High school football rewind: Greater Western Ohio Conference

Centerville's Ziere Alston tries to avoid a tackle by Wayne's Marvin Williams during Friday's regional championship game. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Centerville's Ziere Alston tries to avoid a tackle by Wayne's Marvin Williams during Friday's regional championship game. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

With high school football season nearly upon us, let’s take one last look back at what went down in the Greater Western Ohio Conference last season and see what it might tell us about this fall:

2024 co-champions: Fairmont and Centerville

Game of the year: Centerville 23, Wayne 14, Week 14

The Elks beat the Warriors twice this season, first to clinch a share of the conference title then to advance to the state semifinals for the first time since 1991.

Parker Johnson ran for 102 yards and Josh Becker caught a 71-yard touchdown pass as Centerville prevailed at Welcome Stadium in the rematch, overcoming 99 rushing yards and a touchdown by Isaiah Thompson and 76 yards receiving and a touchdown by Jamier Averette-Brown.

Fairmont's Damien Pattin runs through a hole and past Alter's Noah Lawson during Thursday night's 24-7 Fairmont victory. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

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Playoff results: Fairmont and Springboro won first-round games while Wayne and Centerville both won second- and third-round games before meeting in the regional final. Centerville lost in the state semifinals.

Leading passer: Wayne senior Tyrell Lewis threw for 1,906 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions in 10 games

Top underclassmen: Springboro’s Max Miller threw for 1,850 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Centerville's Parker Johnson tries to avoid being tackled by Jesse Jones during Friday's playoff game at Springfield. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

Leading rusher: Centerville junior Parker Johnson ran for 1,332 yards and 25 touchdowns while Wayne’s Isaiah Thompson as a junior, Springboro’s Mattias Brunicardi and Fairmont’s Logan Doty all surpassed 1,000 yards as well as sophomores.

Leading receiver: Wayne sophomore Jamier Averette-Brown caught 63 passes for 1,035 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Leading tackler: Centerville senior Jacob Taylor had 129 tackles to edge Springboro senior Aidan Weimer by one for the league lead.

Top underclassman: Linebacker Isaiah Doerman was credited with 100 stops for Springboro.

Leader in sacks: Wayne junior Javion Lewis, Centerville junior Brady Seeley and Fairmont senior Logan Wilkins all had nine.

Leader in tackles for loss: Seeley had 20, two more than senior Kyron Dolby of Springfield.

Leader interceptions: Wayne senior Jussiah Williams-West and Beavercreek sophomore Jamison Webster both had four.

Springboro's Mattias Brunicardi is tackled by Springfield's Royce Rogers as he carries the ball. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

All-State selections

First team: Jayden Clark, Northmont, 6-4, 305, sr. OL; Jussiah Williams-West, Wayne, 6-2, 175, sr. DB

Second team; Brock Baker, Fairmont, 6-4, 215, sr. QB; Jamier Averette-Brown, Wayne, 6-0, 165, so. WR; Kuol Kuol, Centerville, 6-6, 260, sr. OL; Logan Wilkins, Fairmont, 6-2, 180, sr DL; Kyron Dolby, Springfield, 5-11, 205, sr.; LB; Aidan Weimer, Springboro, 6-2, 215, sr.; LB

Third team: Tyrell Lewis, Wayne, 6-1, 195, sr. QB; Zy’Aire Fletcher, Springfield, 6-6, 221, sr. TE; Bret Fuller, Kettering Fairmont, 6-1, 255, sr. OL; Royce Rogers, Springfield, 6-1, 260, jr.; DL; Mason Keely, Centerville, 6-2, 230, sr. DL

Honorable mention: Jaxon Long, Springboro, 6-3, 188, jr.; WR; Brayden Wilhite, Springboro, 6-1, 175, sr.; WR; Jerome Howe, Springfield, 6-4, 283, sr.; OL; Max Gehring, Fairmont, 6-2, 181, sr. K; Jackson Heims, Springfield, 6-2, 225, sr. DL; Toby Deglow, Fairmont, 5-8, 165, sr. DB

All-District selections

First team: Brock Baker, Fairmont, 6-4, 215, sr., QB; Logan Doty, Fairmont, 5-11, 185, so., RB;

Receivers/TE: Jamier Averette-Brown, Wayne, 6-0, 165, so.; Zy’Aire Fletcher, Springfield, 6-6, 221, sr.;

Offensive linemen: Jayden Clark, Northmont, 6-4, 305, sr.; Bret Fuller, Kettering Fairmont, 6-1, 255, sr.; Kuol Kuol, Centerville, 6-6, 260, sr.;

Kicker: Leland Gantz, Centerville, 6-0, 175, sr.

Defensive Linemen: Mason Keely, Centerville, 6-2, 230, sr..; Royce Rogers, Springfield, 6-1, 260, jr.; Logan Wilkins, Kettering Fairmont, 6-2, 180, sr.

Linebackers: Kyron Dolby, Springfield, 5-11, 205, sr.; Aidan Weimer, Springboro, 6-2, 215, sr.

Secondary: Toby Deglow, Kettering Fairmont, 5-8, 165, sr.; Jussiah Williams-West, Huber Heights Wayne, 6-2, 175, sr.

Second Team: Backfield: Tyrell Lewis, Wayne, 6-1, 195, sr., QB;

Receivers: Jaxon Long, Springboro, 6-3, 188, jr.; Brayden Wilhite, Springboro, 6-1, 175, sr.

Offensive linemen: Taban Gifford, Fairmont, 6-0, 285, sr.; Jerome Howe, Springfield, 6-4, 283, sr.;

Kickers: Max Gehring, Kettering Fairmont, 6-2, 181, sr.

Defensive linemen: Jackson Heims, Springfield, 6-2, 225, sr.;

Linebackers: Jacob Taylor, Centerville, 6-2, 195, sr.;

Secondary: Quenta Wafer, Springfield, 6-0, 180, sr.

Springfield's Amileo Norvell is pushed out of bounds, Evan Weinberg as he carries the ball. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

College prospects:

Springfield linebacker Taj Powell has verbally committed to West Virginia while Rogers is headed to Buffalo next season.

Fellow Wildcat seniors Deontre Long, Sincere Keyes and Preston Allen also have reported receiving Division I offers.

Underclassmen to watch at Springfield include junior receiver Braylon Keyes, junior linebackers Jahmiere Daniels and Tyrel Thompson and sophomore offensive tackle Kavon Blackmon.

Linebacker Evan Weinberg of Springboro is verbally committed to Central Michigan while Long is headed to Cornell after this season and junior defensive lineman Carter Napier reports an offer from Harvard.

At Wayne, Averette-Brown has verbally committed to Ohio State while Thompson has an offer from Eastern Kentucky, Javion Lewis has one from Kent State and junior receiver Aaden Curtis has one from Toledo.

Centerville quarterback Shane Cole has an offer from Akron while Northmont running back Calillan Grant has an offer from Miami (Ohio) heading into his senior season.

At Beavercreek, defensive backs Jamison Webster and Kelvin Keyes Jr. are both garnering Division I interest.

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