Tippecanoe (11-0) linebacker Collin Isaac has been named the 2025 OPSMA Division III Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season. The senior is the heart-and-soul of a unit that has allowed a stingy 4.8 points per game, held 10 of their 11 victims to seven points or less (the other to 14 points) with four shutouts. Isaac has 120 tackles, 6.5 tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups and two takeaways (one FR, one INT) for the year. The Red Devils have won 24 consecutive regular season games and gone 28-2 in Isaacs last 30 starts.
Talawanda running back Lance Cantrell made a statement right out of the gate with a 425 yard and five touchdown rushing performance in the opener against Taylor. By the time week five was done, the senior had four games of 210-plus yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns for the 5-0 Brave. Cantrell finished his fantastic season with 2,523 yards (210.3/game) and 30 touchdowns rushing to earn 2025 OPSMA Division III Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
The man responsible for the turnaround at Talawanda (10-2), is third year coach Andy Stuckert, who was named 2025 OPSMA Division III Southwest District Coach of Year. The Brave started out a red-hot 7-0. Since 2000 the program had only reached that many wins in a season only three times and never had more than that in a year. Talawanda would finish with 10 wins and one of the most memorable seasons in school history. The five years prior to this the Brave went a combined 11-37 (.229 winning %).
Here is a look at the 2025 Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Division III All-Southwest District football teams, as selected by a media panel from the district:
DIVISION III
First Team Offense
Backfield: Lance Cantrell, Oxford Talawanda, 5-10, 205, sr., RB; Drew Cripps, Kettering Archbishop Alter, 6-0, 175, jr., RB; Gage Croley, Goshen, 5-8, 175, jr., RB; Lem Grayson, Hamilton Badin, 5-8, 195, sr., RB; Xavier Melton, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 5-11, 176, sr., RB; Larkin Thomas, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 5-11, 180, jr., QB.
Receivers: John Barr, Greenville, 6-4, 200, sr.; Noah Barrios, Bellbrook, 6-0, 175, sr.; James Brink, Hamilton Badin, 6-1, 170, sr.; Marcus Hughbanks, Batavia, 6-3, 205, sr.; Will Strong, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 6-1, 186, sr.
Linemen: Cal Connors, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 6-0, 237, jr.; Hollis Hofman, Oxford Talawanda, 6-1, 295, jr.; Dane Koelker, Kettering Archbishop Alter, 6-4, 228, sr.; Jeffrey Martin, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 6-3, 267, sr.; Joe Mulvey, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas, 6-2, 275, sr.; Landon Noble, Greenville, 6-4, 275, sr.; Pete Pendergest, Hamilton Badin, 6-6, 265, sr.
Athletes: Phayden Mawyer, Wilmington, 5-10, 165, jr.; Rod Owens, Kettering Archbishop Alter, 6-1, 197, sr.
Kicker: Gabe Miyahara, Hamilton Badin, 5-10, 155, jr.
First Team Defense
Linemen: Josh Charron, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas, 5-10, 180, jr.; Max Hamilton, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas, 6-0, 198, jr.; Austin Hurst, Franklin, 6-1, 230, sr.; Ryan Kolb, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 6-0, 257, jr.; Nolan Ogburn, Kettering Archbishop Alter, 6-3, 230, sr.
Linebackers: Alex Galante, Hamilton Ross, 6-1, 195, jr.; Collin Isaac, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 6-0, 198, sr.; Braydon Isaacs, Franklin, 6-2, 225, sr.; Windon Lowe, Oxford Talawanda, 5-11, 185, so.; Alex Pate, Hamilton Badin, 6-1, 205, sr.; Sam Whitcomb, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas, 5-10, 186, jr.
Secondary: Devin Berner, New Carlisle Tecumseh, 5-10, 165, so.; Max Deckard, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 5-11, 163, sr.; Brandt Kugler, Hamilton Ross, 6-0, 185, sr.; Kemper McAfee, Oxford Talawanda, 6-1, 180, jr.; Eli Stewart, Wilmington, 5-9. 145, sr., Cam Telinda, Goshen, 6-0, 170, jr.
