In the 2025 football preview the top four teams mentioned as challengers for a league title also happened to be the top four teams’ last season. Those top four teams Ansonia, Preble Shawnee, Tri-Village and Arcanum would also be the only league teams picking up wins in the season openers against non-conference teams in week one.
Ansonia 36 – Riverside 6
The Tigers rolled to a 28-6 lead, scoring on every possession they had in the first half against Riverside. They would go on to register a 36-6 win over the Pirates who handed Ansonia a season opening loss last year 41-32.
Ansonia rushed for 350 yards but also had 54 yards in the air. They would throw three consecutive passes in the first half completing all of them, the last one being a strike from senior quarterback Layne Bowman to sophomore Graham Coppess for a 27-yard touchdown.
The Tigers got 137 yards running from junior Jacob Schmitmeyer and two TDs, Layne Bowman also scored twice on the ground and had 54 yards on five keepers.
Lander Shives also had 65 yards running as well.
Defensively Ansonia limited the Pirates offense most of the night with the exception of a few big run plays each going for about 50 yards. Riverside had 178 yards total yards rushing and just 38 yards in the air.
Tiger’s junior Cade Shellhaas led the way on defense with 7 tackles, 5 solo. Sophomore linebacker Carson Tobe also had 7 tackles with 2 solos.
Ansonia will travel in week two to Preble Shawnee for an early season showdown in the WOAC.
Preble Shawnee 35 – Middletown Madison 18
The Arrows put some distance between themselves and Madison by jumping out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, putting the Mohawks on their toes the rest of the night.
Senior running back Bryson Doran scored the first TD on the ground from 3 yards out.
Shawnee then blocked a Madison punt on their next possession that was recovered in the end zone by sophomore linebacker Ethan Mauller for a 14-0 advantage.
Senior running back Ian Francis capped the first quarter, scoring on a 15-yard run for the 21-0 lead.
Madison was able to get their run game going in the 2nd quarter, scoring twice on the ground. The Mohawks had success running the ball finishing the game with 301 yards.
The Arrows however matched TDs with two of their own in the second quarter. Junior receiver Caleb Blankenship hauled in 44-yard catch from senior quarterback Brody Morton and Morton added a three-yard keeper to end the scoring at the break with the Arrows up 35-12.
Morton had 119 yards on 5-for-7 throwing for the game. The Arrows rushed for 232 yards with Morton also leading the way with his feet for 88 yards on 9 carries.
Preble Shawnee didn’t score in the second half but won the game 35-18 for the season opening win. The Arrows will host Ansonia next Friday in what will be the WOAC Game of the Week.
Tri-Village 68 – Troy Christian 12
The Patriots’ big Play offense helped them jump out to a 47-0 lead before the Eagles found Paydirt.
Tri-Village struck quickly off a punt with junior wideout Griffin Richards electrifying 96-yard punt return. TV added back-to-back TDs on a couple of 1-yard runs from sophomore running back Staley Colston and senior quarterback Trey Sagester for a first quarter 21-0 lead.
Richards hauled in a 47-yard pass from Sagester to start the second quarter followed by a defensive score from sophomore Colt Camacho with a 38-yard interception.
Richards then scored on back-to-back TD’s catches of 63 and 66 yards from Sagester to push the lead to 47-0 before the Eagles crosse the goal line on a 57-yard pass making the score 47-6.
Camacho capped first half scoring with a 44-yard run to go in at the half 54-6.
Sagester scored early in the third quarter on a 18-yard keeper and sophomore Brecken Gray taking snaps, scored early in the fourth frame for a 1-yard touchdown as Tri-Village went on to a 68-12 victory.
Tri-Village had 568 totals yards of offense in the game. Trey Sagester was 12-for-15 passing, 285 yards and 3 TD passes. Griffin Richards had 7 receptions for 229 yards and 3 TD receptions and 1 punt return for a score. On the ground Staley Colston led the way with 108 yards on nine carries. Senior Noah Finkbine had 53-yard rushing and 33 yards receiving in the game. Colt Camacho had 45 yards rushing a TD score.
Defensively Noah Finkbine led the way from the safety position with 10 tackles, 7 solo. Senior middle linebacker Landen Moore had 9 tackles, 5 solos and freshman outside linebacker Ryker Marshall had 8 tackles, 3 solos in the Patriots win.
Tri-Village will travel to National Trail this Friday.
Arcanum 14 – Covington 13
The nailbiter game of the week goes to Arcanum who squeaked out a 14-13 win over the Buccaneers.
Arcanum got the early lead when a bad snap to the Covington punter was scooped up by senior linebacker Robert Denniston near the goal line and he turned it into a score for the Trojans for first quarter 7-0 lead.
The Buccs answered with three-yard pass to tie the game, and they would go into the half at 7-7.
Arcanum mounted a nice drive in the third quarter controlling the line of scrimmage and a 30-yard run at 7:25 by junior MJ Macy along with the game winning extra point from Joey Marshal put the Trojans up 14-7.
Covington answered later on nice drive of their own but would miss the extra point and Arcanum would hold on as neither team scored in the 4th quarter to earn a 14-13 victory.
Macy led the rushing game with 119 yards on 23 carries. In total the Trojans had 195 yards on the ground and 77 yards in the air on 8-for-17 passing from senior Bishop Cartwright with two interceptions.
Defensively sophomore linebacker Hudson Knaus led the way with 13 tackles, 3 solo. Senior linebacker Kolton Quigney had 10 tackles and Robert Denniston added 9 for Arcanum in the win.
Arcanum will travel to Tri-County North next week.
Other Scores
Tri-County North 16 – Brookville 49
(Tri-County North will host Arcanum in week 2)
National Trail 6 – Carlisle 42
(National Trail will host Tri-Village in week 2)
Dixie 0 – Lima Perry 12
(Dixie will host Mississinawa Valley in week 2)
Twin Valley South 6 – Bethel 35
(Twin Valley South will travel to Bradford in week 2)
Mississinawa Valley 6 – Waynesfield-Goshen 26
(Mississinawa Valley will travel to Dixie in week 2)
Bradford 0 – Springfield Catholic Central 54
(Bradford will host Twin Valley South in week 2)
In the first week the WOAC was 4-6 in non-conference games, now the remainder of the season will be head-to-head conference games.
