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Jul. 30—Before the 2026 high school football season kicks off, let's take a look back at what went down last season in the Ohio Heritage Conference with an eye on what it could tell us for this fall:
Defending Champions — OHC North Division: Mechanicsburg, Northeastern, West Jefferson; OHC South: Greeneview.
North Division game of the year: Northeastern 27, West Liberty-Salem 24, Week 7. A week after falling to West Jefferson, the Jets trailed the Tigers 24-14 at the half in Springfield. But after a 26-yard TD run by Diezel Taylor and a 90-yard punt return by Jacoby Newman gave the Jets the lead for good.
South Division game of the year: Greeneview 19, Cedarville 14, Week 6. Trailing 14-13 with about two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Rams quarterback Lucas Reynolds connected with Sam Grooms for a 55-yard touchdown pass to give Greeneview the win and keep their OHC South winning streak alive at 21 games.
Performance of the year: In a season that saw Northeastern put up video game numbers, Taylor and Newman had their biggest night of the season in Week 5 against Madison Plains. Taylor threw for 403 yards and seven TDs, while Newman caught 8 passes for 277 yards and five TDs. Newman shared Player of the Year honors with West Jefferson's Austin Buescher.
Playoff results: Six OHC teams advanced to the postseason across three divisions.
Cedarville snuck into the D-VII, Region 28 playoffs with a 5-5 record. The 11th-seeded Indians won back-to-back road games against Portsmouth Notre Dame and Cincinnati Country Day before falling to eventual state champion St. Henry in a regional semifinal game.
West Jefferson beat Toronto and Fort Frye to advance to a D-VI, Region 23 semifinal game before falling Colonel Crawford.
Northeastern beat Rock Hill 59-0 in D-VI, Region 24 before falling to Anna in the second round.
Greeneview (D-V), Mechanicsburg (D-VI) and West Liberty-Salem (D-V) each lost in their opening round game.
One number that defined the season: 204 points. The top offenses in the OHC North knew how to find the end zon. Northeastern scored 204 points in five OHC North games last season, an average of 40.8 points per game. Co-champions West Jefferson (36.0) and Mechanicsburg (39.8) also average more than five TDs per game in division play.
Biggest question entering 2026: Will Greeneview continue its streak in the Ohio Heritage Conference South Division? The Rams have won 25 OHC South games dating back to the 2021 season. During that stretch, only two teams have come within a touchdown of beating Greeneview.
Leading passer: West Jefferson senior Austin Buescher threw for 3,873 yards and 35 TDs.
Top returner: Greenon junior Teagan Henry threw for 1,847 yards and 22 TDs.
Leading rusher: Northeastern senior Cody Houseman had 1,472 yards and 16 TDs.
Top returner: Fairbanks junior Carson Shope rushed for 1,008 yards and nine TDs.
Leading receiver: Northeastern senior Jacoby Newman caught 49 passes for 1,136 yards and 18 TDs.
Top returner: Cedarville junior Lincoln Pyles caught 25 passes for 439 yards and 4 TDs.
Leading tackler: Catholic Central senior Brody Adams had 140 tackles.
Top returner: Catholic Central freshman Lee Tilley had 105 tackles.
Leader in sacks: Greeneview sophomore Chase Muterspaw had 14.5 sacks.
Leader in tackles for loss: Northeastern senior Jackson Jones had 25.5 sacks.
Top returner: Catholic Central freshman Lee Tilley had 14 TFLs.
Leader in interceptions: Catholic Central senior Berkeley Little had six INTs.
Top returners: Three tied with three INTs.
2025 All-Ohio selections (underclassmen in bold):
Division V
Honorable Mention
OL: Hunter Leath, Jamestown Greeneview, 6-0, 265, sr.; Chase Muterspaw, Jamestown Greeneview, 6- 2, 225, so.; LB: Sam Strapp, West Liberty West Liberty-Salem, 6-1, 195, sr.
Division VI
OPSMA Division VI Ohio Offensive Player of the Year: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson.
First Team Offense
QB: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson, 6-4, 175, sr.
OL: Luke Walters, West Jefferson, 6-3, 240, so.
Second Team Offense
QB: Conley Bogard, Mechanicsburg, 6-2, 215, sr.; WR/TE: Austin Haynes, Mechanicsburg, 5-11, 145, sr.; Jackson Beatty, West Jefferson, 6-1, 185, sr.
Third Team Defense
LB: Denver Caudill, Mechanicsburg, 6-2, 180, sr.
Honorable Mention
QB: Diezel Taylor, Northeastern, 6-2, 201, sr.; RB: Carson Shope, Milford Center Fairbanks, 5-8, 155, jr.; WR/TE: Connor Eyink, Mechanicsburg, 6-0, 175, sr.; Jacoby Newman, Northeastern, 6-1,181, sr.; LB: Cody Houseman, Northeastern, 6-0, 184, sr.; Jackson Jones, Northeastern, 5-10, 166, sr.
Division VII
First Team Defense
LB: Isaiah Christian, Cedarville, 5-9, 175, sr.
Second Team Offense
QB: Will Mossing, Cedarville, 6-1, 160, sr.
Third Team Offense
WR/TE: Berkeley Little, Springfield Catholic Central, 5-10, 155, sr.
Honorable Mention
OL: Matt Nye, Springfield Catholic Central, 6-0, 185, sr., OL; K: Nate Van Loo, Cedarville, 6-1, 170, sr.; LB: Brody Adams, Springfield Catholic Central, 6-4, 240, sr.; P: Carson Krieg, South Charleston Southeastern Local, 6-6, 190, sr.
