The Ohio high school football season is less than three weeks away.
The Miami Valley Conference saw success in 2023, with five of its 12 teams making the postseason. Cincinnati Country Day and Purcell Marian were the best teams in the conference last season, but both teams lost top contributors and will need breakout performances to reach the same success in 2024.
With the schools listed alphabetically, here is a preview of each team in the MVC for the 2024 season.
Cincinnati Country Day
2023: 12-1, made Division VI, Region 24 semifinals
Head coach: Dennis Coyle
Returning players: QB Elijah Guttman, RB Lee Thomas, RB/LB Ryan Coyle, WR Bryce Snell, LB Teagen Davis, DB Brandon Proffit
Outlook: Cincinnati Country Day was the most dominant team in the MVC last season, scoring 253 points and allowing just eight in conference games. Both of those marks were the best in the MVC.
The team's starting quarterback Parker Corbin, who went for nearly 1,000 yards passing, 1,292 yards rushing and 32 total touchdowns in 2023, will not return. Backup quarterback Elijah Guttman saw success when called upon last year though, throwing for five touchdowns to two interceptions.
Leading rusher Lee Thomas (9.5 yards per carry in 2023) returns, and so does backup running back Ryan Coyle and leading receiver Bryce Snell. Coyle is also a star on defense, but Cincinnati Country Day loses its three top sack-getters and leading tackler Shepard Snell, who also had two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions last season. Andrew Zimmerman, who made six of seven field goal tries last season, graduated.
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
2023: 5-5, missed postseason
Head coach: Calvin Renfroe
Returning players: QB Griffin Ridner Richard, RB/DB Brayden Mitchum, WR/MLB Jackson Vest, WR/DB Cooper Jepson, WR/DB John Irwin, WR/DB Max Labin, OL/DL Blake Sisney, LB/RB Bin-ii Smoot, DL Landen Ivy
Outlook: Despite CHCA's overall record, they were one of the top teams in the MVC for conference record in 2023, finishing 4-1. Starting quarterback Isaiah Petty won't return after throwing for 26 touchdowns last season, but backup rising junior Griffin Ridner Richard saw some success in a small sample last season.
CHCA returns its top rusher from last year, Brayden Mitchum, who had 772 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. The squad also gets back three of its top four receivers, Jackson Vest (680 yards on 27 catches in 2023), John Irwin (370 yards on 24 catches) and Cooper Jepson (308 yards on 14 catches). If Ridner Richard can step up under center, the CHCA offense figures to be in a good place going into 2024.
The team will miss Reno Roehm, who led CHCA in receiving yards and sacks last year. Past that, the defense retains nearly all of its top contributors from 2023.
Clark Montessori
2023: 4-5, missed postseason
Head coach: Asa Smith
Returning players: RB/SS De'Lorean James, TE/MLB Ethan Nipper, DE Jamier Johnson, LB Massila Diawara
Outlook: Clark Montessori had a positive point differential in the conference (141 points scored to 117 points allowed) but finished 2-3 in MVC games last season. The offense is mostly a rushing attack, and despite losing starting quarterback Marquize Lewis, it returns leading rusher De'Lorean James, who ran for 986 yards and averaged over seven yards per carry in 2023.
The team's pass rush looks fearsome coming into 2024, thanks to Jamier Johnson, who had 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2023, and Massila Diawara, who had five sacks and seven tackles for loss last season. James was also a turnover-generating machine on defense last season, recording 64 tackles, four forced fumbles and four interceptions. Clark loses some top contributors on defense, namely Oliver Deardoff, Carter Russell and John Chaney, who combined for 13.5 sacks last season, plus Carter Russell (three interceptions) and Kameron Upshaw (two interceptions).
Lockland
2023: 5-6, made Division VII, Region 28 first round
Head coach: Michael Tudor
Returning players: QB/FS Damien Dawson, RB/ILB Billy Parrott, RB/DB Mouhamad Tall, WR/DB Aliou Dallo, DE/TE Johnny Minton, LB/RB Les Criswell, DB/WR Truth Bankhead
Outlook: Lockland returns dual-threat star Damien Dawson for his senior season in 2024. Dawson passed for 1,022 yards and rushed for another 1,495, averaging over 10 yards per carry. As long as he's wearing navy and yellow, the Lockland offense has a chance to be great.
Only one player who recorded more than 10 tackles for Lockland last season graduated. Sack artists Johnny Minton (14.0 sacks, 18.0 tackles for loss) and Les Criswell (10.5 sacks, 12.0 tackles for loss) return. After finishing 3-2 in MVC games last season, Lockland will be one of the most experienced teams in the area.
Miami Valley Christian Academy
2023: 2-8, missed postseason
Head coach: Kyle Gulley
Returning players: OL/LB Zach Anderson, OL/LB Ethan Hola, DE/RB Levi Dagenbach, DL/RB Caleb Abshire, OL/DL Isaac Chastain, DB Jeremiah DesJardins
Outlook: Miami Valley Christian didn't see much success in 2023. More than half of the team's total offensive yards came from running back Ethan Hudnall, who won't return in 2024. Starting quarterback Ian Dooley also graduated so it will be a whole new-look offense in 2024.
The defense will be experienced, with four of the team's top five tacklers returning. Levi Dagenback and Isaac Chastain led the team in sacks last year (8.0 combined) and will both return in 2024. So will Caleb Abshire, who led the team in tackles for loss with 11.0, and Jeremiah DesJardins, who led in interceptions.
