THE TOP OHIO PREP FOOTBALL TEAMS TO WATCH IN 2025: DIVISION II EDITION

By Kyle Holsinger

Welcome back everyone for the beginning of the 2025 high school football season. I’m excited to get back on the sidelines to cover some games in the coming weeks. 

During the season, I do not make any picks or predictions publicly in case I end up getting sent to cover that game on short notice. That being said, the following series of articles are my preseason predictions to win all 28 regions, and my picks for state champions in each of the seven divisions in OHSAA 11-man football this season. There will be seven articles—one for every OHSAA division.

At the end of each division’s predictions, I will list my state champion pick along with some contender and dark horse schools that were not picked as regional champions that could hoist the state championship trophy at the end of the 2025 season. 

I also want to preface that it was difficult to gauge some non-Ohio opponents for these schools. So, if I wasn’t sure then I didn’t consider them for a team’s toughest opponent or key game. Some schools’ schedules were so difficult that it was eenie, meanie, miney, moe as to who their toughest opponent was actually.

I hope all of the schools in the state have a healthy and sportsmanlike year, and at the end of the season, we’ll recap and see how close I ended up on these picks.

All recruiting information is thanks to 247Sports.com.

DIVISION II

REGION 5: Archbishop Hoban

County: Summit.

Enrollment: 517.

Nickname/Mascot: Knights.

Colors: Navy & Gold.

Head Coach: Tim Tyrell (13th at Hoban, 141-25; 24th overall, 206-76).

Conference: Independent.

Last Season: 12-3; D-I state semifinalist; Region 5 champions

Class of 2026: 39-7 (.848); two state runner-ups; three state semifinal appearances.

Toughest Opponent: Aug. 30 @ Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding.

Key Games: Sept. 26 vs. Walsh Jesuit; Oct. 10 vs. Glenville; and Oct. 24 vs. St. Edward.

2024 Region 5 Final: Hoban defeated Walsh Jesuit, 21-7, at Twinsburg’s Tiger Stadium.

Team Preview: Hoban has won Region 5 for five straight seasons. 

Knights junior four-star recruit, Brayton Feister, ran the ball 296 times for 2,104 yards and 26 TDs—good enough for second team All-Ohio a season ago. Despite that, Feister is switching sides of the ball to become starting linebacker and a leader on the defensive squadron.

Offensivelty, senior QB Nick Kinsey, a three-star commit to Eastern Michigan, transferred from Stillwater (MN) where he threw for 1,412 yards and 10 TDs last season.

Kinsey will have a top target to throw toward in Payton Cook—a four-star commit to Louisville. Cook was honorable mention all-Ohio in 2023. In 2024, Cook had six catches for 131 yards.

Providing blocks upfront for the Knights will be first-team All-Ohio lineman Sam Greer. Greer is a four-star Ohio State commit who is a top-100 prospect in his class. Braylin Parker, an honorable mention all-district pick last season, will also be returning to the O-line.

Athlete Ace Brown is three-star recruit committed to Colorado State. Brown was a second team all-district defensive choice a year ago.

Elbert “Rock” Hill IV, a two-time first team All-Ohio honoree, returns as the top prospect in Ohio in his class. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound senior DB is a four-star top-50 prospect committed to USC.

Junior kicker Jeremy Hammel returns after making 64-of-65 extra points and eight-of-nine field goals—the longest being 41 yards. Hammel’s efforts were good enough to make second team all-district.

REGION 6: Avon 

County: Lorain.

Enrollment: 519.

Nickname/Mascot: Eagles.

Colors: Purple & Gold.

Head Coach: Mike Elder (19th at Avon, 202-31; 26th overall 242-54).

Conference: Southwestern Conference.

Last Season: 16-0; D-2 state champions; Region 6 champions; and SWC champions.

Class of 2026: 42-3 (.933); state title, two state semifinals appearances; three SWC titles.

Toughest Opponent: Sept. 5 vs. Glenville.

Key Games: Sept. 12 @ North Ridgeville; Sept. 19 vs. Olmsted Falls; and Oct. 17 vs. Avon Lake.

2024 Region 6 Final: Avon beat Medina Highland, 28-20, at Elyria Charities Field at Ely Stadium.

Team Preview: Avon has won six of the last eight Region 6 titles. 

Eagles coach Mike Elder has to rebuild after a perfect 16-0 season where he was awarded the Division II Co-Coach of the Year. It’s a lot to ask, but with a returning first team All-Ohio selection from a year ago like Jakob Weatherspoon, he’s got a good cornerstone to build upon. Weatherspoon is a four-star prospect committed to North Carolina.

