By Mike Frank
Examiner Sports Editor
Half the 2025 football season is in the books with area teams hovering just above or below .500 after five weeks of play.
This Friday, the Central Buckeye Conference and Ohio Heritage Conference begin divisional play, while the Three Rivers Conference continues with conference action.
Bellefontaine, West Liberty-Salem and Riverside will have some additional pomp as they are celebrating Homecoming.
Here is a look at this week’s action:
Kenton Ridge (4-1) at Bellefontaine (2-3)
Bellefontaine will look to rebound after a 45-21 loss to Indian Lake las week as they welcome the Cougars in their first Kenton Trail division contest.
Reign St. Clair has completed 83 of 135 passes (61.5 percent) for 959 yards on the year. He has three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Carter Caudill has 497 yards on 91 carries, with 12 touchdowns. Bryant Carter has seen some action as well, with 20 runs for 128 yards.
The Chieftains have spread the ball around in receiving to Spencer Stolly (26-272), Sutton Daring (20-182), Patrick Stolly (14-156) and Kaiden Foulk (12-184).
Caudill leads the defense with 62 total tackles (33 solo). He forced a fumble and returned it for a score against the Lakers. Karsen Drake (36), Cayleb Overmann (35) and Daring (30) are the other leaders in tackles.
Coach Jason Brown said that Kenton Ridge is a good football team, noting that running back Brody Runkle makes explosive plays and the Cougars do a good job of keeping the offense balanced.
“Defensively, they run to the ball, and are aggressive,” said Brown.
He said the big three keys — winning the line of scrimmage, winning the turnover battle, and playing complimentary football — remain goals.
“The kids have done a good job of practicing with great intent,” said Brown. “They continue to give all they have and try to get better every day.”
Kenton Ridge opened with a narrow 28-27 loss to Graham. They shut out Northridge 34-0, then got wins over Batavia (42-35), Shawnee (42-14) and Northwestern (21-17).
Senior quarterback Julian Daniels has completed 75 of 116 passes for 947 yards, which is nearly 65 percent. He has 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Daniels is also a threat to run, with 28 carries for 133 yards and six scores.
Junior Brody Runkle has 79 rushes for 630 yards with eight scores on the year.
Those with double digits in receptions include senior wide receiver Caleb Hall (19 for 240); junior tight end Brennan Shaffer (15 for 218); Runkle (14 for 173); and senior WR Xavier White (12 for 149). All have at least one touchdown.
The top men for Kenton Ridge’s defense are senior linebacker Masyn Vannoy (45 tackles); senior defensive back Ashton Bishop (33); junior linebacker Joe North (29) and sophomore linebacker Jacob Howald (23).
Next week, Bellefontaine is home again to face London.
——
Indian Lake (3-2) at North Union (3-2)
The Lakers, as noted, are coming off a strong performance, not only on offense and defense, but special teams playing a role.
Avery Pequignot used his leg well on long well-placed kickoffs, and also made a 36-yard field goal. It was his second of the season.
Brady Golliday is 74 of 112 for the year, with 12 touchdowns and one interception. He has 274 yards on the ground, carrying the ball 58 times, with three scores.
Noah Shirk is the workhorse at running back, having 65 carries for 459 yards and seven TDs.
In the air, Brodey Reisinger has used his size and speed to get 36 catches for 584 yards and nine touchdowns. Collin Bendler (14-164) and Gavin Henry (13-156) have shared the load.
The leading tacklers are Aaron Rapp (51), Wyatt Whitsett (44) and Shirk (43).
Like the the Lakers, North Union has swung back and forth this year. They lost the opener to Pleasant 16-13, then rolled over Liberty Union 44-14. Since then, they have a win over Northmor (19-13), a loss to Jonathan Alder (42-23) and a victory over Urbana (46-27).
The Wildcats’ quarterback is junior Nickolas Hajjar, who is 55 of 77 passing for 607 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions.
The top rushers are seniors Nick VanHoose (66 for 393, 3 TD) and Griffin Osborne (51 for 319, 4 TD). Wyatt Arver and Brycen Delawder, both juniors, each have over 20 carries as well.
Osborne leads in receptions and yards, with 23 for 296 and three TDs. Arver has 12 for 116 and junior Dainon Lindsey has 11 for 107.
Defensive leaders are linebackers Delawder (47 tackles), Trenor Kate (40), VanHoose (36) and Gavin Potts (30).
Next week, Indian Lake is back home against Shawnee.
——
Ben Logan (3-2) at Graham (4-1)
Ben Logan got a solid 37-12 win over Tecumseh last Friday, scoring 17 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third.
Wyatt Predmore has 65 carries for 327 yards and two scores. Diesel Baughman has 58 runs for 377 yards and seven TDs, and Jordan Pender has 53 carries for 273 yards, with Alex Hassell chipping in with 22 carries and 84 yards, and four TDs.
