing our track in the fall, and currently our field house is being built, which will give us a beautiful indoor space with multiple basketball courts, a weight room, a locker room, and meeting space. It is anticipate...

  Braxton Barnett Shenandoah  Quarterback  2026 6-2, 175 How long have you played football, along with the reasons you continue to play? I’ve played football since 3rd grade, so 8 years During the 2023 season, which road stadium had the best overall atmosphere, along with the reasons you believe that made it the best? Probably week 10 at Caldwell, because there were so many people. Staying with the 2023 road game theme. Which stadium was the worst to play in, and why was it so bad? Waterford was pretty bad because both crowds were getting into it the whole game. What was your biggest accomplishment during the 2023 season? Managing to get All-Ohio to only play seven games What was your biggest disappointment during the 2023 season? Only winning 3 games Who was the best team that you guys faced during the 2023 season, along with the reasons you believe made them so good? Barnesville was tough; they had solid athletes all around and were pretty hard to stop. ...

  KJ Kotalik Wynford High School Offensive Tackle and Defensive Tackle Class of 2025 6-8 315 POUNDS How long have you played football, along with the reasons you continue to play? I’ve been playing football since I was 5 years old. So, around 12 years. I love the game of football with all of my heart. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. Football has taught me so many valuable lessons that I will carry with me not only when I play college but also as I grow into a man and enter adulthood. What is the best part of being a student-athlete at Wynford High School? The brotherhood and relationships I build with my teammates and coaches.  What is the toughest part of being a student-athlete? The hardest part is managing your time. During the season, I want to give my 100% to football while simultaneously giving my 100% in the classroom. It can be hard to balance.  What were your goals entering the 2023 season, and were you able to achieve those goals? Ent...

  Jovan Love Archbishop Moeller Wide Receiver 2025 You play for one of the most recognized teams in the state of Ohio. Do you feel any extra pressure trying to live up to the history of what Moeller football is? Wearing Moeller on my jersey has definitely given me a lot of pride, but I just try to play my own game and not feed into that pressure. I just try to go out on the field each game and play my own game. You are a Tri-sport athlete. Could you let the readers know which sports besides football you are in, along with how long you have been in each sport? I also play baseball and run indoor track. I have played baseball since the age of 5, but I just recently started running track in the winter of my sophomore year.  Of the three sports you are in, which do you feel you are the best at? I feel pretty balanced when it comes to my strengths in both sports. Recently, I have gotten more exposure to football than baseball, so some may say that is where my strength is. ...

  TJ Carper Zanesville High School Head Football Coach We will start with the 2023 season and then work toward the new job. Heading into the 2023 season, the Vikings were coming off a 6–5 season. What were your goals for the team after the last practice heading into your week-one game? We wanted to focus on ourselves. It didn’t matter about anything anyone else was doing. If we could fix what we needed to fix and get better at the smaller things, I felt that we had a really good chance to make history in 2023. Who was the player that stuck out the most after all of the practices were finished leading into that week-one game? Garrett Brown! He is a great kid with a great work ethic. He’s a go-getter with qualities that you want your leaders to have. He did everything the right way!  The Vikings started the season with a loss and ended the season with a loss, winning nine games in between. Of the two losses (Unioto and Gallia Acdemy), which of those teams was the better?...