The hardest thing for a team to do is learn how to win and close out games if they haven’t been in those situations before. That was the situation that Summit Country Day found themselves in, a year ago. The inexperienced Silver Knights were sitting pretty at 5-2 and two and coming off an impressive win over North College Hill when everything went into a tailspin and in a hurry. The team lost its last three regular season contests, finished 0-3 in the MVC Scarlet and then fell at home in the first round of the playoffs putting a bittersweet end to what started off as a very promising 2025 campaign.
With eight starters back on offense and seven returning on defense head coach Mark Hafner hopes his squad can build off of last season’s experience and take things to the next level for the program but he knows there is work to be done. “We have a lot of young players who are returning and getting better with every rep.” Translated, Summit Country Day is still a work in progress with plenty to prove.
Look for an offense that averaged 185.6 yards of total offense last season to be vastly improved. The Silver Knights return skill players that accounted for 98.3% of their rushing yards, 71.6% of their receiving yards and 89.5% of their offensive touchdowns scored. Sophomore’s David Poignard and Korde Williams are electrifying talents who are rising stars. Dillon Minton and Braxton Austin add depth to the explosive core. Colt Fry should be even better at quarterback with a year as a starter under his belt.
The defense looks to restore the pride it had at the begin last season when they allowed just 10.3 points per contest over the first seven tilts. The last four games, all losses, the Silver Knights allowed 33.7 points per contest. Seniors Sam Deger and Paxton Sherman will be called upon to provide the leadership to pull SCD out of this funk. Williams, Austin and Minton make up the nucleus of an outstanding secondary.
Summit Country Day moves up to Division IV, Region 16 where playoff berths are very difficult to earn. The Silver Knights must take care of business in games that they should win early in the season. The MVC Scarlet slate will be a precursor to the postseason and show us just how great of strides that SCD has made. Don’t be surprised if those steps are huge.
Division IV, Region 16
2025 RECORD: 5-6, 0-3 MVC-Scarlet
HEAD COACH: Mark Hafner (7-13 at Summit Country Day, two years; 7-13 overall)
TOP RETURNEES
Korde Williams, So, WR/DB, 5-11/155
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division VI Third Team All-Ohio (WR)
2025 Stats: 26 rec., 378 ReYds, 3 ReTDs, 19 RuYds, 76 KR/PRYs, 76 Tkls, 2 PDs, 7 Ints, 121 IRYs & 1 IRTD
Braxton Austin, Sr, WR/DB
2025 Honors: Second Team All-MVC Scarlet
2025 Stats: 19 rec., 197 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 8 RuYds, 184 KRYs, 1 KRTD, 452 APYds, 35 Tkls, 9 PDs, 2 Ints & 63 IRYs
Career Stats: 28 rec., 315 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 57 RuYds, 780 KRYs, 1 KRTD, 1,215 APYds, 59 Tkls, 1.0 sack, 9 PDs, 2 Ints & 63 IRYs
Dillon Minton, Jr, RB/S
2025 Honors: Second Team All-MVC Scarlet
2025 Stats: 381 RuYds, 4 RuTDs, 5 rec., 32 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 52 PaYds, 1 PaTD, 11 PRYs, 58 Tkls, 4 PDs, 1 Int & 15 IRYs
Career Stats: 509 RuYds, 6 RuTDs, 9 rec., 61 ReYds, 1 ReTD, 52 PaYds, 1 PaTD, 62 KR/PRYs, 637 APYds, 67 Tkls, 4 PDs, 1 Int & 15 IRYs
Sam Deger, Sr, OL/DL
2025 Honors: Second Team All-MVC Scarlet
2025 Stats: 50 Tkls, 6.0 sacks, 7.0 TFLs, 1 FF & 1 PD
Career Stats: 79 Tkls, 7.0 sacks, 10.0 TFLs, 1 FF & 1 PD
Paxton Sherman, Sr, TE/LB
2025 Honors: Second Team All-MVC Scarlet
2025 Stats: 103 Tkls, 1.0 TFL, 1 FR, 1 Int & 30 IRYs
Career Stats: 164 Tkls, 1.0 sack, 7.0 TFLs, 2 Int & 45 IRYs
Emmett Hood, Sr, K
2025 Honors: Second Team All-MVC Scarlet
2025 Stats: 15/20 XPs, 4/8 FGs, long 40 yards, for 27 KPts
David Poignard, So, RB/LB, 5-11/183
2025 Stats: 416 RuYds, 5 RuTDs, 2 rec., 37 ReYds, 28 KRYs, 511 APYds, 35 Tkls, 2.0 sacks, 1.0 TFL, 1 Int 30 IRYs & 1 IRTD
Colt Fry, Sr, QB, 5-11/155
2025 Stats: 963 PaYds, 6 PaTDs, 153 RuYds, 3 RuTDs & 9 Tkls
Career Stats: 963 PaYds, 6 PaTDs, 153 RuYds, 3 RuTDs, 7 rec., 69 ReYds, 40 Tkls, 2.0 sacks, 3.0 TFLs, 1 FR, 1 Int & 10 IRYs
PLAYOFF HISTORY
(14 appearances, 2-14) – 2025, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2000, 1996, 1985
2026 SCHEDULE
Fri – 08/21/26 – CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY (9-2 in 2025) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 08/28/26 – at Clark Montessori (2-9) – 7:00 PM*
Th – 09/03/26 – LOCKLAND (0-10) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/11/26 – at Norwood (1-9) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/18/26 – at MVCA (4-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/25/26 – ST. BERNARD-ELMWOOD PLACE (9-2) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/02/26 – NORTH COLLEGE HILL (8-3) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/09/26 – at Roger Bacon (5-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/16/26 – PURCELL MARIAN (4-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/23/26 – at CHCA (10-2) – 7:00 PM
*at Withrow High School
