Cincinnati high school football: The GCL South readies for another heavyweight showdown
The final days of waiting for the return of Greater Cincinnati high school football have nearly come and gone. To prepare, the Enquirer has been previewing local programs conference-by-conference or class-by-class to set up the 2023 season.
Here, listed in alphabetical order, are the four teams in the storied Greater Catholic League South. Will Moeller and its weapon in Jordan Marshall stay atop the conference, or will St. Xavier, Elder or La Salle jump in the championship race?
More: Catch up on the Enquirer's 2023 high school fall sports coverage
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Elder
2022: 10-3, advanced to the third round of the postseason
Head coach: Doug Ramsey
Returning players: OL Jacob Schorsch; LB Maddox Arnold; DE Liam McKenna; LB Joshua Dugan
Outlook: The 10-win Panthers of last season graduated nearly all of its scorers on offense and its top tackler and sack leader on defense, but in his 27th season as head coach of Elder, Doug Ramsey has had to face some turnover before. Elder returns some experienced players, including the boys up front on the offensive and defensive lines. Elder has won at least one playoff game in each of the last five postseasons and, during that stretch, only in 2021 did they fail to advance out of the second round of the postseason.
Key games: Sept. 9 vs. Lakewood St. Edward; Sept. 22 at St. Xavier; Sept. 29 vs. Moeller
La Salle
2022: 2-9, lost in the first round of the postseason
Head coach: Pat McLaughlin
Returning players: WR/DB Koy Beasley; DB Deyor Brumfield; DB Brady O’Connor; QB Patrick McLaughlin; OL Kyle Kelhoffer
Outlook: La Salle won its first two games of last season (including a 70-7 win over a Canadian squad that didn’t count for playoff seeding), before dropping the next nine. That included a postseason berth that Winton Woods ended in the first round. A year of growing pains, La Salle is primed to improve on that two-win number. The Lancers have one of the top athletes in the state in Koy Beasley, who shines on defense. Like last season’s opening-game win, La Salle has a visit from Colerain, which could be a tone-setter for either program.
Key games: Aug. 18 vs. Colerain; Sept. 1 vs. Fairmont
Moeller
2022: 13-2, reached Division I state semifinals
Head coach: Bert Bathiany
Returning players: RB Jordan Marshall; TE Eli Jacon-Duffy; QB Matt Ponatoski; DB Drew Robinson; DB Karson Hobbs; DL Jewett Hayes
Outlook: Moeller's new coach Bert Bathiany replaces Mark Elder, who stepped down after three seasons, the last two as state semifinalists. As the Crusaders continue to search for state championship No. 10, they’ll have a good start with Michigan commit Jordan Marshall returning. Marshall easily led the GCL in all-purpose yards, accumulating 2,315 over the 2022 season.
Moeller opens its season against four Indiana teams before its GCL schedule and non-conference battles with St. Ignatius, St. Edward and Detroit King.
Key games: Aug. 18 vs. Ben Davis; Sept. 15 vs. St. Xavier; Oct. 14 at St. Edward
St. Xavier
2022: 5-7, advanced to the second round of the postseason
Head coach: Steve Specht
Returning players: QB Chase Herbstreit; DL Ted Hammond; OL Tucker Kattus; DB Jack O’Malley; RB Steven Napier; RB Gage Patrick; K Jake Cengia; LB Noah Beck; LB Gus Folke
Outlook: St. Xavier went 4-6 last year with a trio of three-point losses to Lakota West, Moeller and St. Ignatius. Those four wins were still good enough for the Bombers to not just make the playoffs but were one seed out from hosting a tournament game. St. Xavier dispatched Fairfield in round one before running into Moeller again, falling 28-7.
The Bombers will feature a number of Division I recruits on both sides plus quarterback Chase Herbstreit, who took over the offense mid-way through the season as a sophomore last year. On the defensive side, Michigan commit Ted Hammond returns after having five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last year.
Key games: Aug. 18 vs. Lakota West; Sept. 15 vs. Moeller (at Welcome Stadium); Sept. 22 vs. Elder
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2023 Cincinnati high school football: GCL South preview
