Ohio's best: The top 23 high school football programs in 2023

From the first kickoff of the season until the seventh and final state champion is crowned, football reigns supreme in Ohio high school sports.

Within the sport, there are programs that have established themselves as powerhouses, and others that may be positioning themselves to join that elite company.

This presented an opportunity for the high school sports staffs of USA TODAY Network Ohio’s 21 newspapers and websites. Could we come up with a list of the top 23 football programs in Ohio in 2023? We already compile stories like this for athletes, including this fall with the top 23 players in football, boys soccer, girls soccer and girls volleyball, so this felt like a natural progression.

Through research, discussions via phone and email and our observations from practices, scrimmages and past games, we came up with dozens of programs that could be worthy of this list. What proved difficult during the voting was weighing the recent success of up-and-coming programs, such as Gahanna Lincoln, against longtime powers that recently slipped a bit.

For each staff member’s vote, the first-place team received 23 points, the second-place team got 22 and so on until the 23rd team received 1 point. This story focuses on the 23 programs that received the most points, but 52 programs got at least 1 point.

Here are our picks for the top 23 football programs in Ohio in 2023.

1. Lakewood St. Edward

The current big-school power in Ohio, the Eagles have won all six of their state championships since 2010. They have repeated twice (2014-15, 2021-22) and also won it all in 2018. Tom Lombardo has been the coach for the past four titles while going 91-15 (.858 winning percentage) in eight seasons. St. Edward alumni include former Ohio State players Tom Cousineau, Rodney Bailey and Alex Boone. The Eagles' current offensive line features future college rivals in twins Deonate and Devontae Armstrong, who have committed to the Buckeyes, and Ben Roebuck, who will play for Michigan.

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2. Cincinnati Moeller

Mark Elder stepped down as Moeller coach after the 2022 season, and after reaching a Division I state semifinal in each of his last two campaigns. The coaching search ended with Bert Bathiany hired from Lexington (Kentucky) Catholic. Moeller went 13-2 last season and returns the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in running back and Michigan commit Jordan Marshall. After losing to Springfield 22-21 and 28-24 in the 2021 and 2022 state semifinals, respectively, the Crusaders hope to end this season by becoming just the third Ohio program to reach 10 state championships.

3. Cleveland St. Ignatius

If this story had been written a couple years ago, the Wildcats may have been No. 1. They haven't reached the Division I state final since 2016, their last title came in 2011 and now they have a new coach for the first time in four decades, but make no mistake, St. Ignatius is a standard-bearer for Ohio high school football. Coach Chuck Kyle was the architect of it all, retiring after 40 seasons in which he went 377-108-1 and won 11 state championships. The Wildcats' new coach is Ryan Franzinger, who played for Kyle and Jim Tressel as a walk-on fullback at Ohio State.

4. Maria Stein Marion Local

They do not sit atop this list, but really, who has it better than the Flyers? If they ever were in the shadows of Midwest Athletic Conference and Mercer County rivals Coldwater and St. Henry, that is long in the past. Marion Local has won a state-record 13 championships, all since 2000, including last year’s Division VI title and Division VII in 2021. The Flyers, coached by 25-year mentor and school principal Tim Goodwin, are back to the smallest division and ride a 32-game winning streak into this season. Nineteen of their 20 regional championships have come in his tenure, as have all of their 16 finals appearances.

5. Akron Hoban

The Knights have been to the state semifinals seven of the past nine seasons and reached the championship three years in a row with a Division II title coming in 2020. Hoban has graduated Mr. Football and Buffalo commit Lamar Sperling. That said, there are four Division I commits on defense and one on offense with many more sifting through offers. Expect offensive lineman William Satterwhite (Tennessee) to push quarterback Tylan Boykin and Co. and the five-time state champions right back into title contention.

6. Cincinnati St. Xavier

The Bombers have made the playoffs every year since 2008 despite regular-season schedules that would make some teams throw in the towel early. A year ago, St. Xavier reached Week 11 despite a 4-6 regular season. Led by veteran coach Steve Specht, the Bombers will seek their 30th postseason appearance while taking on a cast of Greater Catholic League foes and non-league bouts that include West Chester Lakota West and St. Ignatius. Despite their tough schedule, the Bombers have shown they know how to beat the odds. St. Xavier’s 2016 state title, led by former Penn State and current Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford, came after a 5-5 regular season.

7. Coldwater

The Cavaliers’ golden era largely has overlapped that of Marion Local, just 10 miles down the back roads of southern Mercer County, but the two have been in different divisions most of that time. Coldwater has won all of its seven titles since 2005, with the last coming in 2020 and a state runner-up finish in Division V in 2021. Five titles have come under Chip Otten, who is 155-28 in 13 seasons at his alma mater. Notable graduates include former Buckeye and NFL linebacker Ross Homan.

8. Kirtland

The small-school king of football-rich northeast Ohio, there’s no reason to think the Hornets can’t reach a seventh consecutive state final. Kirtland is 167-7 since the start of the 2011 season, all under 18th-year coach Philip “Tiger” LaVerde, with championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Hornets, who had a nation-best 55-game winning streak from 2018-21, have been Division VI state runners-up the past two seasons. Five of their seven losses since 2011 have come in state finals against Midwest Athletic Conference schools. The other two were to Cuyahoga Heights, both in the 2016 season.

9. Newark Catholic

Newark Catholic began a run to prominence in the 1970s and continued it through the next decade under coach J.D. Graham, winning state championships in 1978, ‘82 and ‘84-‘87. NC stars during Graham’s tenure included offensive lineman Jeff Uhlenhake, who eventually starred at Ohio State and with the Miami Dolphins and Rob Kelly, who played safety for the Buckeyes and in the NFL, and led the Green Wave to Graham’s final title in 1991.

