With just three weeks remaining until kickoff across Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana, it’s time once again to recognize the region’s top returning high school football talent with the 2026 Preseason All-TSF Team presented by Gold Star.
After months of film study, research and conversations with coaches throughout the Tri-state, the TriStateFootball.com staff has selected its official 2026 Preseason All-TSF First Team, recognizing the area’s premier players entering the upcoming season.
Now it’s your turn.
Fans, players and coaches are invited to help complete the remainder of the 2026 Preseason All-TSF Team by casting their votes online from the 425 nominated players. Voting is now open and will remain available through Sunday, August 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET, with the complete team set to be unveiled on Monday, August 17.
We’re grateful to our presenting sponsor, Gold Star, for continuing a nearly two-decade partnership with us to celebrate the outstanding student-athletes, coaches and programs that make high school football one of the Tri-state’s greatest traditions each fall.
How Voting Works
Fans may vote once per hour, per IP address, at each position.
Final selections are determined using a weighted voting system:
- 70% TSF Staff Vote
- 30% Fan Vote
TriStateFootball.com utilizes a Borda Count voting system, ensuring every ranking submitted contributes to determining the final team.
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By the Numbers
This year’s ballot features:
- 425 total nominees
- 129 different high schools represented
- Returning All-State, All-District and First Team All-Conference performers
- Highly recruited members of the Classes of 2027 and 2028 with FBS scholarship offers or commitments
- TSF Staff “Wild Card” selections recognizing emerging talent poised for breakout seasons
Nominees by Position
- Quarterback: 35
- Running Back: 37
- Wide Receiver/Tight End: 47
- Offensive Line: 63
- Defensive Line: 63
- Linebacker: 67
- Defensive Back: 43
- Athlete: 26
- Kicker: 17
- Punter: 8
- Return Specialist: 18
Schools with the Most Nominations
- Princeton: 13
- Moeller: 12
- Trotwood-Madison: 9
- Winton Woods: 9
- Anderson: 8
- Colerain: 8
- Lakota East: 8
- Lakota West: 8
- Lloyd Memorial: 8
- St. Xavier: 8
- Withrow: 8
- CCPA: 7
- MVCA: 7
- East Central: 6
- Elder: 6
- Fairfield: 6
- North College Hill: 6
- Wyoming: 6
- Alter: 5
- Beechwood: 5
- Centerville: 5
- Deer Park: 5
- Harrison: 5
- Holy Cross: 5
- Indian Hill: 5
- La Salle: 5
- Lebanon: 5
- Milan: 5
- Springfield: 5
- Talawanda: 5
- Wayne: 5
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2026 Preseason All-TSF First Team
OFFENSE
Quarterback
- Emmett Queen (Beechwood)
Running Backs
- Kenyon Norman (Lakota West)
- Drew Cripps (Alter)
Offensive Line
- Jonny Lind (Covington Catholic)
- Patrick O’Brien (Moeller)
- Jace Montgomery (Moeller)
- Lual Aleu (Winton Woods)
Tight End
- Tayden Lorenzen (Highlands)
Wide Receivers
- Tyler Fryman (Beechwood)
- Jamier “Showtime” Brown (Wayne)
- Tysin Weaver (Anderson)
Athlete
- Devlan Daniel (Indian Hill)
Kicker
- Jack Mallabar (Moeller)
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
- Reilly Newman (Lakota West)
- Jameer Whyce (Trotwood-Madison)
- Antoine Higgins (Anderson)
- Bariyus Allen (Belmont)
Linebackers
- Judah Blair (Lakota West)
- Jahmiere Daniels-Portis (Springfield)
- Griffin Lyons (St. Xavier)
- Josiah Pouncy (North College Hill)
Defensive Backs
- Ace Alston (Anderson)
- Ben Markarian (North College Hill)
- Darius Dennis (Trotwood-Madison)
Return Specialist
- Chris Bradley (North College Hill)
Punter
- Logan Lane (Lebanon)
Help Complete the Team
The TriStateFootball.com staff has selected the First Team. Now it’s your opportunity to help determine the remainder of the 2026 Preseason All-TSF Team.
