Action in the Southwest Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference (SBAAC) kicks off on Friday, Aug. 23, this year with some personnel changes.
Some stars from last year’s SBAAC, like Williamsburg quarterback J.J. Miller and Western Brown receiver Isaiah Smith, have graduated. Atheltes like former Bethel-Tate and new Williamsburg receiver Troy Harris, have transferred. Some, like New Richmond rising sophomore Brady Young return with more experience, hoping for further breakouts.
There are a lot of question marks in the SBAAC this season. What will the Williamsburg offense look like without Miller? Can Western Brown or New Richmond have a breakout season with quarterbacks who look like stars in the making? Returning most of its offensive core, will the Clinton-Massie defense be good enough to take the team on a deep playoff run for the first time since 2021?
The only certain thing is there will be no shortage of great games in the conference this year.
Below, with teams listed alphabetically, is a preview of each SBAAC squad in 2024.
Batavia
2023: 3-7, missed postseason
Head coach: Wayne Stacy
Returning players: QB Carson Harris, WR/DB Max Mehlman, WR/DB Marcus Hughbanks, OL/LB Elliott Thompson, OL/DL Caleb Iker, LB Vontay Calloway, DB Andrew Manz
Outlook: Gone is last year’s star Jess Roller, who threw for 2,651 yards and 24 touchdowns to just nine interceptions in an offense that saw more success passing than rushing. Batavia will look to rising junior Carson Harris to step up.
Shepherd’s two favorite targets Max Mehlman (71 receptions for 963 yards) and Marcus Hughbanks (54 receptions for 995 yards) will return, but Batavia must find a new lead back as its three top rushers from 2023 graduated.
The defense was Batavia’s main concern last season, but nearly all of the unit’s top contributors return. A more experienced side figures to see more success in 2024. If the Bulldogs can find a way to score points, they could see more success this season.
Bethel-Tate
2023: 7-5, reached Division V, Region 20 quarterfinals
Head coach: Jeff Essig
Returning players: QB Jax Pryor, RB/DL Talon Armacost, WR/DB Landen Schultian, OL/DL Conner Hounshell, OLB/TE Joe Kilgore
Outlook: Bethel-Tate will have to replace its starting quarterback, leading rusher and most-used receiver in 2023. Last year’s backup quarterback Jax Pryor will be a junior, and he completed 3-of-4 passes last year. Talon Armacost, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound rising senior who averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 106 attempts last year will shoulder some of the missing offensive production. If those three can play well, Bethel-Tate’s offense might not miss a beat. It will be interesting to see the chemistry that Pryor and Harris can develop over the next two seasons.
The defense will hurt from the loss of Nolan Darnell, who recorded 161 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 36.0 tackles for loss and six fumble recoveries last season. Losing Brenden Jobe, who had 5.5 sacks in 2023, will also hurt. Joe Kilgore and Armacost will hope to fill their roles ‒ the pair combined for 10.5 sacks last season. The defense also loses Will Rapp, who had six interceptions last year.
Blanchester
2023: 7-4, Division V, Region 20 quarterfinals
Head coach: Justin Schmitz
Returning players: WR/RB Caleb Sears, WR/LB Zach Musselman, OL/LB Tristan Malone, OL/DT Kane Scott, LB/QB Ayden Basham, DB/RB Isaiah Abbott
Outlook: The Blanchester offense, which led the SBAAC in points last season, was mainly built around starting quarterback Bryce Sipple, who passed for 1,214 yards and rushed for another 1,231. He was a senior last season, so Blanchester will have to find a new frontman. Just two players who scored more than two touchdowns in 2023, Zach Musselman and Isaiah Abbott, return. There are question marks on offense.
Jude Hutson, who led the defense with 14.0 sacks, won’t be back, and neither will Sebastian Smith or Austin Dick, who each had six. Tristan Malone, who had 12.0 sacks in 2023, will be back. He’s a presence on the offensive and defensive lines. So will Kane Scott, who had 5.0 sacks as a freshman. Blanchester hasn’t had more than one conference loss in a season since 2015, so it stands to reason that they’ll figure it out, but the team will need some breakout performances to do so.