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Defending Champions — OHC North Division: Mechanicsburg, Northeastern, West Jefferson; OHC South: Greeneview.
North Division game of the year: Northeastern 27, West Liberty-Salem 24, Week 7. A week after falling to West Jefferson, the Jets trailed the Tigers 24-14 at the half in Springfield. But after a 26-yard TD run by Diezel Taylor and a 90-yard punt return by Jacoby Newman gave the Jets the lead for good.
South Division game of the year: Greeneview 19, Cedarville 14, Week 6. Trailing 14-13 with about two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Rams quarterback Lucas Reynolds connected with Sam Grooms for a 55-yard touchdown pass to give Greeneview the win and keep their OHC South winning streak alive at 21 games.
Performance of the year: In a season that saw Northeastern put up video game numbers, Taylor and Newman had their biggest night of the season in Week 5 against Madison Plains. Taylor threw for 403 yards and seven TDs, while Newman caught 8 passes for 277 yards and five TDs. Newman shared Player of the Year honors with West Jefferson's Austin Buescher.
Playoff results: Six OHC teams advanced to the postseason across three divisions.
Cedarville snuck into the D-VII, Region 28 playoffs with a 5-5 record. The 11th-seeded Indians won back-to-back road games against Portsmouth Notre Dame and Cincinnati Country Day before falling to eventual state champion St. Henry in a regional semifinal game.
West Jefferson beat Toronto and Fort Frye to advance to a D-VI, Region 23 semifinal game before falling Colonel Crawford.
Northeastern beat Rock Hill 59-0 in D-VI, Region 24 before falling to Anna in the second round.
Greeneview (D-V), Mechanicsburg (D-VI) and West Liberty-Salem (D-V) each lost in their opening round game.
One number that defined the season: 204 points. The top offenses in the OHC North knew how to find the end zon. Northeastern scored 204 points in five OHC North games last season, an average of 40.8 points per game. Co-champions West Jefferson (36.0) and Mechanicsburg (39.8) also average more than five TDs per game in division play.
Biggest question entering 2026: Will Greeneview continue its streak in the Ohio Heritage Conference South Division? The Rams have won 25 OHC South games dating back to the 2021 season. During that stretch, only two teams have come within a touchdown of beating Greeneview.
Leading passer: West Jefferson senior Austin Buescher threw for 3,873 yards and 35 TDs.
Top returner: Greenon junior Teagan Henry threw for 1,847 yards and 22 TDs.
Leading rusher: Northeastern senior Cody Houseman had 1,472 yards and 16 TDs.
Top returner: Fairbanks junior Carson Shope rushed for 1,008 yards and nine TDs.
Leading receiver: Northeastern senior Jacoby Newman caught 49 passes for 1,136 yards and 18 TDs.
Top returner: Cedarville junior Lincoln Pyles caught 25 passes for 439 yards and 4 TDs.
Leading tackler: Catholic Central senior Brody Adams had 140 tackles.
Top returner: Catholic Central freshman Lee Tilley had 105 tackles.
Leader in sacks: Greeneview sophomore Chase Muterspaw had 14.5 sacks.
Leader in tackles for loss: Northeastern senior Jackson Jones had 25.5 sacks.
Top returner: Catholic Central freshman Lee Tilley had 14 TFLs.
Leader in interceptions: Catholic Central senior Berkeley Little had six INTs.
Top returners: Three tied with three INTs.
2025 All-Ohio selections (underclassmen in bold):
Division V
Honorable Mention
OL: Hunter Leath, Jamestown Greeneview, 6-0, 265, sr.; Chase Muterspaw, Jamestown Greeneview, 6- 2, 225, so.; LB: Sam Strapp, West Liberty West Liberty-Salem, 6-1, 195, sr.
Division VI
OPSMA Division VI Ohio Offensive Player of the Year: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson.
First Team Offense
QB: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson, 6-4, 175, sr.
OL: Luke Walters, West Jefferson, 6-3, 240, so.
Second Team Offense
QB: Conley Bogard, Mechanicsburg, 6-2, 215, sr.; WR/TE: Austin Haynes, Mechanicsburg, 5-11, 145, sr.; Jackson Beatty, West Jefferson, 6-1, 185, sr.
Third Team Defense
LB: Denver Caudill, Mechanicsburg, 6-2, 180, sr.
Honorable Mention
QB: Diezel Taylor, Northeastern, 6-2, 201, sr.; RB: Carson Shope, Milford Center Fairbanks, 5-8, 155, jr.; WR/TE: Connor Eyink, Mechanicsburg, 6-0, 175, sr.; Jacoby Newman, Northeastern, 6-1,181, sr.; LB: Cody Houseman, Northeastern, 6-0, 184, sr.; Jackson Jones, Northeastern, 5-10, 166, sr.
Division VII
First Team Defense
LB: Isaiah Christian, Cedarville, 5-9, 175, sr.
Second Team Offense
QB: Will Mossing, Cedarville, 6-1, 160, sr.
Third Team Offense
WR/TE: Berkeley Little, Springfield Catholic Central, 5-10, 155, sr.
Honorable Mention
OL: Matt Nye, Springfield Catholic Central, 6-0, 185, sr., OL; K: Nate Van Loo, Cedarville, 6-1, 170, sr.; LB: Brody Adams, Springfield Catholic Central, 6-4, 240, sr.; P: Carson Krieg, South Charleston Southeastern Local, 6-6, 190, sr.
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