Dozens of Local Athletes Set to Play College Football This Season

Volume 2 Issue 30

With college football season right around the corner, here is your guide to area talent that has progressed to the FBS level. The FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) is the highest classification of college football. Now, plenty have great area talent and possible pro players are playing at the FCS, D2 and D3 level. However, the FBS level is the only one with real continuity in trying to create a comprehensive list of players.

Freshman Luke Montgomery of Findlay is battling for a starting spot at Ohio State already. One of the most highly recruited lineman in the country, Montgomery may end up being one of the best area athletes to suit up for the Buckeyes in the past decade.

Terion Stewart of Sandusky is back for BGSU. After a year away from the team, Stewart is looking to help the Falcons turn the corner and become a competitive squad in the MAC. The Falcons are also going to lean on Sylvania Northview’s Trent Simms to control the secondary and Perrysburg’s Cade Zimmerly to control the offensive line.

The Rockets are the home of possibly the best defensive player in the MAC in Toledo St. John’s grad Dallas Gant. Gant was a first team all-conference selection last season and will look to lead the Rockets to another MAC title.

Far away from Ohio, Norwalk St. Paul grad Tyler Perkins will be competing to be one of the best punters in the Big XII for Iowa State. In the south, Lima Senior’s Keaton Upshaw will be playing for Georgia Southern this year after transferring from Kentucky.

Below are all the NWO players currently playing FBS college football. All players listed are from active rosters at time of publishing.

Air Force

• Aidan Swartz (DL) - Sylvania/Sylvania Northview

Bowling Green State

• Andrew Bench (TE) - Elmore/Genoa

• Bryce Boyer (TE) - Whitehouse/Anthony Wayne

• Dontrez Brown (DL) - Fremont/Fremont Ross

• Levi Gazarek (TE) - North Baltimore/North Baltimore

• Nic Kilbride (TE) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

• Tae’Shaun Johnson (WR) - Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic

• Trent Simms (S) - Toledo/Sylvania Northview

• Terion Stewart (RB) - Sandusky/Sandusky

• Ethan Warner (K) - Bowling Green/Bowling Green

• PaSean Wimberly (RB) - Toledo/Whitmer

• Cade Zimmerly (C/OG) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

Cincinnati

• Todd Bumphis (CB) - Toledo/Toledo St. Francis

• Ethan Green (OL) - Fremont/Fremont Ross

• Brady Lichtenberg (QB) - Toledo/Toledo St. John’s

• Shaun Thomas (RB) - Lima/Lima Central Catholic

• Brady Young (P) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

Eastern Michigan

• Brian Dooley (OL) - Bowling Green/Toledo St. John’s

• Mikey Haney (DL) - Maumee/Maumee

Georgia Southern

• Keaton Upshaw (TE) - Lima/Lima Senior

Iowa State

• Tyler Perkins (P) - Norwalk/Norwalk St. Paul

Kent State

• Johan Silver (K/P) - Fremont/Fremont Ross

Louisville

• Austin Collins (OL) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

Marshall

• Rece Verhoff (K) - Columbus Grove/Columbus Grove

Miami OH

• Tommy Gallagher (WR) - Toledo/Toledo St. John’s

• Blake Lichtenberg (QB) - Sylvania/Toledo St. John’s

Ohio

• Jack Borer (WR) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

• Alex Kasee (K/P) - Sylvania/Sylvania Northview

Ohio State

• Diante Griffin (CB) - Lima/Lima Senior

• Trey Leroux (OL) - Norwalk/Norwalk

• Luke Montgomery (OL) - Findlay/Findlay

Toledo

• Braden Awls (DB) - Sylvania/Toledo Central Catholic

• Adam Beale (WR) - Holland/Springfield

• Cavon Butler (DT) - Toledo/Whitmer

• Emilio Duran (K/P) - Ottawa Hills/Ottawa Hills

• Carter Fouty (OL) - Oregon/Toledo Central Catholic

• Dallas Gant (LB) - Toledo/Toledo St. John’s

• Kaden Holmes (DB) - Fremont/Fremont Ross

• Tyler Long (OL) - Toledo/Springfield

• Luke Pawlak (K) - Sylvania/Sylvania Northview

• Peyton Reasonover (CB) - Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic

