Ohio

These central Ohio high school football players had best second-round OHSAA playoff games

Published

7 months ago

November 11, 2025

These central Ohio high school football players had best second-round OHSAA playoff games

As the number of central Ohio high school football teams remaining in the playoffs dwindles each week, the definition of top performances expands.

Yardage, touchdowns, tackles and sacks take even more of a back seat to a simpler statistic – the final score.

Here is a look at which central Ohio players had the best games in the regional quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

This list was gathered from games covered by the USA Today Network and statistics submitted by area teams. Teams are encouraged to submit stats as soon as possible after games to sports@dispatch.com, dpurpura@dispatch.com and fdirenna@dispatch.com.

Blake Bogenrife, West Jefferson

Stats: The senior receiver caught three passes for 78 yards against No. 6 Toronto in Division VI, Region 23, none bigger than his 40-yard touchdown reception from Austin Buescher with 2:36 left as the third-seeded Roughriders (10-1) won 21-20. West Jefferson converted three third downs on the winning drive.

Next game: Nov. 14 vs. Beverly Fort Frye

Levi Davis, Olentangy Orange

Stats: The Pioneers’ senior quarterback helped break open a close Division I, Region 3 contest, scoring twice in the last 13 minutes and finishing with 342 all-purpose yards (255 rushing, 87 passing) as top-seeded Orange (11-0) went on to a 43-14 win over No. 8 Olentangy Berlin.

Next game: Nov. 14 vs. Olentangy Liberty

RJ Day, DeSales

Stats: The junior quarterback threw for a single-game program-record 482 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning score to Jordan Karhoff from 11 yards with 5 seconds left, to power the No. 2 seed Stallions (9-2) to a 33-29 win over No. 7 Ashland in Division II, Region 7.

Next game: Nov. 14 vs. Massillon Washington

Miles Marshall, Centerburg

Stats: The junior running back amassed 193 yards and all four touchdowns (17, 2, 38 and 4 yards) for the top-seeded Trojans on 26 carries in a 28-14 win over No. 8 West Lafayette Ridgewood in Region 23.

Next game: Nov. 14 vs. North Robinson Colonel Crawford

Edward Oakley, Upper Arlington

Stats: The junior kicker connected on field goals of 29 and 32 yards in the final minutes, the latter in the closing seconds, to turn a three-point deficit for the sixth-seeded Golden Bears (10-2) into a 30-27 win at No. 3 Pickerington North in Region 3. Oakley also kicked a 37-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Next game: Nov. 14 at Pickerington Central

Watch OHSAA football playoffs on NFHS Network

Ben Rucker, Olentangy Liberty

Stats: The junior defensive lineman returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, highlighting a defensive effort that saw the fifth-seeded Patriots (8-4) hold No. 4 Olentangy (8-3) to just 22 yards rushing in a 17-0 win in Region 3.

Next game: Nov. 14 at Olentangy Orange

Eli Stumpf, Big Walnut

Stats: The junior quarterback ran for a 16-yard touchdown and passed for scores of 44 and 8 yards to Brody Hatfield in the first half of a Region 7 game against Walnut Ridge, leading the Golden Eagles (10-1) to a 43-0 win. Stumpf completed 10 of 15 passes for 141 yards.

Next game: Nov. 14 vs. Canal Winchester

Nick Vanhoose, North Union

Stats: The senior running back had 121 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, scoring from 12 and 2 yards in the second quarter as the eighth-seeded Wildcats (8-4) blew out No. 1 Williamsburg 47-14 in Division V, Region 20. Griffin Osborne also ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns on six carries.

Next game: Nov. 14 at Carlisle

Cyren Wallace, Danville

Stats: The sophomore running back had eight carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns and returned a second-half interception for another score as the 11th-seeded Blue Devils (7-5) routed No. 3 Fisher Catholic 59-8 in Division VII, Region 27.

Next game: Nov. 14 at Waterford

High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.

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Ohio

Black bear spotted in Licking County as sightings rise across Ohio

Published

7 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Black bear spotted in Licking County as sightings rise across Ohio

LICKING COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — When you think of wild animals in central Ohio, a black bear likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. That’s why one Licking County family said they couldn’t believe their eyes.

It was an average afternoon drive home for father and son, Justin and Aaron Rhodes, when something walked into the road in front of them.

“I didn’t even think it was real at first, so that’s why I had to do the double take,” Justin said.

Aaron said he thought it was “just a weird looking dog”.

To their disbelief, it was a bear. The sighting comes just one year after the animal was spotted in Licking County for the first time in more than two decades.

“It’s kind of hard to believe that they’re even around this area,” Justin said. “I’ve lived in this area for about 24 years now, so it’s been quite a while, and I’ve never seen one before.”

