Ranking the top Ohio high school stories of 2025 in Columbus

The landscape of Ohio high school sports continued to evolve throughout 2025, including changes to the football playoffs and athletes having the chance to earn money off their name, image and likeness.

Even so, some things did not change, including central Ohio’s success on the state tournament stage.

Twenty-nine area teams captured state championships in 19 sports this calendar year, and central Ohioans accounted for 47 individual or relay titles. Some of them are poised to repeat in 2026.

Here are the top 15 moments in central Ohio high school sports from 2025, as voted by The Dispatch staff:

1. Olentangy Orange enjoys banner year

In the most successful sports year since the school opened in 2008, three Orange programs captured state championships.

The final one happened Dec. 5, when the football team completed a 15-0 season with its first state title, defeating Cincinnati St. Xavier 28-14 in the Division I final at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

For football stars Levi Davis (QB) and Treyton Schroeder (DB/WR), it was the second championship in which they took center stage, having helped the boys basketball team win its first state title, defeating Reynoldsburg 56-41 on March 22 at University of Dayton Arena.

On March 9 at Ohio State, the girls wrestling program won its second consecutive OHSAA team championship. The girls wrestlers also won their third state dual tournament championship, beating Marysville 43-30 in the Feb. 8 final.

2. Watterson’s Eagles continue to soar

The 2025 calendar year saw Watterson win at least one state championship in each season – one in the winter, one in the spring and three in the fall.

The football team captured its second consecutive Division III title, beating Toledo Central Catholic 30-0 for a perfect 14-0 campaign and 30th consecutive win.

The fall also included the first title for the boys soccer team, which defeated Aurora 3-0 in the Division III final, and the girls cross-country team rallying for its first title behind sophomore Kaitlyn Van Zandt’s fifth-place finish in the Division II race.

Watterson’s first title of 2025 was the first one for the boys wrestling team, which captured the Division II championship.

In the spring, the boys lacrosse team won its first championship, beating Wooster 9-7 in the Division II final.

3. OHSAA schools approve name, image and likeness

With the likelihood that name, image and likeness for Ohio student-athletes was coming by way of either a lawsuit or Ohio High School Athletic Association rule changes, OHSAA member schools in November approved an emergency referendum 447-121 with 247 schools abstaining.

Ohio became the 45th state to approve NIL. Student-athletes can make deals with businesses as long as they are reported to the OHSAA and cannot be for what the organization deemed “inappropriate” products, such as gambling or substances.

School logos cannot be featured in advertisements, and sponsored products cannot be displayed during team activities.

The referendum was spurred by a lawsuit filed on behalf of Huber Heights Wayne junior and Ohio State wide receiver commit Jamier Brown. That lawsuit was dropped after the referendum was approved.

State Rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, plans to introduce a bill in 2026 to prohibit high and middle school students from profiting from NIL deals.

4. Flag football expands, OHSAA to sponsor state tournament

The OHSAA on July 17 announced that it will sponsor a state tournament for girls flag football, a sport that has expanded across the country in recent years with the support of the NFL.

There will be 162 varsity teams statewide this coming season, which begins March 20 and concludes with the state tournament May 16 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Sixteen of those teams will be in central Ohio, up from just four last season.

The entire state had as few as 30 teams as recently as 2023.

Local teams will participate in the Cleveland Browns-sponsored league. Teams in southwest Ohio will play in the Cincinnati Bengals’ league.

5. From scoop and score to Steelers: Jack Sawyer’s 2025

Having carved out a permanent place in Ohio State football lore, Pickerington North graduate Jack Sawyer followed up the Buckeyes’ national championship in January with the start of his NFL career in Pittsburgh.

A defensive lineman who was the first recruit to commit to OSU after Ryan Day became coach in 2019, Sawyer’s 83-yard scoop and score after a sack of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in a College Football Playoff semifinal became an iconic play in the title run.

Off a college career that saw him make 144 tackles and 28½ for loss with 23 sacks, Sawyer was taken 123rd by the Steelers in the fourth round of the NFL draft on April 26.

Sawyer had yet to start through 14 games, but had 26 tackles, a sack and an interception.

6. All-central Ohio state final highlights basketball season

Orange’s 56-41 win over Reynoldsburg in the Division I state final, the first championship meeting between two Columbus-area teams, put the finishing touches on a basketball season that saw four boys teams make the state tournament – an all-time high thanks to OHSAA tournament expansion – and two win titles.

