GREENVILLE – The Green Wave overcame a 22-game skid dating back to October 7, 2022, with a convincing 24-14 win over the visiting Eaton Eagles to open 2025 regular-season varsity football play under the direction of new Greenville head coach, veteran coach Steve Channell.
“It’s good to get the win because winning is always good,” said Channell. “I thought the effort that we played with, and the enthusiasm of our crowd, the enthusiasm of our sideline, and the energy that our kids kept playing with – that’s what I’m proud of.”
“For me personally in all my coaching career, this win is way, way up there because of the impact on a community, a program that’s been down,” Channell added. “To be able to come out and get this win, it means everything.”
A large home crowd was on hand for the ribbon-cutting of the new Greenville Alumni Stadium before the start of the game.
The Eagles received the opening kickoff and turned the ball over to Greenville, with senior Gage Denham intercepting, giving the Wave the ball at their own 46-yard line.
Greenville moved the ball to the 10-yard line, setting up a senior-to-senior, Aiden Manix to John Barr touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with 4:20 on the first quarter clock. Denham raced around the right end, scoring on the 2-point conversion, giving the Wave an 8-0 lead.
The Eagles missed a 38-yard field goal attempt, and a Greenville punt had Eaton putting together a drive only to be stopped by a Michael Fox interception good for a 59-yard pick-6 at 6:52 in the second quarter, giving the Wave a 14-0 advantage. Gage Denham raced around the right end, making good on the 2-point run, giving Greenville a 16-0 first-half lead.
An Eaton interception was returned to the Greenville 36-yard line with under a minute to play in the first half, resulting in an Eagles fourth and goal touchdown from the one-yard line with 0:13 showing on the second quarter clock. With the PAT kick splitting the uprights, the teams went to the halftime break with Greenville holding a 16-7 advantage.
“We have to learn how not to be our own opponent,” said Coach Channell. “Tonight, other than a couple of little things, we weren’t our own opponent.”
Several third-quarter misfortunes went against the Wave, including a 70-yard senior Gabe Rammel run called back on a holding call.
Beginning the fourth quarter, Eaton’s Sawyer Keating scored on a 10-yard touchdown. With the PAT kick good, Eaton trailed 16-14 with 11:38 to play in the fourth.
“We talked about that, pregame and this week, and before the game about if something bad happens, we’re not going to go back and expect more bad things to happen,” Channel said of the late first-half interception and 70-yard run nullification. “Move on, play the next play, and we overcame the holding penalty on that 70-yard run. I am just so proud of them.”
With the momentum switching to Eaton, the Wave senior leadership stepped up, moving the ball downfield and scoring on a Rammel five-yard touchdown run at 4:56 in the fourth. A powerful second effort by Rammel on the two-point conversion run gave the Green Wave a 24-14 lead.
“We talked all week about dominating the line of scrimmage, and in the second half, I think that ended up being the difference,” Coach Channell noted. “As the game wore on, our kids got more confident, and more confident, and more confident.”
Eagles quickly marched down the field, only to have Greenville senior Kaden Maxwell make a red-zone interception, giving Greenville an impressive win to open the 2025 OHSAA football season and a victory to open the new Greenville Alumni Stadium.
“Rammel played an unbelievable game,” said Channel. “John (Barr) had a great game, I thought Aiden Manix played a good game, a lot of kids played really well, and Gage (Denham) had a great game.”
“I complimented the seniors before the game because they have gone through two seasons of never winning a football game, and they are still here, and they are still playing hard,” Coach Channell concluded. “That group has stuck together, and it is great to see them experience this tonight, but the challenge now is get back to work. Next week we have another home game, and if you like what you got tonight, let’s go get another one.”
Greenville will host West Carrollton on Friday, August 29th, when the Pirates come to Greenville Alumni Stadium with a 7 p.m. start time.