These sightings are becoming more common. The Ohio Division of Wildlife said the black bear population is growing in the state, and they expect those trends to continue. Ohio saw a record number of confirmed sightings in 2025.

Lindsey Krusling, a wildlife communications specialist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said they are seeing more breeding females establish homes in the state, signaling the species is returning. Experts said the work restoring natural forest land is a big reason why.

“We’re starting to get some black bears coming in from neighboring states like Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky,” Krusling said. “They’re naturally crossing those state borders and coming back to Ohio because we have more of that habitat available to them, especially those forested areas.”

As the black bear population grows, the Division of Wildlife is expanding its research. They are putting radio collars on some bears they find in the state to help track data, such as if the bears are staying here, how far they’ve traveled and if they’re successfully having cubs.

“We’re trying to get quite a bit of data from these bears, and we’re super excited to see where this takes us,” Krusling said.

The research is in the beginning stages, but they expect population growth to continue, Krusling said.

Sighting reports can be submitted here to help the Division of Wildlife track black bear populations throughout the state.

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Ohio

Lorain woman killed, three children injured in Ohio Turnpike crash in Elyria (UPDATED)

Published

17 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Lorain woman killed, three children injured in Ohio Turnpike crash in Elyria (UPDATED)

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Ohio

Licking County real estate transfers for June 1-5, 2026, hit $865,000

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Licking County real estate transfers for June 1-5, 2026, hit 5,000

Real estate transfers in Licking County, Ohio, range from $85,000 to $865,000

From Staff Reports
| Newark Advocate

The following are property transfers recorded in Licking County from June 1-5, 2026.

First name indicates the seller; second name represents the buyer

Buckeye Lake

502 Providence Lane; Cohagen, Christopher C and Lori A; Adams, Jeffrey L and Boyce-Adams, Jo Anna; 6/1/2026; $511,000
131 Cranberry Lane; Smart, Amy and Kidwell, Kevin K; Sew and Minor, Christian; 6/1/2026; $262,000

Etna Township

116 Cameron Drive SW; Ray, Erica L; Darjee, Sanjay and Laxmi and Dil; 6/2/2026; $412,000
119 Kraner St. SW; Adkins, Zane and Amy; Culbertson, Brenton Howard; 6/1/2026; $368,500
160 Dusky Willow Drive; Willow Reserve LLC; Martin, Alaina K; 6/2/2026; $290,940

Granville

119 Derwyn Del Way; Lifer, David C and Julia H; Martin, Michael and Lisa; 6/1/2026; $865,000
39 Victoria Drive; Acton, Wendy S and Paul J; Cannon, Matthew Evan and Zywica, Natalie Nicole; 6/2/2026; $835,000

Granville Township

49 Alberry Drive; Halliday, Lucas and Breayne; Howe, Jason and Kathryn; 6/2/2026; $570,000

Harrison Township

102 Whirlaway Loop; Rice, Dawn (Trustee); Bope, Maria and Shane; 6/2/2026; $420,000

Heath

1306 Kacey Court; Fischer Homes Columbus II LLC; Owens, Blake Andrew and Taylor Marie; 6/2/2026; $437,779
805 Fieldson Drive; Flowers, Ingrit; Harder, Noah C; 6/2/2026; $250,000

Hebron

802 Cumberland Meadows Circle; Lines, Marlene S; Gerhart, Jamie A and Ralph W Jr; 6/2/2026; $232,000

Johnstown

101 Bigelow Drive; McGovern, Matthew S and Jennifer L; Sanford, Jessica; 6/2/2026; $442,500

Liberty Township

5844 Nichols Lane Road NW; La Jeunesse, Garth E and Debra; Nesselroad, William Heath and Annie; 6/1/2026; $629,000
7211 Northridge Road NW; Devault, Robert E Jr and Joann; Esbenshade, Travis M and Lowe, Shelby M; 6/1/2026; $495,000

Newark

2110 Overlook Way; D.R. Horton-Indiana LLC; Tarsha, Michele A; 6/1/2026; $433,335
1162 Taylor Ave.; Heath Fluid LLC; Anglada, Gabriel P and Salina T; 6/1/2026; $200,000
32 Postal Ave. W.; Palmisano, Phil; Moore, Dominic Michael and Miksich, Paige Elizabeth; 6/1/2026; $198,900
75 Gay St.; Velez, Marcos A; Camell, Campbell; 6/1/2026; $155,000
655 Evans St.; TNL; McRada Properties LLC; 6/1/2026; $145,000
63 Wallace St.; FDA Peachtree LLC; Burns, Amber L; 6/2/2026; $86,500
404 10th St.; Synergy Group Properties LLC; Busy Boys Restoration LLC; 6/2/2026; $85,000

Reynoldsburg