Westerville North was the other champion. The Warriors started 1-2, including a loss to Orange, but finished the season on a 24-game winning streak and routed Massillon Perry 78-46 in the Division II final. Twenty-four also was the number of steals North made in the final, the last victory in a six-game tournament run that saw North win by an average of 38.3 points.

Columbus Academy came up short of the Division V championship. The Vikings won their first 28 games but lost the 29th to Cleveland Heights Lutheran East 53-49, denying Academy its first title.

The Pickerington Central girls won the program’s eighth title, defeating Cincinnati Princeton 47-44 in the Division I final.

7. Central Ohio dominates lacrosse, soccer championships

The odds were in local teams’ favor for state finals played at Historic Crew Stadium in 2025.

Central Ohio lacrosse and soccer teams went 7-2 with championships on the line at the facility, including the Division I girls lacrosse final June 7 when Olentangy Liberty edged Upper Arlington 9-8 in double overtime to win its second straight title.

The OCC-Central rivals have met in three consecutive title games, and the past seven big-school finals have been contested between area teams.

DeSales’ girls repeated as Division II champions earlier in the day, and Watterson’s boys became first-time champions June 8 in Division II.

Five months later, area soccer teams enjoyed just as much success.

After Academy’s girls lost the Division V final Nov. 7, UA’s girls won their first title in Division I the next night. Local boys teams went 3-0, with Watterson winning Division III and Worthington Christian and Dublin Jerome needing overtime and penalty kicks to take the division IV and I titles, respectively.

Like UA’s girls, Jerome and Watterson were first-time champions.

8. Upper Arlington hockey skates to first championship 

The Golden Bears won their first state title and the second for central Ohio, defeating defending champion Cleveland St. Ignatius 5-2 at Nationwide Arena.

UA dominated its two state tournament games, having also defeated Mentor 7-2 in a semifinal.

Goalie Mason Herndon was the star of the tournament, including making 34 saves against St. Ignatius.

UA had lost in semifinals in its previous state appearances in 2022, 2021, 2007 and 2006. Liberty won central Ohio’s first title in 2023.

A repeat title will be tough for UA, however, with Herndon spending his senior season playing AAA hockey in the Boston area with his twin brother, Maddon, a defenseman. 

9. Olentangy, Licking Valley capture baseball state titles 

It was a history-making spring for the Olentangy and Licking Valley baseball teams, with each capturing its first state championship.

Olentangy received solid pitching, clutch hitting and strong defense in winning the Division I final 2-1 over Springboro. 

The Braves scored twice in the bottom of the first inning on two-out RBI singles by Dominic Pirrone and Luke Chilicki, giving starter Cameron Birch and closer Cooper Tracy the only runs they would need. Tracy is the son of Columbus Clippers manager Andy Tracy.

Competing in its first state tournament, Licking Valley captured the Division III title, beating Hunting Valley University School 1-0 behind Evan Roberts’ three-hitter.

10. Four-peat makes history for Thomas Worthington field hockey

Already the state’s preeminent field hockey program thanks to three consecutive championships and six since 2015, Thomas added another feather to its cap with a 3-1 win over UA in the state final Nov. 1 on its home field.

Led by all-time leading scorer Sophia Borghese – a three-time first-team all-state honoree, second-team All-American and Miami University signee – the Cardinals became the first team in state history to win four titles in a row. They previously achieved a first by three-peating twice, having also done so from 2015-17.

UA reached its first final since 1990, and this year’s game was the fourth final in five years between local teams and 12th all-time.

11. Memorable championship caps swimming and diving season

The last act of the 2024-25 swimming and diving season gave St. Charles its second state championship, one that was perhaps even more memorable than its 2008 victory given the drama.

Then-junior Austin Carpenter erased a 1.34-second deficit on the fourth and final leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay Feb. 22 at Branin Natatorium, giving his team a 0.05-second win in the event and the Division I title by a point, 311-310, over 44-time champion St. Xavier.

Carpenter, who has signed with Texas, also won the 100 free earlier in the day.

UA’s girls repeated as Division I team champions, thanks in part to individual wins from current Georgia swimmer Hayden Hollingsworth in the 50 free and 100 butterfly.

Eleven individuals or relays won across both divisions, including repeat championships for Jerome’s Milly Leonard (500 free) in Division I and Bexley diver Jackson Monus in Division II. Grandview Heights’ Carrie Furbee, now a freshman at Ohio State, took the 100 fly championship in Division II and finished with five titles in her career.

12. Central Ohio wrestlers shine at state 

Along with the Watterson boys and Orange girls team titles, several individuals stood out on the mats at Ohio State. 

