Only four football teams in the Miami Valley Conference posted winning records in 2025 across the league’s three divisions.
Cincinnati Country Day and North College Hill battled in the MVC Gray division while CHCA and St. Bernard were the only winning teams in their respective divisions.
CHCA was the lone MVC team to win a playoff game a season ago. Does that change this fall with a few new contenders emerging in a conference highlighted by a few coaching changes? Here’s a division-by-division (alphabetical) look at the MVC with the Ohio high school football season right around the corner.
MVC Gray
Cincinnati Country Day
2025: 9-2, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Jim Collins
Returning players: QB Levi Guttman, WR/DB Thomas Huckleby, WR/DB Leon Hall, WR/DB Nathan Kellenberger, OL/DL Gabe Odeh, RB/LB Ben Carper, OL/DL Kevin Li
Outlook: Cincinnati Country Day is led by three-star quarterback Levi Guttman, who threw for 1,879 yards, ran for 969 and had 35 total touchdowns last season. He is one of three All-Ohio selections returning to the Nighthawks, along with leading receiver Thomas Huckleby (1,407 scrimmage yards in 2025) and defensive back Leon Hall.
Clark Montessori
2025: 2-8, missed playoffs
Head coach: Keilan Woods
Returning players: QB Bryhaun Ramsey, WR/S Jayden Davis, OL/DL Jordin Williams, OL/DL Ezra Grisby, OL/DL Nazir Jones, OL/DL De’rio Dewberry
Outlook: New head coach Keilan Woods will have to replace six of Clark Montessori’s seven first-team all-league selections from last year, including the MVC Defensive Player of the Year (Jamier Johnson). The lone returner is Ezra Grisby up front after a 5.5-sack, 50-tackle season. The Cougars also return second-teamers Jordin Williams and Jayden Davis. At quarterback, Bryhaun Ramsey threw for 755 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025.
North College Hill
2025: 8-3, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Tyler Williams
Returning players: QB Ar’Neil Kahr, LB Anthony Branch, OL/DE Kevonte Whitiker, WR/LB JoJo Pouncy, RB/LB Marlee Godfrey, WR/S Eddie Holloway, RB/DB Raymari Williams, WR/DB Torii Lipscomb, LB Dominc Garrison, LB Jaylen O’Brien
Outlook: New head coach Tyler Williams has a very talented team from several marquee returners to a few high-profile transfers who followed him from Taft, like All-Ohio selections Jojo Pouncy and Eddie Holloway. Ar’Neil Kahr returns for the Trojans at quarterback after throwing for 2,119 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Defensively, the Trojans are stacked with their top four tacklers from last season returning, including Anthony Branch and Kevonte Whitiker, a tandem that combined for 39 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and six recoveries in 2025.
Norwood
2025: 1-9 missed playoffs
Head coach: Armand Tatum
Returning players: LB Aiden Meadors, OL/DL Richie Banderas, QB/DB Ke’Vontai Williams, WR/DB Camron Sheppard, OL/DL Damien Hunter, OL/DL Yusef Qualls, LB Laterrio Washington
Outlook: Norwood finished 1-9 last season and was held to six points or less eight times (five shutouts). The Indians will try to grow under first-year head coach Armand Tatum, who has several years of experience under his belt, most recently at Moeller as offensive line coach. Linebacker Aiden Meadors is the top returner after a team-high 93 tackles in 2025.
MVC Scarlet
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
2025: 10-2, lost second round of playoffs
Head coach: Calvin Renfroe
Returning players: LB Owen Clary, RB Pedro Guimieras, TE Aidan Meyer, RB/LB Mack Linich, OL Lucas Bauman, DL KJ Manning, OL Andrew Ghabrial, WR/QB Nolan Lum, DB Parker Sougstad
Outlook: CHCA led the entire MVC with 10 wins and was the only team in the league to win a playoff game last season. The Eagles had the league’s highest-scoring offense but need to replace Griffin Ridner Richard, who threw for 2,526 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. As a junior, Nolan Lum went 10-for-25 for 130 yards while primarily playing receiver. The Eagles return production on the ground as the tandem of Pedro Guimieras and Mack Linich combined for nearly 1,000 rushing yards in 2025. The defense is led by All-Ohio linebacker Owen Clary, who ranked third in the MVC in tackles (138) and fourth in sacks (10) last season.
Purcell Marian
2025: 4-6, missed playoffs
Head coach: Chris Mobley Jr.