New Miami
2023: 0-10, missed postseason
Head coach: Chris Fogle
Returning players: RB/LB Dalson Hayes, WR/CB Sam Mayer, OL/DL Isaiah Johnson, OL/DL Dalton Gentry, LB/RB Kingston Royalty
Outlook: New Miami will need some breakout performances on offense to improve on last season. Quarterback and leading rusher Mason Stephens graduated. Rising senior Dalson Hayes averaged 5.5 yards per carry last year, so look for him to step up.
The good news for New Miami is that the defense was extremely young last season, and it should see some improvement. Three of New Miami's top six tacklers in 2023 were freshmen. Only one was a senior.
North College Hill
2023: 1-8, missed postseason
Head coach: Gregory Conwell
Outlook: After a 1-8 season in 2023, the North College Hill leadership will have fresh eyes from its first-year coach Gregory Conwell. The Trojans lost two MVC games by just one score.
Norwood
2023: 1-9, missed postseason
Head coach: Matt Money
Returning players: QB Kevontai Williams, RB Gavin Leonard, WR/DB DJ Blair, OL/DL Colton Hull
Outlook: Starting quarterback Amon Collins is gone this year, but Norwood has an intriguing replacement option in Kevontai Williams. Williams, a rising sophomore, was already listed at 6-foot-3 as a freshman in 2023, and he completed 9-of-17 passes he threw last year. Gavin Leonard will hope to step up as a running back after the graduation of last year's leading rusher Davin Isaac. Rising senior D.J. Blair is a big-play threat, as he caught 15 passes for 312 yards last year.
Timmy Rudd, a 2024 graduate, was the team's best player on defense last year, recording 7.0 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Defensive lineman Colton Hull, who earned 3.0 sacks last year, will step up in Rudd's abscence.
Purcell Marian
2023: 10-3, made Division V, Region 20 semi-finals
Head coach: Chris Mobley Jr
Returning players: QB Sonny Ward, RB TJ Younge
Outlook: Purcell Marian's star running back Jayel Harris, who rushed for over 2,000 yards (10.8 yards per carry) and 29 touchdowns in 2023, transferred to Withrow . Losing arguably the best running back in the area, the Cavaliers will turn to T.J. Younge, who saw success as a sophomore last season, to try to replace Harris' production.
Purcell Marian returns starting quarterback Sonny Ward, who threw for over 2,000 yards and totaled 23 touchdowns last season. However, his top receiver graduated and his second favorite target, Carlyun Neal, will join Harris at Withrow this season. Two-way star Jayonn Saunders transferred to Anderson after catching 19 passes for 303 yards last season and adding nine interceptions.
On defense, Purcell Marian lost its top three leading tacklers and more contributors further down the list, including Jayden Egbert (9.0 sacks in 2023), who transferred to Anderson, and Saunders. With many question marks surrounding Purcell Marian, they'll need some breakout performances to replicate their success from last season.
Roger Bacon
2023: 6-5, made Division IV, Region 16 first round
Head coach: Mike Blaut
Returning players: QB Bubba Smart, WR/DB Victor Johnson, WR/S Landen Murphy, LB Mac Kleinfeldt, DL/OL Michael Thomas
Outlook: Starting quarterback Bubba Smart was great last year as a junior, and he'll return in 2024. Roger Bacon loses its leading rusher Jayson Stewart to Mt. Healthy (6.8 yards per carry in 2023), but the team returns four of its top five receivers. The offense could have a breakout season in 2024.
On defense, the outlook isn't quite as sunny, as Roger Bacon loses its four leading tacklers. Still, Michael Thomas, Mac Kleinfeldt and Landen Murphy, the team's three leaders in sacks, will return.
St. Bernard-Elmwood Place
2023: 8-3, made Division VII, Region 28 first round
Head coach: Kyle Hogan
Returning players: QB Lucas Cannady, RB/LB Demico Harris, RB/LB Ladae Lackey, TE/DE Deshawn Hicks, WR/DB Jah Neal, DB/WR James Hall, DB/WR Yeremiah Israel
Outlook: Quarterback Lucas Cannady had a good season as a freshman, throwing for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns while leading St. Bernard to the playoffs. The team's two-star rushers, Demico Harris (1,751 yards, 9.2 yards per carry in 2023) and Ladae Lackey (532 yards, 11.6 yards per carry) also come back.
The defense loses some great players, like Gio Higgins, who had 90 tackles and 11.0 sacks last season, and Corey Thomas who had 5.5 sacks. A trio of rising juniors, Yeremiah Israel, Deshawn Hicks and James Hall, each had more than five sacks last season, which will help replace that production. In Jaiden Jasper and Amare Hicks, the team has a strong pairing of ballhawks roaming the back of their defense.
Summit Country Day
2023: 3-7, missed postseason
Head coach: Mark Hafner
Returning players: QB Keller Minton, RB/DB Cayleb Walters, LB/OL Sam Reder
Outlook: Summit Country Day had limited success on offense last season. Starting quarterback Keller Minton and leading rusher Cayleb Walters will be back, hoping to change that in 2024. The team's three leading wide receivers were seniors last year.
On defense, SCD loses six of its seven leading tacklers. It returns one player who had a sack last year. That's Sam Reder, who led the defense with 125 tackles (the next closest was 59). Reder's return is great news for an otherwise inexperienced defense.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Miami Valley Conference 2024 football preview: Can anyone unseat Cincinnati Country Day?
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