Punter: Ben Sakach, Hamilton Badin, 6-0, 210, sr.
Offensive player of the year: Lance Cantrell, Oxford Talawanda
Defensive player of the year: Collin Isaac, Tipp City Tippecanoe
Coach of the year: Andy Stuckert, Oxford Talawanda
Second Team Offense
Backfield: Colt Emerson, Hamilton Badin, 6-0, 185, sr., QB; Nehemiah Engleman, Cincinnati Hughes, 5-8, 180, so., RB; Lucas Kunkel, Hamilton Ross, 5-11, 215, sr., RB; Connor Monk, Franklin, 5-9, 195, sr., RB; Justin Morgan, Mount Orab Western Brown, 5-10, 155, sr., RB; Caden Slusher, Goshen, 6-3, 185, so., QB.
Receivers: Jomar Berg, Goshen, 5-6, 150, jr.; Camar Ellis, Oxford Talawanda, 5-10, 165, jr.; Steven Rickman, Wilmington, 6-0, 158, sr.; Aiden Vorhees, Oxford Talawanda, 5-11, 175, sr.; Devon Wilcox, Dayton Chaminade Julienne, 5-10, 160, jr.
Linemen: Paul Chaisson, Bellbrook, 6-3, 220, jr.; Jordan Ellis, Oxford Talawanda, 6-4, 285, jr.; Marco Keferl, Dayton Carroll, 6-0, 265, sr.; Andrew Lipp, Hamilton Badin, 6-5, 265, sr.
Athletes: Aidan Caswell, Bellbrook, 6-0, 190,sr.; Ulysses Porter, Dayton Dunbar, 5-9, 170, jr.
Kicker: Griffin Childress, Batavia, 5-9, 145, sr.
Second Team Defense
Linemen: Colton Back, Oxford Talawanda, 5-11, 200, sr.; Aarionte Crooks, Cincinnati Hughes, 6-0, 260, sr.; Garon Draughn, Dayton Carroll, 6-4, 280, sr.; Nigel Hertz, Dayton Chaminade Julienne, 6-0, 200, jr.; Brody Hogge, Tipp City Tippecanoe, 5-11, 193, sr.
Linebackers: Alex Albrinck, Hamilton Badin, 6-1, 220, sr.; Bryant Ferguson, Franklin, 5-10, 175, jr.; Kaiden Foulk, Bellefontaine, 6-2 185, sr.; Jesse Keith, Wilmington, 6-3, 220, sr; Jack Kosins, Bellbrook, 5-10, 170, jr.; Trent Owens, Hamilton Badin, 5-10, 200, sr.
Secondary: Jack Berry, Franklin, 5-10, 190, sr.; AJ Cooke, Franklin, 5-8, 150, sr.; Andrew Manz, Batavia, 5-9, 150, sr.; Dylan Pawlaczyk, Oxford Talawanda, 5-10, 175, sr.; Patrick Stolly, Bellefontaine, 6-1, 162, sr.; Elijah Valdez, Mount Orab Western Brown, 5-11, 165, sr.
Punter: Matthew Tipps, Dayton Carroll, 6-3, 225, jr.
Honorable Mention: Gabe Rammel, Greenville; Emanual Gibbs, Mount Orab Western Brown; Clayton Smith, Mount Orab Western Brown; Bryton Otto, Tipp City Tippecanoe; Jah’Bron Ridley, Cincinnati Hughes; Damion Simpson, Wilmington; Keimon Staples, Cincinnati Hughes; Zac Belmont, Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas; Carter Caudill, Bellefontaine, Iona Cioca, Wilmington; Anthony Clemens, Dayton Chaminade Julienne; Adam Pena, Mount Orab Western Brown; Matthew Tipps, Dayton Carroll; Jay’mal Whitfield, Dayton Dunbar; Jorden Williams, Goshen.