Returning players: RB/LB Hezekiah Powell, RB/DB Troy Conwell, OLB Navin Heard, LB Les Criswell, OL/DL Andrew Huber, OL/DL Tyler Raleigh
Outlook: A two-point loss to Roger Bacon in Week 10 kept Purcell Marian from making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The Cavaliers will try to get back in postseason play behind four returning first-team all-league selections along with production up front coming back. Defensive lineman Navin Heard was honorable mention All-Ohio last season and Hezekiah Powell led the team with 101 tackles.
Roger Bacon
2025: 5-6, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Mike Blaut
Returning players: WR/DB Liam Vargo, WR/DB Evan Otto, OL Hunter Pauley, DE Max DeFranco, LB Tom Bedinghaus, RB Jerome Smith
Outlook: Roger Bacon graduated all-time leading passer Bubba Smart and 1,000-yard rusher Ja’mere Mitchell. The Spartans will have to replace that production to make the playoffs for an eighth straight season. Jerome Smith averaged 10.5 yards per carry last season and Roger Bacon returns its top two receivers in Liam Vargo and Evan Otto. Both were two-way contributors in the Roger Bacon secondary. Up front, Hunter Pauley was first-team all-league.
Summit Country Day
2025: 5-6, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Mark Hafner
Returning players: WR/DB Korde Williams, LB Paxton Sherman, QB Colt Fry, DL Sam Deger, WR/DB Braxton Austin, RB/DB Dillon Minton, K Emmett Hood, RB/LB David Poignard
Outlook: Summit Country Day got off to a 5-2 start last season but lost three straight to end the regular season before falling in the first round of the playoffs (its first appearance since 2022). The Silver Knights return top defensive back Korde Williams, who was All-Ohio as a freshman last season after seven interceptions and also caught 26 passes for 378 yards. Quarterback Colt Fry threw for 963 yards, and Summit returns a slew of second-team all-league selections like linebacker Paxton Sherman, who had 103 tackles in 2025.
MVC White
Lockland
2025: 0-9, missed playoffs
Head coach: Ryan Erkins
Returning players: QB Kristian Lewis, OL/DL Da’Mier Harper, WR/DB Dezmond Wolfork, LB Amir Harris
Outlook: Lockland has won just one game over the past two seasons after making the postseason in 2023. The Panthers bring back a pair of honorable mention all-league selections in lineman Da’Mier Harper and Kristian Lewis.
MVCA
2025: 4-6, missed playoffs
Head coach: Kyle Gulley
Returning players: QB Will Cameron, RB AJ Ardizzone, TE/LB Hans Erickson, WR/DB Lucas Livezey, WR/DB Kyle Caldwell, DB Jeremiah DesJardins, RB/DB Jonah Criste, OL/DL Layton Reeves, OL/DL Zach Holland, DB Judah Walters, OL Blake Longstreth, OL/LB Chaz Corbly
Outlook: MVCA hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021, but the Lions will look to change that this fall with plenty of returning production. MVCA had 16 all-league selections last season and only two were seniors. Junior Hans Erickson had 21 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns on offense and led the Lions with 105 tackles at linebacker. Junior Zach Holland had a team-high six sacks and defensive back Jonah Criste had 88 tackles, two forced fumbles and three interceptions. Offensively, Will Cameron started at quarterback as a freshman last season and threw for just under 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns.
New Miami
2025: 3-7, missed playoffs
Head coach: Chris Fogle
Returning players: QB Karter Johnson, RB/LB Kingston Royalty, OL/DL Bryton McNamee, WR/DB Landyn Butler, WR/DB Noah Henry, RB/DB Colton Pauley, OL/DL Isaiah Johnson, QB/DB Rylan Baker, DB Noah Adams,
Outlook: After going winless in back-to-back years (2022-23), New Miami has won seven games over the last two seasons but is still searching for a return to the postseason. The Vikings will return 10 all-league selections. Noah Henry led the team with 127 tackles last season and quarterback Karter Johnson was the team’s leading rusher (903 yards, six touchdowns).
St. Bernard-Elmwood Place
2025: 9-2, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Kyle Hogan
Returning players: QB Lucas Cannady, RB Demeko Taylor, RB/LB DJ Steele, LB Aiden Rack, DB Arnold Henderson, DB Mizion Westbrook, WR/DB Zarius Westbrook, DB DJ Moss, K Nate Rutemueller
Outlook: St. Bernard-Elmwood Place has enjoyed four consecutive winning seasons, and they’ll be the favorites to repeat in the MVC White and contend atop the Division VI, Region 28 standings with All-Ohio quarterback Lucas Cannady and running back Demeko Taylor back in 2026.
Both ran for over 1,000 yards last season and combined for 22 rushing scores. Cannady also threw for 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. St. Bernard will have to replace double-digit all-league selections from 2025.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Miami Valley Conference high school football 2026 preview
Reporting by Shelby Dermer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Shelby Dermer, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