Predmore has completed 48 of 80 passes for 571 yards, with three to the end zone and four to the opposing team.
Cayden Brown tops the receivers with 17 catches for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Hassell (8-75), Brandon Heater (7-84) and Andrew Frederick (6-88) have been targeted as well.
Heater has five field goals on eight attempts, with a long of 50.
Topping the Raiders defense are Everett Clapsaddle (46 tackles), Cooper Buck (45), Hayden Hites (37) and Dan Koehler (33).
The Falcons had racked up four straight wins to start the year, before being dominated by London last week.
They got by Kenton Ridge 28-27, topped Milton-Union 35-7, then rolled over Covington (49-8) and Urbana (67-47). Last week, they were blanked by the Red Raiders, 42-0.
Junior quarterback Gage Stull (6-2, 210) has thrown for 357 yards (19 of 48) with three touchdowns and one interception.
Junior Danny Hoke (6-1, 210) leads the ground game with 100 carries for 639 yards and nine TDs, while sophomore Jakob Hoke (5-9, 180) has 48 rushes for 467 yards and five scores. Senior Colt Taylor (5-9, 160) with 11 for 273, 4 TD, and junior Donovan Corwin (5-9, 185) with 21-172, 2 TD are other potential factors.
The main passing target has been junior Brody Jenkins (6-0, 175) with eight grabs for 178 yards and two TDs. Next highest is Jakob Hoke with four for 59.
The Raiders offense will look to keep an eye on senior linebacker Jack Traylor (6-0, 180) (60 tackles), Danny Hoke (54), junior defensive back Arden McGuire (6-1, 180) (38) and sophomore safety Holdyn Nitchman (5-10, 160) (37).
Next week, Ben Logan will host North Union.
——
Fairbanks (2-3) at West Liberty-Salem (3-2)
West Liberty-Salem has found its footing, getting a third straight win last week after two losses. That win was 17-13 over Greenon.
The Tigers face their first North Division foe of the season this week, hosting Fairbanks.
West Liberty-Salem has used Corbin Wallace 97 times on the ground, and he has picked up 477 yards, with three TDs. Naaman Stidham has 28 carries and Beckett Sullivan 24, with a combined total of 43 net yards.
Sullivan has hit on 41 of 78 passes for 371 yards with four touchdowns and four INTs.
Reese Oder has the bulk of catches, with 21 for 191 yards. Dustin Bolton has six catches for 65.
Sam Strapp (41), Bolton (19) and Aiden Hull (16 tackles) lead the Tigers defense.
The Panthers lost to Colonel Crawford (42-7) and Indian Lake (31-8), edged Madison Plains (32-31), fell to Greeneview (41-7) and beat Southeastern (42-28).
The offense is led by senior quarterback Bryson Griffith (6-0, 185), who is 24 of 36 for 227 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Junior Carson Shope (5-8, 155) has 71 carries for 359 yards, with Griffith going 35 times for 40, and sophomore Brennan Peffer (5-10, 175) 24 times for 86.
Shope has 11 catches for 56 yards.
Junior lineman William Stice (21) and Peffer (15) are the leading tacklers.
The first week of October will see West Liberty-Salem at Northeastern.
——
Bethel (2-3) at Riverside (2-3)
Riverside fell to 1-1 in conference play last week with a 34-6 loss at Covington.
They are back on the home field this week to take on Bethel.
Gunner Carpenter has 74 rushes for 302 yards and five TDs, while Tony Robinson has 64 carries, 338 yards and four scores. Dylan Trimble (48 for 264) has helped as well.
QB Brody Orsborne is 25 of 65 for 383 yards, with one TD and two interceptions.
Carpenter, Robinson and Justin Mazariegos all have six catches each. Robinson has 121 yards, Mazariegos 90 and Carpenter 60.
Grady Jenkins (57 tackles), Robinson (30) and Gabe Steineman (27) are the big men on defense.
Bethel got a win over Twin Valley South (35-6), lost to Oakwood (43-12) and Carlisle (43-19), downed Troy Christian (20-14), and lost to Miami East 41-0 last week.
The Bees have used a couple of quarterbacks with junior Brody Korhorst (6-1, 200) going 13 of 27 for 193 yards and sophomore Mason Stortenbecker (5-9, 150) 15 of 31 for 262 yards. Each has two touchdowns.
Seniors Landen Cornwell (5-8, 155) (74 carries, 520 yards, 6 TD) and Anvar Tashtanov (5-10, 165) (20-131, 1 TD) lead the rushing attack, while senior Lucas Truman (5-8, 155) with 14 catches for 281 yards, 2 TD is the main receiver.
Tashtanov (44) at linebacker, sophomore DE Jonathan Buckholtz (28), freshman linebacker Ethan Maxwell (25) and senior linebacker Carson Vest (24) have the most tackles.
Next Friday, the Pirates will host Northridge.
