Written by: Joshua Morgret
Twitter (x): @Joshuamorgret
Hello all and welcome back to the Heart of Ohio Sports Observer! I want to give a big thank you to
Nate Mullins for giving me the chance to share a little insight on the teams you'll see and hear about
this season on Heart of Ohio Sports!
Needless to say, it is finally here! I've gotten some volleyball in already, but I am excited for the return
of high school football this week. I'll be at Frost-Kalnow Stadium on Thursday as Mike Lento makes his debut as Tiffin Calvert head football coach as the Senecas welcome in Mohawk. Then Friday, I'll make the drive down Route 20 for the heated rivalry between Clyde and host Bellevue. That one is almost always a dandy and I'm pumped to be there.
Without any further babbling, here's a look at the local teams as the season begins!
Some of the biggest stats from last year came
from the Tornadoes which led to three playoff wins before a loss to eventual state champion Toledo
Central Catholic. Gone to University of Akron is quarterback Brayden Roggow, who completed 241-
of-351 passes for 3,357 yards and 31 touchdowns. Damien Brockington was one of the best running
backs in the state after 272 carries for 2,190 yards and 36 scores. Columbian also lost its top four
receivers in Jack Koerper (70 receptions, 948 yards, 7 TDs), Bryce Roggow (69-826-9), Brady
Gooding (47-965-12) and Brockington (31-418-3). That means a lot of new faces will be looking to
make their name on the field for the Tornadoes this year. Columbian is 53-18 in the last five years
under Judd Lutz. That means turnover has happened and the Tornadoes keep winning. The schedule is
just as hard for Columbian with games against Fremont Ross, Chardon, and Bishop Watterson before
even entering the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake division. Defense may need to reign supreme this
season for the Tornadoes.
Up next: vs. Fremont Ross (0-0)
Watch the latest episode of The Coaches Corner to see what coach Judd Lutz had to say about the upcoming season, and the matchup this Friday vs Fremont Ross
Check out what Fremont Ross head football coach Chad Long had to say as they prepare for the 2024 season and their week 1 showdown with the Tornadoes at Frost-Kalnow Stadium:
Coach Mike Lento takes over for the departed Steve Reser
and inherits a Senecas squad that has some questions itself. Gone to graduation is quarterback Harry
Shultz, who completed 101-of-180 passes for 1,498 yards and 16 touchdowns. His top target – Billy
Clouse with 38 catches for 641 yards and six touchdowns – graduated, as did Jacob Rombach, who ran
92 times for 736 yards and nine touchdowns. Calvert does return leading rusher Cal Warnement, who
tallied 107 carries for 788 yards and 11 scores. The Senecas do have plenty of girth on both lines with
Connor and Cam Moyer leading the way. Lento led Lakota to its first three playoff appearances in
school history, all in the last four years. Each time, the Raiders lost in the first road on the road.
Speaking of playoff losses, Calvert made the playoffs four times under Reser, but came up short each
time. Last year, Calvert was 8-0 before losing in Week 10 to Hopewell-Loudon before a stunning home
playoff loss to Convoy Crestview. It’s a little different with Lento at the helm, so I’m excited to see
how the Senecas play off the bat.
Up next: vs. Mohawk (0-0) on Thursday
Nate Mullins had a chance to catch up with Coach Lento after their 3 team scrimmage day with Toledo Rogers and Wynford. Watch the full video here:
The questions for local teams abound and that's no different for Hopewell-Loudon, who has to replace quarterback Evan Kreais and receiver Blake Berrier among others. Kreais was 196-of-282 passes for 2,684 yards and 30 touchdowns with Berrier caught 81 passes for 1,241 yards and 14 touchdowns. The good news for the Chieftains is they return quite possibly the most explosive player in the league in Braylon Martinez. He burst on the scene two seasons ago after a Hayden Welly injury and hasn't looked back since. Last year, he rumbled 257 times for 1,424 yards and 29 touchdowns and could have even bigger numbers this year. Hopewell-Loudon is a staggering 42-7 in the last four seasons under coach Brian Colatruglio. The Chieftains are up to Division VI this year and are in the same region as the likes of Bluffton, Carey, Ashland Crestview, Huron, and Patrick Henry, who eliminated H-L last year in the regional semifinals. Hopewell-Loudon doesn't have to wait long for a heavyweight battle as they travel to the aforementioned Carey to open the season in a big-time clash.
Up next: at Carey (0-0)
Connor Roush had a chance to catch up with coach Brian Colatruglio before their scrimmage with Seneca East as they prepare for the 2024 season, check out the video below and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel!
There may not have been one player that had a bigger impact
on his team than Blake Foos, but he has graduated. He completed 158-of-278 passes for 1,965 yards
with 18 touchdowns while running 178 times for 1,034 yards and 12 more scores. That’s a lot of
offense to replace. It sounds like Nicholas Parks, who saw some time at quarterback, will take over
after completing just 11 passes last year. The Tigers do return Jackon Gayheart, who ran 69 times for
433 yards and six touchdowns last season. I would expect those numbers to increase significantly this
year for Seneca East. The playoffs have become the norm under coach Ed Phillips as the Tigers have
made it nine years in a row. But, Seneca East hasn’t won a playoff game since 2020 when it squeaked
out a home win over Delta. The Tigers don’t mess around when it comes to its non-league with trips to
Ashland Crestview and Monroeville – two of the top favorites in the Firelands Conference – as well as
a home game against Gibsonburg, a team that went 4-1 in the back half of 2023.
Up next: at Ashland Crestview (0-0)
Connor Roush was in Attica to watch a recent Seneca East practice, here's what Coach Phillips had to say ahead of the 2024 season:
I got to talk to coach Eric Daniel for this year’s tab preview and there’s a lot to be
optimistic about. The Warriors were just 2-8 last year, but return a lot of talent. Three of those losses
were by five points or less. Back to lead the way is quarterback Ben Bogner, who completed 144-of-
264 passes for 1,813 yards and 19 touchdowns. He led the Warriors on the ground with 144 rushes for
788 yards and six TDs. Kahne Hayman can be one of the most explosive players for Mohawk, but
missed the second half of the year last year with an injury. The Warriors have to be able to stop the run
after giving up almost 200 yards per game on the ground last year. Mohawk averaged less than 120
yards per game rushing itself. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out football is won and lost in
the trenches. Daniel told me he wants his team to be tougher. They will find out a lot about themselves
Thursday when they make the short drive down State Route 231 to Tiffin and face Calvert.
Up next: at Calvert (0-0) on Thursday
Nate Mullins had a chance to chat with head coach Eric Daniel at the Mohawk fall sports media day, here's what he had to say about the upcoming 2024 campaign and the week 1 matchup with Tiffin Calvert:
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