Clermont Northeastern
2023: 3-7, missed postseason
Head coach: Steve Thompson
Returning players: QB Josh Groeber, WR/DB Kolton Bowen, TE/DE Lucas Yeager
Outlook: The Clermont Northeastern offense scored just 28 points in conference games in 2023. The team didn’t pass for a single touchdown and averaged just 3.5 yards per rush. Josh Grober and Aiden Brehm were the team’s top two passers, rushers and receivers. Brehm has graduated, but Grober returns. Other than Grober, no one who rushed for over two yards on the season returns. For Clermont Northeastern, figuring out the offense is the most important order of business.
Defensively, the team found moderate success. They allowed 165 points in conference matchups, which was sixth out of the 12 teams in the SBAAC in 2023. Last year’s top two leading tacklers and sack-getters won’t return, and neither will Xaden Hunt, who had seven interceptions in 2023. It won’t be easy for the team to return to its success from 2018, the last time it won four SBAAC games.
Clinton-Massie
2023: 12-1, made Division IV, region 16 semi-final
Head coach: Dan McSurley
Returning players: RB Logan Chesser, RB Eli Muterspaw, RB/DB Cooper Carmack, RB/DB Jack Elkins, RB Peyton Warren, LB Ty Clutter, LB Hunter Monds
Outlook: Clinton-Massie could be in for an even better season in 2024 after going undefeated in the 2023 regular season. The Falcons rushed for over 4,000 yards in 2023, with five players recording more than 450 yards. All five of those players return in 2023. Alter shut the Clinton-Massie offense down in the Region 16 semifinal last year, beating the Falcons 21-3. It will be interesting to see if that makes Clinton-Massie adjust its strategy in 2024 after passing just 20 times all of last season.
Clinton-Massie returns its top three tacklers on defense but loses a lot of contributors further down the list. The Falcon defense is almost always good, and it should be again in 2024. The only real question is how the unit will fare deeper into the playoffs.
East Clinton
2023: 4-6, missed postseason
Head coach: Steve Olds
Returning players: RB/LB Aiden Conger, RB/DB Dameon Williams, RB/DB Brody McCulley, OL/DL Owen Roberts, DL/OL Alex Edison
Outlook: East Clinton will need to find answers on offense after the graduation of running back Glenn Peacock, who accounted for nearly half the team’s offense in 2023. The good news is that Aiden Conger, who averaged 6.4 yards per carry on 70 touches last season, will return. East Clinton rarely threw the ball in 2023, but its lead passer Lukas Runk has graduated.
After finishing sixth best in the SBAAC by allowing 125 points in conference games in 2023, East Clinton hopes the defense can lead it again. Conger, last year’s leading tackler, returns, and so do four players who recorded at least two sacks in 2023. The East Clinton defensive backs will be experienced this year, but the loss of Noah Mess, who grabbed four interceptions last season, will hurt.
Fayetteville-Perry
2023: 2-8, missed postseason
Head coach: Jason Jester
Returning players: QB/LB Alex Bradshaw, DB Braeden Crone
Outlook: Fayetteville-Perry football finished 0-5 in SBAAC games in its first year back after not fielding a football team in 2022.
Starting quarterback and leading rusher Caleb Tipis, who accounted for about half of the team’s offense in 2023, will not return. Backup quarterback and second-leading rusher Alex Bradshaw will hope to pick up the slack. Other than Bradshaw, who is expected to be under center, no player who caught more than two passes last season will return, and neither will anyone who rushed for more than 30 yards. Other than Bradshaw, the offense is basically starting from scratch.
The defense allowed the most points in the conference last season. Bradshaw led the team in tackles, but not many other 2023 contributors will return.
Goshen
2023: 3-8, made Division III, Region 12 first round
Head coach: Shane Elkin
Returning players: ATH Camden Telinda, WR/DB Zachary Keitz, WR/LB River Gambrell
Outlook: Goshen fans can get excited about Camden Telinda, who led the team with 776 rushing yards (6.3 yards per carry) in 2023 as a freshman. Logan Haley, the 2023 starting quarterback, will not return. It remains to be seen who will replace him. All three players who recorded over 100 receiving yards in 2023 will return, so whoever ends up behind the center will have some experienced weapons.