Cast your ballot today and help recognize the best high school football players across the Tri-state.
VOTE NOW
Voting closes Sunday, August 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Nominees
Complete nominee list by position follows below.
QUARTERBACKS
Brayden Behymer (Blanchester), Lucas Cannady (St. Bernard-Elmwood Place), Sean Clore (Fairfield), Aaron Dandrea (Belmont), Sa’Vion Davis (Withrow), David Dupee (Wyoming), Kaden Estep (Elder), Brian Ferguson (Holy Cross), Matthew Fields (North Decatur), Roman Garr (Colerain), Crue Gilmour (Lawrenceburg), Kye Graham (Wayne), Levi Guttman (Cincinnati Country Day), Josiah “JoJo” Jones (Winton Woods), Charlie Kantz (Taylor), Nile Knutson (Lakota East), Brady Lawhon (Harrison), Gregory Marlow (Waynesville), Devin McCormick (Stebbins), Max Miller (Springboro), Kolby Morgerson (Middletown), Emmett Queen (Beechwood), Owen Scalf (Anderson), Brody Schmidt (Dayton Christian), Will Schmittauer (Turpin), Lincoln Schreiber (Oak Hills), Caden Slusher (Goshen), Jackson Smith (Lakota West), Gage Stephan (Xenia), Larkin Thomas (Tippecanoe), Monsanna Torbert (Princeton), Christopher Wallace (Springfield), Nazir White (Stivers), Ke’Vontai Williams (Norwood) and Brady Young (New Richmond).
RUNNING BACKS
Caleb Abshire (West Clermont), Colton Bellman (East Central), Brandon Birdsong (Springboro), Corrious Booker (Fairfield), Britton “Juice” Brown (Moeller), Greylo Coach (Moeller), Alex Collins (Carlisle), Avery Conrad (Lloyd Memorial), Drew Cripps (Alter), Gage Croley (Goshen), Jacob Culter (Dayton Christian), Jordan Davis (Anderson), Ethan Dixon (Northwest), Logan Doty (Fairmont), Nehemiah Engleman (Hughes), Chase Even (Badin), Isaiah Garrett (Winton Woods), Aiden Graham (St. Xavier), Jordan Hall (Princeton), Malik Johnson (Boone County), Malachi Kennedy (Dayton), Beckett Langferman (Milan), Andrew Lynn (Walton-Verona), Ryan Minges (East Central), Kenyon Norman (Lakota West), Brady O’Banion (Edgewood), Damien Pattin (Fairmont), Josiah Puller (Wilmington), Joseph Reuss (McNicholas), Marlan Robertson (CCPA), Gray Robinson (Williamsburg), Logan Schmenk (Lebanon), Zadiin Small (Batesville), Jerome Smith (Roger Bacon), Dameko Taylor (St. Bernard-Elmwood Place), Peyton Warren (Clinton-Massie) and Dylan Wolf (New Richmond).
RECEIVERS /TIGHT ENDS
Wyatt Adams (South Dearborn), Charles Alexander Jr. (Withrow), Jaxon Austin (Xenia), Cordell Ball (Oak Hills), Colten Barger (Lloyd Memorial), Noah Bilinski (Springboro), Jamier “Showtime” Brown (Wayne), Morgan Brown (Deer Park), Joey Dahmer (Milford), Jayden Davis (Moeller), Camar Ellis (Talawanda), Chimdi Eze (Alter), Desean Flagg Jr. (Colerain), Tyler Fryman (Beechwood), Reggie Gardner (Belmont), Josiah Gault (Princeton), Jaiden Greene (Withrow), Hudson Heid (Badin), Eddie Holloway (North College Hill), Thomas Huckleby (Cincinnati Country Day), Max Hunt (Holy Cross), Aaron Jacobs Jr. (Colerain), Colt Jamison (East Clinton), Marcell Jefferson (Stebbins), Tyshawn Johnson (Withrow), Carter Jones (Lakota East), Elijah Jones (Hamilton), Cooper Kathman (Anderson), Greg Lawrence (Winton Woods), Tristen Lofton (Fairfield), Tayden Lorenzen (Highlands), John Lumpkin III (Trotwood-Madison), Andrew Lyman (Kings), Lorenzo McMullen Jr. (Princeton), Aidan Meyer (CHCA), Brylan Miltenberg (Wyoming), Aidan Newdigate (St. Xavier), Kai Pernell (Rushville), Callan Poland (Turpin), Xavier Ratica (Lakota West), Christian Roether (Harrison), Tyce Rutledge (Waynesville), Trey Smith (Colerain), Masin Stroud (Switzerland County), Josh Thornton (Walnut Hills), Tysin Weaver (Anderson) and Michael Woeste (Oakwood).