For Watterson, Mitchell Younger (144 pounds) won his third title and Michael Boyle (215) won his second. Boyle, an Ohio State commit now in his junior wrestling season, also helped the football team win its back-to-back championships as a defensive lineman.

Younger is now a freshman wrestler at North Carolina. 

Hartley’s Aiden King (138) won his second title. He is now a freshman wrestler at Virginia. 

Other boys state champions were Dublin Coffman’s Loc Webber (106) and Mount Vernon’s Alex Taylor (heavyweight). 

Area girls state champions were Mount Vernon’s Ashlynn Brokaw (105), Pickerington North’s Reagan Knapp (145) and Gahanna Lincoln’s KyLee Tibbs (140). 

13. Central Ohioans run to success in track and field, cross-country 

Area athletes made their mark in track and cross-country in terms of team and individual success.

In track, the Hilliard Davidson girls team won its first state title, edging runner-up Pickerington Central 55-50. 

Celia Schulte led Davidson, winning the 800 meters in 2:04.65 – a record for OHSAA Division I, the Division I state meet and Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium – a day after she anchored the championship 3,200 relay (9:06.6). Anna Wile won the 100 hurdles (13.79) for the Wildcats. 

Also winning individual championships in Division I girls were Central’s Grace Alls in the 400 (54.1) and Kamille Smith in the shot put (49 feet, 6¾ inches), Olentangy Liberty’s Lila Bendick in the long jump (18-3½), Westerville Central’s Alyvia Mentlow in the 200 (23.93) and Orange’s Brooke Chapman in the 1,600 (4:46.58). 

In Division III, Northridge’s Isabel Evans won the 100 hurdles (13.95) and 300 hurdles (41.95). Now a freshman runner at Iowa, Evans’ time in the 300 set OHSAA Division III and Division III state-meet records.

In Division I boys, Olentangy’s CJ Sanna won the discus (194-11), Reynoldsburg’s Josiah Montgomery won the shot put (63-6¾) and Orange’s Matthew Schroff won the 1,600 (4:07.45). Sanna is an Ohio State football signee.

In Division II, Fairfield Union’s Chayse Lipscomb turned in an OHSAA Division II and state-meet record time in the 110 hurdles (13.7) and later won the 300 hurdles (36.95). 

In Division III, Africentric’s Jayden Smith won the 200 (21.53) and 400 (48.15). 

In girls cross-country, Gahanna Lincoln (Division I) and Watterson (Division II) each earned its first team title and Liberty’s Elena Aldrink capped a 6-0 season by finishing first (17:24.9) in Division I.

14. Dublin Jerome title sweep highlights golf postseason

Another fall of domination for central Ohio golf programs finished with a twist when Jerome swept the Division I boys and girls titles, area individuals won all four championships between divisions I and II and Academy’s girls earned their fourth straight title in Division II.

Led by junior medalist Brady Barnum, Jerome’s boys held off runner-up St. Charles by two shots Oct. 12 and 13 at Firestone Country Club in Akron. The girls team placed three golfers in the top 11 to defeat 2024 champion Rocky River Magnificat by 12 shots, the reverse of their finishes a year ago.

Olentangy senior and Illinois signee Meadow Tian won the big-school individual title, shooting a 66 in the final round. She placed in the top six at state all four years of her career.

Six days earlier, Buckeye Valley senior Sam Reynolds won state for the first time with a 72 in what turned out to be the only round of the Division II tournament. The boys at NCR Country Club in Kettering and the girls at Heatherwoode in Springboro were shortened to one day because of rain.

Buckeye Valley finished second as a team.

Academy junior Eva Lim repeated as Division II individual champion to clinch the Vikings’ latest title.

15. Longtime football coaches have mixed results in new jobs

After 168 wins and three state championships in 17 seasons at Hartley, Brad Burchfield took over the program at Hilliard Darby and went 3-7 in his first season.

Burchfield was succeeded at Hartley by assistant coach Matt Melle. The Hawks finished 5-5, failing to qualify for the Division III playoffs. 

Jay Sharrett, a two-time state champion at Pickerington Central, became the coach at Circleville, his alma mater, and went 8-4 with one Division IV playoff win.

Former Dublin Coffman coach Mark Crabtree took over Dublin Jerome and went 5-6 after a 3-0 start.

Crabtree succeeded Brett Glass, who enjoyed a successful start to his second stint at Jonathan Alder, his alma mater, going 10-2.

High school reporters Dave Purpura and Frank DiRenna can be reached at [email protected] and at @DispatchPreps on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio’s top high school sports moments of 2025 ranked