• Jalen Riven (LB) - Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic

• Sam Smith (WR) - Delta/Wauseon

• Trey Szykowny (LS) - Sylvania/Sylvania Northview

• Conner Waldenzak (RB) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

• Grant Zimmerly (OL) - Perrysburg/Perrysburg

• Thomas Zsiros (WR) - Maumee/Toledo St. John’s

High Schools with multiple players

7 - Perrysburg

6 - Toledo St. John’s

5 - Sylvania Northview, Toledo Central Catholic

4 - Fremont Ross

2 - Lima Senior, Springfield, Whitmer

Breakdown by HS Conference (based on 2023-24 affiliations)

23 - Northern Lakes League

12 - Catholic High School League

2 - Northern Buckeye Conference, Sandusky Bay Conference - Lake Div.

1 - Independent, Northwest Central Conference, Northwest Conference, Northwest Ohio Athletic League, Toledo Area Athletic Conference

Games where NWO players will face each other

09/16 - Cincinnati vs. Miami OH

09/16 - Ohio vs. Iowa State

09/23 - Bowling Green State vs. Ohio

09/30 - Kent State vs. Miami OH

10/07 - Miami OH vs. Bowling Green State

10/07 - Ohio vs. Kent State

10/14 - Cincinnati vs. Iowa State

10/14 - Eastern Michigan vs. Kent State

10/21 - Miami OH vs. Toledo

10/28 - Ohio vs. Miami OH

11/08 - Kent State vs. Bowling Green State

11/08 - Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan

11/11 - Marshall vs. Georgia Southern

11/14 - Bowling Green State vs. Toledo

Leading Updates

• Dakota Mathias (Elida) signs with German team Ratiopharm Ulm.

• Andrew Chafin (Wakeman/Western Reserve) traded to Milwaukee Brewers.

• Matt Wisler (Bryan) released by Detroit Tigers.

Notable Game Updates

• On August 4th Natasha Howard (Toledo/Waite) had a triple double with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in a Dallas loss to Chicago.

• On August 4th Zia Cooke (Toledo/Rogers) had 10 points in a Los Angeles loss to Washington.

• On August 5th Seth Lonsway (Celina) earned the win for the High-A San Jose Giants.

• On August 5th Adam Wolf (Milan/Edison) had 5 strikeouts for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.

Interesting Reads

• Trade Deadline Acquisition Andrew Chafin Endears Himself to Milwaukee Brewers Fans

• Rookie Zia Cooke is Putting on a Show on the Los Angeles Sparks

• Perrysburg wrestling standout Marcus Blaze wins U17 world championship

• St. John's Jesuit grad Dooley gives up scholarship for Eastern Michigan teammate

• BGSU running back Stewart happy to be back after missing 2022 season

• Otsego football highly motivated after falling short in 2022

• New era arrives for Oak Harbor

• SBC River volleyball overloaded with league matches

Just For Fun

Last Fall Team State Championship by Conference

• BVC - 2021 - Findlay Liberty-Benton Volleyball

• BBC - 1991 - Hilltop Volleyball

• Firelands - 2009 - Norwalk St. Paul Football

• GMC - 1992 Antwerp Volleyball

• MOAC - 2002 Marion Pleasant Football

• MAC - 2022 Minster Girls Cross Country, New Bremen Volleyball, New Bremen Football, Marion Local Football

• NBC - None

• NLL - 2021 Perrysburg Girls Cross Country

• N10 - 2021 Carey Football

• NWCC - None

• NWC - 2007 Lima Central Catholic Volleyball

• NWOAL - 2018 Archbold Boys Soccer

• PCL - None

• SBC - 2020 Huron Volleyball, Tiffin Calvert Volleyball

• TAAC - 2013 Ottawa Hills Boys Golf

• TCL - 2010 Toledo St. Ursula Volleyball

• WBL - 2022 Lima Shawnee Boys Soccer