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Lual Aleu (Winton Woods), Nana Baffour (Lakota East), Richie Banderas (Norwood), Tommy Bedel (Taylor), Connor Berner (Centerville), Kavon Blackmon (Springfield), Alex Bolar (Moeller), Noah Brown (East Central), Brandon Carter (Lloyd Memorial), Nick Cassaro (Elder), Paul Chiassson (Bellbrook), Cal Connors (Tippecanoe), JJ Cook (Miamisburg), Joey Corcoran (Mason), Corbin Craig (Switzerland County), Andrew Cramerding (St. Xavier), Cameron Crigler (Fairfield), Charlie Dewitt (Loveland), Aiden Dolan (Lloyd Memorial), Tanner Edmonds (Alter), Jordan Ellis (Talawanda), Dominic Endres (Sycamore), Camron Flannery (Valley View), Logan Feuerbach (Carroll), Ezra Grisby (Clark Montessori), Teegan Haretuku (Anderson), Henry Hayes (Indian Hill), Lukas Hensley (Milan), Hollis Hofman (Talawanda), Andrew Huber (Purcell Marian), Andy Hutton (Mason), Ramad Jacobs (CCPA), Kalel Johnson (Moeller), Lael Jones (Winton Woods), Camden Kaiser (Batesville), Brody Lamb (Lebanon), Jonny Lind (Covington Catholic), Marquise Lindsey-Johnson (Colerain), Blake Longstreth (MVCA), Jake Losee (Milford), Ryan Massie-Cable (Taylor), Ben McIlvain (Fairmont), Bryton McNamee (New Miami), Beckett Meersman (Bishop Brossart), Jace Montgomery (Moeller), Chandler Moore (Trotwood-Madison), Rahmiir Murphy (La Salle), Marquis Myers (Springfield), Jeremiah Nash (Trotwood-Madison), Eli Neri (Northwest), Patrick O’Brien (Moeller), Brian Pantaleon (Dixie Heights), Charlie Parmer (North Decatur), Max Parsons (Ryle), Hunter Pauley (Roger Bacon), Bobby Rice (Madison Senior), Kris Scott (Taft), Clayton Smith (Western Brown), Tucker Snelling (Lebanon), Jack Snider (Lakota East), Owen Wells (Kings), AJ Williams (Wyoming) and Ashton Winchester (Greensburg).
