Four times in the last five seasons Kings has won at least nine games. With only four starters returning on both sides of the ball, getting back to that number in 2026 is going to take a monumental effort. That means opportunity knocks for young hungry Knights who are eager to prove that they are ready for Friday night lights.
“We will be young and inexperienced. Our senior leadership will need to step up after losing such a strong class last year,” head coach Alex Garvin states. The good news for Garvin is that his upperclassmen have shown the youngsters the discipline and work ethic needed to maintain this program’s success during this offseason.
The schedule is difficult in August and September. The slate in October will see Kings face four teams that did not have a winning record a year ago. Not only should the Knights be well positioned to make a sixth straight playoff appearance, something that has never happened before in school history but this team should be playing at its highest confidence level of the season.
Division II, Region 8
2025 RECORD: 9-2, 8-1 ECC
COACH: Alex Garvin (61-19 at Kings, seven years; 61-19 overall)
HONOR ROLL
Andrew Lyman, Sr, WR, 6-3/190
Offers from: Air Force, Army, Columbia Dartmouth, Fordham, Lehigh, UMass & Penn
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division II Second Team All-Ohio
2025 Stats: 45 rec., 838 ReYds, 7 ReTDs & 7 KRYs
Career Stats: 11 RuYds, 56 rec., 957 ReYds, 7 ReTDs & 7 KRYs
Owen Wells, Jr, OL, 6-5/260
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division II Second Team All-Ohio
Connor Johnson, Jr, OL/DL, 6-2/250
2025 Honors: Second Team All-ECC
2025 Stats: 37 Tkls, 5.5 sacks, 8.0 TFLs & 1 FR
Career Stats: 40 Tkls, 5.5 sacks, 10.0 TFLs & 1 FR
Charlie Pearson, Sr, OL/DL, 6-1/245
2025 Honors: Second Team All-ECC
OTHER RETURNEES
Nathan Tucker, Sr, WR/DB, 5-9/175
2025 Stats: 6 RuYds, 48 rec., 578 ReYds, 2 ReTDs, 110 KR/PRYs, 6 Tkls & 1.5 TFLs
Career Stats: 92 RuYds, 1 RuTD, 62 rec., 764 ReYds, 3 ReTDs, 299 KR/PRYs, 1,155 APYds, 6 Tkls & 1.5 TFLs
Jack Pearson, Sr, TE/LB, 6-0/205
2025 Stats: 7 Tkls, 2.0 TFLs, 1 FF & 1 PD
Noah Magrino, Sr, K, 5-10/165
2025 Stats: 45/46 XPs, 6/7 FGs, Lng 42 for 63 KPts, 1 TB on 22 KOs
Career Stats: 86/88 XPs,11/15 FGs, Lng 42 for 119 KPts, 4 TB on 72 KOs
Jaylon Jones, So, DL, 6-3/210
2025 Stats: 7 Tkls, 1.0 sack, 2.0 TFLs & 2 FRs
NEWCOMERS
Jaden Hornbeck, Sr, RB/DB, 5-8/160
2025 Stats: 143 RuYds, 1 RuTD, 5 rec., 34 ReYds, 7 KRYs, 5 Tkls & 2 FRs
Tyler Noble, Sr, LB, 6-0/190
2025 Stats: 5 Tkls
Jack Sills, Jr, QB, 6-1/178
2025 Stats: 24 PaYds & 16 RuYds
Will Nurre, Jr, WR/DB, 6-0/165
2025 Stats: 2 rec. & 15 ReYds
Jackson Spaeth, Jr, WR/DB, 6-2/180
Eli Duinkerk, Jr, RB/WR/DB, 5-10/185
Van Links, So, LB, 6-2/200
Oliver Young, So, RB, 5-11/180
2025 Stats: 48 RuYds, 1 RuTD & 2 Tkls
PLAYOFF HISTORY
(20 appearances, 22-20) – 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 (Regional Champion), 2021, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999
2026 SCHEDULE
Fri – 08/21/26 – SYCAMORE (0-10 in 2025) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 08/28/26 – at Winton Woods (9-3) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/04/26 – at Loveland (4-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/11/26 – WEST CLERMONT (2-8) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/18/26 – at Anderson (14-1) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/25/26 – LEBANON (8-4) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/02/26 – LITTLE MIAMI (3-8) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/09/26 – at Milford (1-9) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/16/26 – TURPIN (5-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/23/26 – at Walnut Hills (2-8) – 7:00 PM
