The Greenon High School football program is hoping to leave the Ohio Heritage Conference with a bang.
The Knights (6-2, 3-0) will play Madison Plains (7-1, 3-0) for the OHC South Division title at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in their final conference game before heading back to the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division next season.
“We’re getting everybody’s best shot because they’re wanting to get that one last win against us,” said Knights first-year coach Cooper Chaffin. “It stinks because we’ve been able to build some good rivalries in this league for the last (nine years). It’s been a lot of really good competitive games and a lot of teams that it’ll be disappointing not to be able to play them again.”
The Knights are seeking their first title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2019 and 2020. The build-up to the game has been awesome, Chaffin said. The school is supplying a fan bus to bring students to Madison County for the game.
High School Football: Kenton Ridge one win from first CBC title since 2014, but London stands in the way
“It’s awesome to have this opportunity and have all the excitement around it with all our kids,” Chaffin said. “It’s great to be able to play meaningful games late in the year like this.”
Last week, the Knights beat Greeneview — the five-time defending South Division champion — 20-19 to set up this week’s winner-take-all finale against the Golden Eagles. Knights senior quarterback Teagan Henry scored the game-winner on a 1-yard run in the third quarter and they held on for the victory.
“It was a fun game for sure the way we went back and forth in the first half and then it was really all defense,” Chaffin said. “The second half was crazy and it was exciting and big for us to get those halftime adjustments in and be able to see them come to fruition on the field defensively.”
They’ll face a Golden Eagles squad seeking its first OHC South title since joining the league in 2017. They’ve won four straight games since falling to Mechanicsburg 41-0 in Week 4. In three South Division games, they’ve outscored their opponents 128-13.
They’re led by junior running back Logan Allgeier, who leads the OHC with 976 yards rushing and eight TDs and runs behind a large offensive line. Dual-threat senior quarterback Tyler Wall has thrown for 976 yards and 12 TDs and rushed for 688 yards and 16 TDs.
“They’re definitely solid up front, so being able to rise to that challenge will be big for us,” Chaffin said.
The Knights are also in a position where a win could help them lock up a home game in the Division V, Region 20 playoffs. They currently control their own destiny, according to JoeEitel.com, but there’s also a chance they could miss the playoffs with a loss.
“We want to be sure our kids leave no doubt,” Chaffin said.
As the Knights head into their biggest game in recent memory, Chaffin — the 26-year-old Greenon grad who was hired earlier this year when longtime coach Josh Wooten stepped away from the program — couldn’t help but reflect on the incredible season the Knights have had so far this fall. He said he’s thankful for the opportunity and the support he’s received from school administration and the community.
“It’s kind of been a dream of mine since I was a little kid really growing up here and coming to games when I was 4, 5, 6 years old watching us win league titles in the CBC,” Chaffin said. “When Coach Wooten stepped down and I was in line to have an interview, I felt so much support from all the kids that we had, and they were telling me all the time ‘we really hope you get it. It’ll be huge if you get the job,’ and just to be able to have that kind of support from our kids, from our coaching staff, from the community and the administration. Then to be able to get the job and have a year like we’ve had where we have these huge opportunities late in the season and the potential to go maybe win our second-ever playoff game as a program, I’d like to just thank them and show them the appreciation that they deserve from me.”
Here’s a look at other Week 10 games taking place across the Springfield News-Sun coverage area. All games to be held Oct. 23 unless otherwise noted:
Central Buckeye Conference
Kenton Trail Division
* London (7-2, 4-0) at Kenton Ridge (8-1, 4-0): The Cougars and Red Raiders will meet at Richard L. Phillips Field with the Kenton Trail title on the line. London has won five straight titles, while KR is seeking its first since 2014. The Cougars have yet to beat the Red Raiders in seven meetings since London joined the conference in 2019.
* Urbana (6-3, 2-2) at Tecumseh (1-8, 0-4): The Hillclimbers have likely clinched a first-round home game in D-IV, Region 16, but a victory could help them with positioning. The Arrows are seeking to snap a five-game losing streak.
Mad River Division
* North Union (7-2, 4-0) at Graham (8-1, 4-0): The Falcons are seeking their first CBC title since 2009. North Union last won the title in 2021.
* Indian Lake (5-4, 2-2) at Northwestern (0-9, 0-4): The Warriors are looking to avoid going 0-10 for the first time since the 2021 season. Indian Lake could sneak into a playoff spot in D-V, Region 18, but needs a victory and a lot of help, according to JoeEitel.com.
* Benjamin Logan (4-5, 1-3) at Shawnee (2-7, 1-3): The Braves will miss the playoffs for the third straight season. The Raiders need a win and some help to qualify for the D-IV, Region 14 playoffs.
Greater Western Ohio Conference
* Springfield (7-2, 6-0) at Northmont (2-7, 1-5): The Wildcats have already clinched a share of the GWOC title, but can win it outright with a victory. Springfield has won seven straight in the series, beating the Thunderbolts 56-7 last season.
Ohio Heritage Conference North Division
* West Liberty-Salem (5-3, 3-1) at Mechanicsburg (7-2, 3-1): The winner of this game — coupled with a West Jefferson loss — can earn a share of the OHC title. The Tigers need a win to secure a playoff spot in D-V, Region 20, while the Indians need a win to earn a first-round bye in D-VI, Region 24.
* Northeastern (1-8, 0-4) at Triad (2-7, 0-4): The Cardinals are seeking their first win over the Jets since 2020.
South Division
* Southeastern (3-6, 0-3) at Cedarville (2-7, 0-3): The winner of the Battle of 42 will likely need a win and some help to secure a playoff spot in D-VII, Region 28.