Assisting him on defense is lineman Lance Dawson who is a three-star commit to Cincinnati.

Linebacker and Miami (OH) commit Ryan Stolarski returns after a second team all-district nod last season.

REGION 7: Massillon Washington

County: Stark.

Enrollment: 515.

Nickname/Mascot: Tigers.

Colors: Orange & Black.

Head Coach: Nate Moore (11th at Massillon, 110-25; 16th overall, 152-46).

Conference: Independent.

Last Season: 11-3; Region 7 runner-up.

Class of 2026: 38-6 (.884); state title, two state semifinals appearances; regional runner-up.

Toughest Opponent: Sept. 19 vs. St. Edward.

Key Games: Aug. 22 vs. Glenville; Sept. 26 vs. Mississauga (ON) Football North Inc.; and Oct. 25 @ Canton McKinley.

2024 Region 7 Final: Big Walnut defeated Massillon Washington, 14-7, at Mansfield Senior’s Arlin Field.

Team Preview: The Tigers have made it to the regional finals the eight previous seasons—advancing to the state semifinals six of those times. 

On offense, junior QB Mandwel Patterson returns the most experience from last season on the squad. Patterson was 4-of-9 for 62 yards, one TD, and two INTs as a sophomore. Junior wideout Deontay Malone comes back after 22 receptions for 248 yards and two TDs to be Massillon’s top returning receiver.

Junior Savior Owens is the Tigers’ lead returning rusher with 126 yards and a TD a year ago.

Defensively, linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams—a three-star Indiana commit—returns after 81 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a second team all-district selection in 2024.

In the secondary, Lennox Lemon, a three-star committed to Kent State, made 30 tackles, six pass breakups, two INTs, and a fumble recovery a year ago.

Demari Clemons, a three-star cornerback, had 18 tackles, four PBU, two TFL, and a sack the previous season.

REGION 8: Anderson

County: Hamilton.

Enrollment: 468.

Nickname/Mascot: Raptors.

Colors: Orange & Black.

Head Coach: Evan Dreyer (10th at Anderson, 85-28; 17th overall, 129-56).

Conference: Eastern Cincinnati Conference.

Last Season: 15-1; D-2 state runner-up; Region 8 champion; ECC champion.

Class of 2026: 36-8 (.800); state runner-up; two state semifinals appearances; ECC title.

Toughest Opponent: Oct. 17 @ Winton Woods.

Key Games: Sept. 12 vs. Lebanon; Sept. 19 @ Kings; and Sept. 26 vs. Milford.

2024 Region 8 Final: Anderson defeated La Salle, 28-21, at Cincinnati Princeton’s Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium.

Team Preview: Anderson has won Region 8 the previous two seasons, and was runner-up three years ago.

Junior QB Owen Scalf takes over the helm after completing 72.2% of his passes for 576 yards, eight TDs, and one INT in the backup role a year ago. 

Junior wideout Nick Rosiello is the team’s leading returning rusher with 165 yards and a TD last year on the ground. Rosiello had eight catches for 122 yards and a couple TDs in 2024.

Fellow wideout and classmate Cooper Kathman is the leading receiver coming back with 29 receptions, 434 yards, and five TDs last season.

Defensively, Reid Baker returns for the Raptors after 82 tackles, 15 TFL, nine sacks, three deflections, and a forced fumble as a junior. Baker was an honorable mention all-district for those efforts.

Junior edge rusher Antwoine Higgins was a second team All-Ohio pick after the four-star prospect made 55 tackles, 6.5 TFL, five PBUs, two sacks, and an INT last season.

Fellow Classmate and four-star recruit Ace Alston was also a second team All-Ohio selection as a sophomore after 46 tackles, three INTs, two TFL, two forced fumbles and a recovery.

Ke’Maury Tye, a senior cornerback, made 59 tackles, 17 deflections, two TFL, and two INTs a year ago. Tye was awarded honorable mention all-district honors.

PREDICTED DIVISION II CHAMPION: Avon.

OTHER CONTENDERS: Walsh Jesuit, Medina Highland, Anthony Wayne, and Big Walnut.

DARK HORSES: Uniontown Lake, Wadsworth, and Kings.

Thanks for reading, and look for the other six divisions of previews for the upcoming 2025 at Heart of Ohio Sports!

DIVISION I https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-i/

DIVISION II https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-ii/

DIVISION III https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-iii/

DIVISION IV https://heartofohiosports.com/top-ohio-prep-football-teams-2025-division-iv/

DIVISION V https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-v/

DIVISION VI https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-vi/

DIVISION VII https://heartofohiosports.com/the-top-ohio-prep-football-teams-to-watch-division-vii/