Under beautiful skies and with perfect weather throughout Southwest Ohio, the first round of the Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs began with the 4- through 12-seeds taking the field.
Four road teams won, pulling off the upset according to seed line, and there were plenty of exciting moments. Here’s a recap of the first week of Cincinnati high school football postseason action, setting up next week’s regional quarterfinals.
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Talawanda meets the moment in Division II
One year ago, Talawanda was on top of the world. The Brave had their best season since 2019, earning and winning a home playoff game in Division III to finish 10-2. When the OHSAA released their updated Division assignments, some players in the locker room were dismayed to hear they’d spend 2026 in the more competitive Division II.
Fourth year head coach Andy Stuckert, on the other hand, knew his Brave had what it takes.
“I told them, we’re not building a program to be good in Division III,” Stuckert said. “We’re building a program to be good in all of Ohio.”
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The Brave once again earned a home playoff game, and Talawanda proved its mettle in a 35-34 overtime win against La Salle in the opening round of the playoffs. Talawanda scored the game-tying touchdown with just 29 seconds remaining in regulation, scoring a touchdown and shutting down a Lancers two-point conversion to win their first postseason game in Division II.
“I’m just so happy that this senior class gets to keep playing,” Stuckert said. “We asked them before the game, ‘how bad do you want to keep playing?’ and they really took that challenge.”
Senior Oliver Bennett, a flex-position player who can seemingly be anywhere on the field, found himself at the center of the biggest play of the game. Having already scored a touchdown in the first half, Stuckert once again called Bennett’s number in overtime. He took the direct snap and battled through contact from three yards out, diving in for the eventual game-winning score. The cathartic score seemed emblematic of his larger path to that moment.
Stuckert knew he’d be emotional describing what Bennett had meant to the Brave.
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“That’s a kid that’s been more resilient – nobody has been through more adversity during his time here than Oliver Bennett. He’s a kid who just keeps showing up and making big plays.”
Both teams had big offensive nights as they traded blows, but the Brave threw the first and final punches. Camar Ellis had kicked off the night with a 68-yard touchdown reception on the second play of the game, setting the tone early in an exciting win for Talawanda.
The Brave now move on for a rematch against conference foe Harrison. They’ll travel to face the Wildcats on Nov. 6.
Goshen running back Gage Croley reacts during the OHSAA Division III football postseason game between Goshen and Hughes on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026.
Goshen survives second-half shootout with Hughes for second ever playoff win
When Caden Slusher found Cam Vogel for a 23-yard touchdown to put the Warriors up 29-0 with 5:19 left in the first half, it looked as if Goshen would cruise to its second ever playoff win and first 10-win season since 1990.
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But Hughes’ Michael Nixson, Nehemiah Engleman, Omantae Smith and Kannen Adams said “Not so fast!” The Big Red launched a furious second-half comeback to get within three points at 39-36 but couldn’t get one final stop to have a shot at the win.
“Weve talked all year about being a family and working every week to get better. We had a great first half. (Hughes) made plays in the second half. You gotta give them credit. They came out and made great plays,” Goshen head coach Shane Elkin said.
The Warriors started fast with Gage Croley finding the end zone on the first two drives of the game. Goshen kept its offense on the field thanks to a muffed kickoff by the Big Red.
Camden Telinda added a one-yard rushing score before Vogel’s catch gave the Warriors their largest lead of the night.
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Hughes showed signs of life on the ensuing drive when Smith scored on a two-yard run. But still, the Big Red went into the locker room down 32-6.
The second half was an entirely different story as Engleman opened with a 16-yard run. Penalties quickly moved Hughes into scoring position before Smith found the end zone for the second of his three touchdowns on the night. In the second half alone, Hughes had six plays of at least 15 yards. Their explosiveness kept them within striking distance as they scored on all four of their second half drives.
But for as quickly as the Big Red moved down the field, Goshen took bunches of time off the clock thanks to Croley, the Southern Buckeye Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and Slusher. They were in on nearly every rushing play, including Croley’s three-yard score with 10:44 left in regulation that proved to be the game winner.
“One of the things we practice regularly is that four-minute offense. We gotta be able to grind out the ball and protect it and make plays. Our offense, we average 285 (pounds) across the front. Those guys do a great job,” Elkin said.
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Elkin felt that the Warriors matched up well with the Big Red, even though Huhges’s speed posed a problem. The game plan worked to perfection in the first half and they were able to do just enough in the second half to deny the Big Red their first ever postseason win.
Hughes still had a historic season, finishing second in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference-Red with its 9-2 record being the best since 1988.
Goshen will travel to Tippecanoe in the Division III, Region 12 quarterfinals on Nov. 6.
Springboro rallies behind senior quarterback for shutout win over Little Miami
Max Miller recently returned under center as Springboro’s starting quarterback after missing most of the season with an arm injury.
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During the third quarter of his team’s home playoff game against Little Miami, and with his team leading 14-0, the senior threw an interception at the goal line to Carter Hainey to cost the Panthers a key scoring opportunity.
Senior teammate Maddox Dixon picked up his teammate, intercepting a Little Miami pass at midfield and returning it the other way for six points to give the Panthers key insurance. The Springboro Panthers eliminated the Little Miami Panthers, 31-0 in a Division I, Region 4 playoff opener.
