High school football preview: Eastern Cincinnati Conference loaded with talent in 2025

There have been four different champions over the last four years in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.

The high-scoring Anderson Raptors reeled off 15 consecutive wins to start the year before falling in the Division II state championship game.

Though there were several key departures across the league, the ECC is once again loaded with talent and a few first-year head coaches as the 2025 high school football season approaches.

Can a new team climb to the league's summit in 2025? Here's an alphabetical breakdown of each ECC club.

Anderson

2024: 15-1, lost in Division II state final

Head coach: Evan Dreyer

Returning players: DB Ace Alston, LB Reid Baker, LB Antwoine Higgins, LB Brady Kuhn, CB, Ke'Maury Tye, LB Tanner Holt, QB Owen Scalf, WR Cooper Kathman, RB Nick Rosiello, RB Jordan Davis

Outlook: In Dreyer's high-octane offense, it's easy to forget how elite Anderson's defense was in 2024. Anderson didn't allow double-digit points until Week 7 and notched three shutouts. The Raptors return several defensive pieces, including two of the top four recruits in Ohio for the Class of 2027 in corner Ace Alston and linebacker Antwoine Higgins. Anderson also returns another pair of all-league linebackers in Reid Baker and Air Force commit Brady Kuhn. Who replaces Justice Burnam at quarterback? Junior Owen Scalf appeared in seven games last season, going 39-of-54 for 576 yards and eight touchdowns. The Raptors' backfield includes Nick Rosiello (287 scrimmage yards, three touchdowns) and Milford transfer Jordan Davis, a second-team All-ECC selection who ran for 671 yards and five scores with the Eagles in 2024.

Kings

2024: 9-3, lost second round of playoffs

Head coach: Alex Garvin

Returning players: QB Grant Nurre, RB Max Lockwood, RB Jackson Bake, K Noah Magrino, WR Jaxon Frisk, LB Ben Lockwood, LB Josh Cassio, OL Aiden Sanders, DB Trent Hogan, DB/P Jacob Rudowski, OL Sean Salyers

Outlook: After going 6-6 in 2023, Kings bounced back with a nine-win 2024 campaign that included a home playoff victory. The Knights caught fire late, winning six straight before a second-round loss to La Salle. A reason to believe in the Knights is the return of starting quarterback Grant Nurre, who has combined to throw for nearly 4,300 yards and 33 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Running back Max Lockwood is back after running for 416 yards and five touchdowns. The Knights also return three of its top receivers in Jackson Bake, Jaxon Frisk and Nathan Tucker. Defensively, the Knights are strong in the secondary behind senior corners Trent Hogan and Jacob Rudowski.

Lebanon

2024: 7-5, lost second round of playoffs

Head coach: Micah Faler

Returning players: QB Luke Faler, RB Daniel Wallace, TE Nick Lautar, RB Logan Schmenk, OL Brody Lamb, K Logan Lane, LB Hunter Davis, LB Jack Sako

Outlook: Can Lebanon build off of snapping its 22-year playoff drought last season. The Warriors doubled up Northmont, 42-21, in the first round of the postseason and will return first-team all-conference quarterback Luke Faler, who threw for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. He'll have weapons at his disposal, too, including 6-foot-5 tight end and Louisville commit Nick Lautar. In the backfield, Daniel Wallace and Logan Schmenk combined for over 1,400 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

Defensively, Lebanon's linebackers stand out with all-league selections Jack Sako and Hunter Davis leading the charge.

Little Miami

2024: 1-10, lost first round of playoffs

Head coach: Nate Mahon

Returning players: QB Camden Fox, OL Nathan Wilson, RB Walkers Brewsbaugh, LB Tanner Meadows, DL Daniel Difrancesco, LB Landyn McCray

Outlook: Nate Mahon is back as the head coach at Little Miami. Arryn Chenault stepped down after going 1-10 last fall. Mahon led Little Miami to 7-3 and 9-3 records over his final two seasons in the Southwest Ohio Conference. The Panthers graduated four all-conference players and return second-team selection Nathan Wilson on the offensive line. Little Miami returns quarterback Camden Fox but lost its four leading receivers from last season.