On defense, the team returns Grant Herndon, who led the way with 69 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season but loses other top contributors. Telinda will also factor in on that side of the ball, as he had 46 tackles as a defensive back in 2023.
New Richmond
2023: 5-5, made Division III, Region 12 first round
Head coach: Brian Pitzer
Returning players: QB Brady Young, RB Braylon Patchell, WR Cohen Manning, WR Trey Sininger, DL Brandon Nelson, LB Silas Jacob, LB Zane Gabriel
Outlook: New Richmond finished 1-4 in SBAAC games in 2023, but the team is poised for a breakout. A big reason is because of 6-foot-4 starting quarterback Brady Young, who threw for 2,385 yards and 27 touchdowns during his freshman season in 2023. Six New Richmond receivers recorded over 100 receiving yards last season, and five of them will return, including Cohen Manning who went for 859 yards and 12 touchdowns on 39 catches. The team’s leading rusher Braylon Patchell (6.8 yards per carry) will also be back.
New Richmond’s defense allowed the second-most points in SBAAC games last season. Even if Young and the offense break out, the defense will need to be better for the Lions to move up the SBAAC standings. New Richmond allowed at least 49 points in each of their last five games of last season and 69 points in their single playoff game against Wapakoneta. The very young unit’s experience from last year should make a difference in 2024.
Western Brown
2023: 3-8, made Division III, Region 12 first round
Head coach: Nick Osborne
Returning players: QB Brady Sutton, WR/DB Lucas Powell, WR Brayden Harmon, LB/TE Tye Spaulding
Outlook: Western Brown is another team with a lot of offensive potential and a defense that hopes to step up its game. Quarterback Brady Sutton will return after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2023. His favorite receiver Isaiah Smith, who caught 123 passes for over 2,000 yards in 2023, won’t return. Lucas Powell and Brayden Harmon, who each went for over 400 yards last season, hope to step up. Western Brown barely ran the ball with anyone but Sutton last season. It will be interesting to see if they try to make their offense less one-dimensional in 2023, especially with the loss of Smith.
The defense tied with New Richmond for the second-most points allowed in SBAAC games last year. Linebacker Tye Spaulding had 135 tackles, 3.0 sacks and two interceptions as a sophomore in 2023 and will lead its defense in 2024.
Williamsburg
2023: 10-2, made Division VI, Region 24 first round
Head coach: Nick Ayers
Returning players: RB Ayden Holden, WR/DB Kian Stamper, WR Troy Harris (transfer from Bethel-Tate) LB Jaxon Breeze, LB Luke Czarnecki, DB/TE Brody Fisher, DB/WR Colton Fink
Outlook: J.J. Miller was one of the best quarterbacks in the area in 2023. He threw for over 3,500 yards and 47 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. He rushed for another 1,060 yards and 13 touchdowns. He won’t return, and neither will his top three receivers. Troy Harris, who caught 37 passes for 853 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore at Bethel-Tate in 2023, transferred to Williamsburg.
The defense was excellent last season. A few top players from last year’s unit like leading tackler Dane Jones and Pierce Ayers, who had five interceptions, have graduated, but the Wildcats played quite a few underclassmen in 2023 who have a good chance to step up.
Wilmington
2023: 8-3, made Division III, Region 12 first round
Head coach: Ryan Evans Sr.
Returning players: WR/DB Zane Smith, OL/DL Malachi Cumberland, OL/DL Donavon Purdue, LB Jesse Keith, DL/RB Bryson Schutte, LB Luke Achterman, DB Eli Stewart
Outlook: Wilmington’s starting quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver from 2023 have all graduated. The team has question marks on offense, but also a few returning players to get excited about, including Zane Smith, who caught 32 passes for 510 yards last season.
The defense was the strength of the 2023 Hurricane, and it might be even better in 2024. Five of the team’s leading tacklers return. Returners Malachi Cumberland, Donavan Purdue and Smith combined for 27.0 sacks in 2023. Eli Stewart returns after having six interceptions in his sophomore season. If Wilmington’s offense finds a way to score points in 2024, the defense could lead the team to a great season.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: SBAAC preview: Dominant Clinton-Massie, breakout candidates and more