Miller, a third-year starter, threw for over 2,300 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. His first game back this season, he threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns Oct. 16 in a 40-31 win over Centerville. He now has over 5,000 career passing yards.
“Obviously, Max supposed to come into his senior year, have a super good year, three-year starter quarterback coming back,” Dixon said. “But with his return it really brought the team morale up, and everyone’s super happy he’s back and he’s doing a great job.”
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“I know he cherishes that,” said Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite. “He doesn’t take that for granted, nor do any of our players. We’ve talked a lot about this season, using Max as an example and a couple other guys who haven’t made it back, that tomorrow’s not promised in the postseason. And so you got to earn it every day.”
Dixon, the team’s third-leading tackler, picked up his second career interception and his second career touchdown in as many weeks after scoring one on offense last week.
“It was awesome,” he said. “It almost felt like time froze when I caught it. Everybody slowed down and then it was silent. And then I just made a quick move and I saw an open hole and I ran into the end zone.”
Dixon is a preferred walk-on with the Cincinnati Bearcats.
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“Maddox Dixon’s playing about 90 snaps a game right now and had a great pick six, and he’s playing tight end as well,” Wilhite said. “I think he’s a scholarship player in the (Mid-American Conference). I think he’s showing you down the stretch here when he’s capable of doing it. He’s a really good football player and an even better person.”
His TD punctuated a workmanlike win for the blue Panthers, who scored a touchdown in each quarter. Miller threw a 55-yard TD pass to Kru Collins, who also set up the team’s fourth touchdown with a long run after catching a short pass.
Senior running back Brandon Birdsong, Jr., scored two touchdowns to give him 21 on the season and went over the 1,000-yard mark on the ground.
Springboro’s defense, which allowed 20 points per game during the regular season, shut down the visiting green and gold Panthers and posted their second shutout of the season.
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Now, the royal blue and white Panthers, 8-3, will prepare to visit The Pit next week and face the purple Panthers of Elder, who had a bye this week.
Springboro and Elder played each other from 2021-25, with Elder winning all four, including a 30-6 win in Price Hill in 2024. Miller and a few other Springboro players were in that game. Springboro has been consistently good in recent years but has not won more than one playoff game since at least 2005.
“It’s awesome. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else,” Dixon said. “You know, Elder is obviously a really good team. They’re really disciplined. But the environment there is going to be crazy. I think we can pull it out.”
Middletown tops Lebanon, sets up GMC rematch against top-seeded Princeton
For the second consecutive year, Middletown began postseason play with a convincing win over Lebanon. This year, Middletown had to go on the road as the No. 9 seed in Division I, Region 4 (Region 2 in 2025), but the result was the same as the Middies opened up a 26-0 lead before Lebanon threatened with a pair of touchdowns in the final 16 minutes of regulation.
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While Middletown’s offense found its football, the stout Middies defense stopped a pair of early Lebanon scoring opportunities. Middletown permitted just 245 total yards, forced a pair of turnovers on interceptions from Kenny Higgins and Harlen Coleman, and stopped Lebanon twice on fourth down.
Offensively, Middletown got rolling behind quarterback Gavin Nolan, who ran for the game’s first touchdown, then threw for scores on three consecutive possessions to give the Middies a big cushion. Nolan found running back Memphis Driscol for a touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter to put Middletown up 13-0 at the half. On the fourth play of the third quarter, he hit Ka’leem Taylor for a 56-yard touchdown. On fourth down during Middletown’s ensuing possession, Nolan found a wide-open Will Gibson for a 10-yard score.
Gavin Nolan breaks free on a first down run for Middletown during the OHSAA Division I first-round postseason football game between Middletown and Lebanon on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026.
Nolan finished 15-for-22 through the air for 160 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, he had a game-high 78 yards and a score on 13 attempts. Driscol ran for 100 scrimmage yards on 19 touches and two touchdowns, including the game-sealing one-yard run with just over two minutes remaining.
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Middletown, a reigning regional champion, will face the GMC-champion and top-seeded Princeton Vikings in the second round. In Week 2, Princeton gave up just 114 yards in a 28-7 road win over Middletown.
“Can’t wait,” Middletown head coach Kali Jones said of the GMC rematch. “If you wanna be elite, you gotta play the elite teams. That’s what we strive to be. We wanna be elite.”
Top performers
Charles Alexander, Jr., Withrow: Alexander Jr. had touchdown receptions of 11 and 13 yards in the third quarter of Withrow’s 21-13 win at Badin.
Camar Ellis, Talawanda: In a 35-34 overtime win against La Salle, he caught five passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. That included a 68-yard score on the second play of the game.
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Brian Ferguson, Holy Cross: In a 48-7 win over Bellevue, Ferguson was 5-of-6 passing for 112 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 59 yards and two more touchdowns.
Aiden Graham, St. Xavier: The junior carried the ball 12 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns as St. Xavier beat Fairfield 42-0.
Jasiah Lampkin, Conner: He carried the ball 33 times for 281 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-29 win against Henry Clay.
Gavin Nolan, Middletown: The senior threw for 160 yards, ran for 78 and had four total touchdowns (three passing) in the Middies’ 33-15 playoff win over Lebanon.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati high school football roundup. Who won week 11’s top games?