Loveland

2024: 3-7, missed playoffs

Head coach: Bob Mullins

Returning players: RB Chase Martin, WR Anderson Knecht, K Brady Stidham, RB/WR Jewel Vorbroker, QB Sean Clore, LB Eric Earl, LS Will Weikert, OL/DL Calvin Lorek

Outlook: Interim head coach Brian Damewood went 3-7 and Loveland turned to Bob Mullins, who won two playoff games at Monroe over five seasons. Loveland lost quarterback Tyler Roberts, but the Tigers still have Jewel Vorbroker, a second-team all-league player who had 466 scrimmage yards in 2024. The Tigers also return 6-foot-8 junior quarterback Sean Clore. Northwestern commit Calvin Lorek highlights Loveland's trenches.

Milford

2024: 4-7, lost first round of playoffs

Head coach: Tom Grippa

Returning players: LB Jake Dixon, WR Jensen Davis, DB Isaiah Carranza, WR David Kittrell, OL/DL Sione Lolo, LB Jack Duncan

Outlook: Milford enjoyed a 27-9 combined record from 2021-2023 but fell to 4-7 last season with a pair of losses by 6 points or less. Milford does return leading linebacker Jake Dixon, who had a team-high 105 tackles in 2024. Offensively, the Eagles will have to replace a majority of their production from last season, including all-league quarterback Luke Brand.

Turpin

2024: 3-7, missed playoffs

Head coach: Bryan Walker

Returning players: LB Brody Nickerson, WR Max Heis, K Addi Braun, WR Evan Overholser, OL/DL Brandon Riley, DB Brady Gillespie, DB Mac Reed, WR/LB Luke Mileham

Outlook: It's the third year of the Bryan Walker era as Turpin bids for its first winning season since 2021. The Spartans should have a quarterback battle on their hands this summer after losing Devan Nigam to graduation. The Spartans return two of their top three receivers from last season in Max Heis and Evan Overholser, a duo that combined for 84 catches, over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024. Defensively, the unit is led by Brody Nickerson, who had nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season, and Mac Reed and Brady Gillespie, who combined for five interceptions.

Walnut Hills

2024: 1-10, lost first round of playoffs

Head coach: G. Benjamin Myles

Returning players: WR/DB Braylon Dennis, QB Will Rivers, WR/LB Joshua Thornton, OL/DE Braylon Coleman, WR Ty Austin, LB Xander Hargis, OL/DL Johnathan Smith

Outlook: Walnut Hills snapped a 27-game losing streak in the 2024 season-opener with a 30-8 win over Western Hills. That would be the lone highlight of the year from a win-loss perspective, though, as the Eagles finished the year with 10 consecutive defeats. Quarterback Will Rivers enters his third season as the starting quarterback.

West Clermont

2024: 7-4, lost first round of playoffs

Head coach: Ben Moorman

Returning players: RB Landon Young, DL Matthew Chambers, OL Carl Lyttle, LB Caillou Robinson, TE/DB Landen Edwards , OL Sammy Haas

Outlook: In his first season, Ben Moorman helped lead a bounce-back season as West Clermont produced its first winning season since its inaugural year (2017) as a program. The biggest returner in West Clermont's run-heavy scheme is All-Ohio running back Landon Young, who ran for 1,357 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. Defensively, Caillou Robinson returns as an all-district selection who had eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season.

Winton Woods

2024: 10-2, lost second round of playoffs

Head coach: Chad Murphy

Returning players: RB Isaiah Garrett, QB Bryshawn Brown, OL Lual Allen, DE Jaylen Mercer, DB Nate Dawson, DB Rihyael Kelley, WR Jon'ir Travis

Outlook: In a loaded Division I, Winton Woods climbed to No. 3 in Region 4 and fell to St. Xavier in the second round. The Warriors will have DI talent across the field once again in 2025. That includes two of the top recruits in the Class of 2027 in offensive lineman Lual Allen and edge rusher Jaylen Mercer, plus Alabama commit Rihyael Kelley at safety. The offense will be led by the return of quarterback Bryshawn Brown and running back Isaiah Garrett, who ran for over 1,000 yards last season, including six 100-yard performances over the last seven weeks.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio high school football: Eastern Cincinnati Conference 2025 preview