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Bariyus Allen (Belmont), Levi Anderson (Centerville), Chris Barnes (Withrow), Braylon Bryant (Middletown), Cooper Benke (Highlands), Griffin Benke (Highlands), Jaden Blackshear (Butler), RJ Brumbaugh (Northmont), Caleb Buckner (West Carrollton), Cooper Burch (Walton-Verona), Josh Charron (McNicholas), Chukwu Chidebum (Centerville), Jon Civils (Princeton), Carson Clark (Cooper), Braylon Coleman (Walnut Hills), Landen Collins (Bethel-Tate), Jaiden Davis (Middletown), Luke Denison (Lawrenceburg), Max Doogan (Elder), Julian Dwyer (Moeller), Stone Eickoff (Lloyd Memorial), Josh Fasbender (St. Xavier), Garrett Frederick (Holy Cross), Max Hamilton (McNicholas), Ladd Hampton (South Decatur), Navin Heard (Purcell Marian), Nigel Hertz (Chaminade Julienne), Antwoine Higgins (Anderson), Eli Hodge (Lakota West), Zach Holland (MVCA), Charles Howard (CCPA), Sean Hurry (Newport), Jayven Hutchinson (Elder), Isaiah Johnson (New Miami), Jaylon Jones (Kings), Terrence Jones (Princeton), Logan Karwisch (Badin), Dash Koelker (Alter), Ryan Kolb (Tippecanoe), Mason Lane (South Dearborn), Grayson Levell (Switzerland County), Matthew Maher (Batesville), Ty Martin (Clinton-Massie), Jayden McKinney (Winton Woods), Jayvion McKinney-Cooper (Winton Woods), Jaylen Mercer (Princeton), Sir Michael Miller (CCPA), JJ Mutz (Milan), Carter Napier (Springboro), Jordan Narvaez (Lakota West), Reilly Newman (Lakota West), Quintin Petty Jr. (Trotwood-Madison), Elan Phelps (South Decatur), Hayden Puterbaugh (Bellbrook), Rain Qin (Mariemont), Layton Reeves (MVCA), Damir Richardson (Princeton), Zane Richardson (Milan), Kehyon Roberts (Winton Woods), Dallas Terrill (Lawrenceburg), Danny Waters (Loveland), KeVonte Whitiker (North College Hill) and Jameer Whyce (Trotwood-Madison).
LINEBACKERS
Jaden Allen (Shroder), Travion Bailey (Lakota East), David Baldock (Harrison), Judah Blair (Lakota West), Jake Botti (Alter), Anthony Branch (North College Hill), Brady Brunemann (Franklin County), Wyatt Burkett (Valley View), Tyler Carpenter (Trotwood-Madison), Mauricio Castro (Mount Healthy), Owen Clary (CHCA), Rylin Collins (Williamsburg), Dearonn Daniel (Meadowdale), Jahmiere Daniels-Portis (Springfield), Massila “Red” Diawara (Gamble Montessori), Hans Erickson (MVCA), Joshua Erkins (Withrow), Bryant Ferguson (Franklin), Pete Fortkamp (Elder), Alex Galante (Ross), Will Gooding (Taylor), Noah Henry (New Miami), Charles Howard (CCPA), Jonathan Jackson Jr. (Walnut Hills), Jayden Jackson-Ray (South Decatur), Derrick Jeffries (Princeton), Tyler Johnson-Huff (Wyoming), Amari Jones (Meadowdale), Braydon Keller (Connersville), Isaac Kerg (Greenville), Cory Kidd (Blanchester), Jack Kosins (Bellbrook), Kobe Lewis (Fairfield), Elias Lopez Torres (Dayton), Windon Lowe (Talawanda), Griffin Lyons (St. Xavier), Ben MacPherson (CHCA), Chase McCracken (East Central), Aiden Meadors (Norwood), Tanner Meadows (Little Miami), Kory Minor (Wayne), Terrence Moore (Winton Woods), Cash Myers (Covington Catholic), DJ Nalls-Oliver (Wayne), Haden Neff (La Salle), Adam Pena (Western Brown), Demareon Peterson (Lloyd Memorial), Owen Pitzer (Covington Catholic), Josiah Pouncy (North College Hill), Hezekiah Powell (Purcell Marian), Brad Roaden (Dixie Heights), Axsel Rogers (Fairfield), Nate Schulte (St. Bernard-Elmwood Place), Bo Sowder (Beechwood), DJ Steele (St. Bernard-Elmwood Place), Landon Sullenberger (Piqua), AJ Taylor (Centerville), Quinten Tischner (Bishop Brossart), Lincoln Tomlinson (Lloyd Memorial), Brody Turner (Elder), Kaden Vogelsang (Batesville), Kolby Wallace (Fairmont), Tyler Watkins (Clermont Northeastern), CJ Warner (Deer Park), Max Weimer (Miamisburg), Sam Whitcomb (McNicholas) and AJ Yutze (Walton-Verona).