Last season Lakota West just couldn’t get into the groove and find their rhythm. The Firebirds still found a way to win seven games while adding to their school record of making it to the playoffs and having a winning campaign for a seventh straight season. The bar has been set high and the 2026 version of the Firebirds is ready to raise those standards even higher.
Division I, Region 4
2024 RECORD: 7-5, 6-3 GMC
COACH: Tom Bolden (68-18 at Lakota West, six years; 200-39 overall, 19 years)
HONOR ROLL
Reilly Newman, Sr, DL/LB, 6-6/300
Committed to: Iowa
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division I Second Team All-Ohio
2025 Stats: 1 rec., 27 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 48 Tkls, 1.5 sacks, 7.0 TFLs, 2 FRs & 2 PDs
Kenyon Norman, Sr, RB, 6-1/190
Committed to: Northwestern
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division I Honorable Mention All-Ohio (RB)
2025 Stats: 915 RuYds, 13 RuTDs, 29 rec., 311 ReYds, 3 ReTDs., 13 KRYs & 1,239 APYds
Career Stats: 1,467 RuYds, 21 RuTDs, 37 rec., 477 ReYds, 4 ReTDs., 13 KRYs & 1,957 APYds
Jackson Smith, Sr, QB, 6-4/215
Offers from: Eastern Michigan, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami (OH), Toledo & Western Kentucky
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division I Honorable Mention All-Southwest District
2025 Stats: 1,959 PaYds, 20 PaTDs, 154 RuYds & 3 RuTDs
Career Stats: 2,284 PaYds, 21 PaTDs, 373 RuYds & 6 RuTDs
Judah Blair, Jr, LB, 6-1/205
Offers from: Boston College, BGSU, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Miami (OH), Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Oregon, Pitt, Purdue, Sacramento State, Southern Mississippi, Syracuse, Temple, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Toledo & Virginia Tech
2025 Honors: First Team All-GMC
2025 Stats: 42 RuYds, 1 rec., 33 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 66 Tkls, 3.0 sacks, 16.5 TFLs, 1 Int 29 IRYs & 1 IRTD
Xavier Ratica, Sr, TE, 6-6/250
Committed to: Louisville
2025 Honors: Second Team All-GMC
2025 Stats: 8 rec. & 114 ReYds
Eli Hodge, Sr, DL, 6-2/250
2025 Honors: Second Team All-GMC (DL)
2025 Stats: 50 Tkls, 4.0 sacks, 7.0 TFLs & 2 PDs
Karmelo Jordan, Sr, WR, 6-0/170
2025 Honors: Second Team All-GMC
2025 Stats: 65 RuYds, 17 rec., 209 ReYds & 2 ReTDs
OTHER RETURNEES
Roman Combs, Sr, DB, 6-4/205
Committed to: Purdue
2025 Stats: 6G, 21 Tkls, 6 PDs & 2 Ints
Career Stats: 62 Tkls, 2.0 TFLS, 6 PDs & 3 Ints (includes stats as sophomore year ast Cooper (KY))
Braylen McQueen, Sr, DL, 5-9/250
2025 Stats: 28 Tkls & 1.0 TFLs as jr. / 1 Tkl
Jordan Narvaez, Jr, DL, 6-6/275
Offers from: Kentucky & Temple
2025 Stats: 26 Tkls, 2.0 sacks, 3.0 TFLs & 6 PD
Andrew Fryer, Sr, LB, 6-0/215
2025 Stats: 107 Tkls, 2.5 sacks, 6.5 TFLs & 1 FF
Trystan Plagge, Sr, OL, 6-2/286
Lawson Robinson, Sr, OL/DL, 6-5/250
2025 Stats: 6 Tkls & 0.5 TFLs
Marelous Elendu, Jr, OL, 6-4/300
Offer from: Temple
NEWCOMERS
Savion Hunt, Jr, RB, 5-10/185
Transferred from: Centerville
Labron Lumpkins, Jr, WR, 5-10/160
Offer from: Miami (OH)
2025 Stats: 3G, 5 rec., 65 ReYds, 1 ReTD & 27 KRYs
Jimmie Green, Jr, RB/LB, 6-0/195
Offer from: Miami (OH)
2025 Stats: 2G, 48 RuYds, 1 rec. & 4 ReYds
Nick Huggins, Jr, ATH, 6-1/175
Offer from: Miami (OH)
Amir Allen, So, OL/DL, 6-2/275
Offer from: Miami (OH)
Ramir Allen, So, OL/DL, 6-2/265
Offer from: Miami (OH)
JT Munoz, So, QB, 6-3/185
Offer from: Miami (OH)
Malachi DeArmond, Fr, WR/DB, 5-8/160
Offer from: Miami (OH)
PLAYOFF HISTORY
(12 appearances, 17-12) – 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2014, 2013, 2009, 2006, 2004
2026 SCHEDULE
Fri – 08/21/26 – ST. XAVIER (11-3 in 2025) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 08/28/26 – LAKOTA EAST (8-4) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/04/26 – at Mason (5-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/11/26 – HAMILTON (4-7) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/18/26 – at Princeton (9-3) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/25/26 – FAIRFIELD (6-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/02/26 – at Middletown (11-3) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/09/26 – COLERAIN (1-9) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/16/26 – at Sycamore (0-10) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/23/26 – at Oak Hills (4-7) – 7:00 PM