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Mister Achoe (Withrow), Colton Akins (Troy), Ashton “Ace” Alston (Anderson), Ziere Alston (Centerville), Caleb Arrasmith (Beechwood), Simon Barber (North Decatur), Ramik Bell (CCPA), Josh Brodnick (Miamisburg), Allen Brown Jr. (Colerain), Beckett Bush (Lakota East), Ka’Ronn Daugherty (Princeton), Roman Combs (Lakota West), Jordan Crider (Middletown), Jonah Criste (MVCA), Jack Denier (Harrison), Darius Dennis (Trotwood-Madison), Jeremiah DesJardins (MVCA), Paxton Dodsworth (Moeller), Ethan Estvanko (Conner), Parker Flanigan (Connersville), Leon Hall Jr. (Cincinnati Country Day), Dylan Hartman (Indian Hill), Hezikiah Kelley (Northwest), Evan Kincaid (Ryle), Ben Markarian (Harrison), Phayden Mawyer (Wilmington), Kemper McAfee (Talawanda), Mario Meatchem (CCPA), Marino Middleton (Moeller), Avery Parker (Princeton), Chad Perkins (St. Xavier), K’Mahri Price (La Salle), Troy Sebastian (East Central), Malachi Smith (Colerain), Brady Thobe (Oakwood), Sean Torbert (Princeton), Jaxon Vining (Clermont Northeastern), Jamison Webster (Beavercreek), Gabe Williams (Highlands), Korde Williams (Summit Country Day), Owen Zachery (Rushville), Jariah Zigo (Trotwood-Madison) and Peyton Zinser (Scott).
ATHLETES
Cade Anthrop (Campbell County), Camden Aylward (Bethel-Tate), Dom Bienke (Madeira), Jomar Berg (Goshen), Ethan Cole (St. Xavier), Devlan Daniel (Indian Hill), DeMonnie Dawson (Colerain), Z’yohn Gillespie (Withrow), Kollin Harris (Carroll), Jayden Jackson-Ray (South Decatur), Rylan Keen (Connersville), Braylon Keyes (Springfield), Hudson Kreke (Bishop Fenwick), Grant Langferman (Milan), Jaylen Lilly (Northwest), Noah Long (East Central), Truth Morgan (North College Hill), Charles Oglesby (Holy Cross), Ulysses Porter (Dunbar), Jayden Resor (Brookville), Roy Riddle (East Clinton), Naseer Salaam (La Salle), Tink Sellers (Deer Park), Makhi Taylor (Batavia), Camden Telinda (Goshen) and Braylon Thornberry (Holy Cross).
KICKERS
Owen Baileys (Tippecanoe), Matt Barth (Troy), Grayson Bedacht (La Salle), Bryce Davidson (Edgewood), Owen Davidson (St. Xavier), AJ Fitzstephens (Lakota East),Reece Hammond (Miamisburg), Jayden Heinrich (Wayne), Jace Horner (Clinton-Massie), Noah Magrino (Kings), Jack Mallabar (Moeller), Gabe Miyahara (Badin), Drew Seinen (Indian Hill), Will Shteiwi (Mariemont), Colton Waldman (New Richmond), CJ Woodside (Wyoming) and Logan Zembrodt (Covington Catholic).
PUNTERS
Orion Bentley (Mason), Chris Davis (Piqua), Cale Harris (Highlands), Logan Lane (Lebanon), Caden Lewis (Deer Park), Teddy Peterson (Wyoming), Aaden Tiernen (Reading) and Matt Tipps (Carroll).
RETURN SPECIALISTS
DJ Berning (Bishop Fenwick), Chris Bradley (North College Hill), Braylon Dennis (Deer Park), Brodie Hopkins (Valley View), Mike Keith (Trotwood-Madison), Kelvin Keyes Jr. (Beavercreek), Wyatt Lassen (Lebanon), Lucas Livezey (MVCA), Mark Madden (Anderson), Nathan Pabst (Beechwood), Marja Peterson (Lloyd Memorial), Dominick Ramsey (Meadowdale), Cooper Reynolds (Blanchester), Gianni Simpson (Princeton), Rico Smith (Fairborn), Braxton Thurman (Lakota East), Reggie Watson (Moeller) and Devon Wilcox (Chaminade Julienne).