The Green Wave have not left the spotlight, winning 12 regional titles since Graham’s retirement. They, however, have raised the state championship trophy only once more in 2007 and finished most recently as runner-up two seasons ago.

10. Toledo Central Catholic

Last year’s Division II state champions, the Irish will try to win the program’s fifth title in Division III. Central Catholic has won nine regional championships, eight since 2005, and captured their earlier state titles in 2005, 2012 and 2014. All of that has been accomplished under Greg Dempsey, who took over at his alma mater in 2000. The program, the graduates of which include former Ohio State and NFL wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher and one-time Notre Dame and Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer, has made 19 consecutive playoff appearances.

11. Massillon Washington

From the legendary Paul Brown to College Football Hall of Famers Don James and Chris Spielman to 28 NFL/AFL players, the Massillon Tigers have as rich of a football history as any high school program in America. Massillon is a regular stop for Power Five coaches seeking talent for the next level, including North Carolina State commit Chase Bond. He is one of eight returning defensive starters who figure to lead the Tigers this year, along with all-state linebacker Dorian Pringle, a Bowling Green commit. Massillon is a 15-time state semifinalist, including five times since 2017 with four consecutive Division II state runner-up finishes from 2017-20. The Tigers reached a Division II state semifinal a year ago (losing to Hoban), and seek another deep playoff run this fall.

12. Ironton

Hailing from Ohio’s southernmost county, Lawrence, the Tigers uphold the football-proud tradition of the city that touts itself as the home of the first semi-professional team (the Ironton Tanks, who began play in 1893). The Tigers have 38 playoff appearances, tied for second-most in state history with Moeller behind Newark Catholic’s 39. Ironton, which went 7-4 a year ago, is seeking its first state final appearance since 2020. The Tigers won state titles in 1979 and 1989, have been runners-up eight times and own 13 regional championships. Current Ohio State linebacker Reid Carrico, a 2021 graduate of Ironton, was named both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in the Southeast District as a senior.

13. Steubenville

Hear the term “Roll Red Roll” and you know where you are. This city of 18,000 and hometown of legendary entertainer Dean Martin is situated along the Ohio River, less than 40 miles from Pittsburgh, and centers its Friday nights around a Big Red team that has made 34 playoff appearances and consistently has been a power since Reno Saccoccia took over the program in 1983. Steubenville is 413-83 in that time with five championships — most recently in 2017 — and five state runner-up finishes. Saccoccia is Ohio’s all-time winningest coach, and the field is on which he coaches is named in his honor.

14. Cincinnati Elder

Since missing the postseason by a fraction of a computer point in 2017, Elder has made the playoffs each year and has won at least one postseason contest in each of those seasons, including in 2019 when the Panthers lost to Pickerington Central 21-14 in the Division I state championship game. With coach Doug Ramsey in his 27th season at the helm, the Panthers have a leader who knows how to adjust after talented players graduate. That’s something Ramsey will again need to do as he and Elder seek state title No. 3.

15. Versailles

The third MAC school on this list, the Tigers have a proud tradition of their own with seven state championships and 13 regional titles. Versailles won Division VI in 2021, its first championship in 18 years, and snapped Kirtland’s nation-best 55-game winning streak in the process. The Tigers’ heyday came in the early 1990s, with four titles between 1990 and 1995. They were Region 24 semifinalists a year ago, but ran into Marion Local and lost 35-3.

And remember, it’s pronounced “Ver-sales,” unlike the French city that inspired the village’s name.

16. Canton McKinley

The Bulldogs boast quite a history: A rivalry with Massillon dates back to the 19th century; Pro Football Hall of Famer Marion Motley starred here in the 1930s; Their home field hosts NFL teams each year for the Hall of Fame Game. McKinley has reached the Division I playoffs eight consecutive years and 17 of the past 19 years. The Bulldogs, however, have not reached the state semifinals since 2006 and the three-time state champs long to return to that level under coach Antonio Hall. He was an all-Ohio tackle on the program's last two state champs, in 1997 and 1998 — teams also featuring College Football Hall of Famer Mike Doss. One of Ohio's former USA Today national champions, McKinley will need to rebuild its offensive and defensive lines this season as it looks to reach its goals. Junior Dante McClellan, a receiver-linebacker, enters the 2023 season as a hot commodity in the recruiting world.

More Canton McKinley football: 'The greatest accumulation of talent' | Voices of McKinley's grand champs, 25 years later

17. DeSales

The Stallions are coming off consecutive 7-5 seasons, but that followed a 2020 season that ended with a 31-28, double-overtime loss to Chardon in the Division III state championship. DeSales also reached state three previous times under current coach Ryan Wiggins, losing in semifinals in 2008 and 2016 and dropping the 2009 Division III title game 35-7 to Youngstown Mooney. Wiggins has led the program since 2007, going 134-55. His predecessor, Bob Jacoby, guided DeSales to state titles in 1997 and 1998. Alumni include former Ohio State nose guard and current Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell.

18. Cleveland Glenville

After 18 previous tries in the postseason and two other state finals, coach Ted Ginn Sr. finally put the Tarblooders over the top last season with a 26-6 Division IV state title win over Cincinnati Wyoming. While the Senate League won't be much of a problem, Glenville plays away games at IMG Academy (Florida), Hoban, Avon and Olentangy Liberty. The Tarblooders open against Dinwiddie (Virginia) in the Northeast Ohio vs. America Showcase. D'Shawntae Jones, who is the nephew of Ohio State national champion quarterback Cardale Jones, rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 13 scores last season. OSU recruits Bryce West and Damarion Witten return at tight end and cornerback, respectively.

19. Kettering Alter

The Knights have been one of the Dayton area’s most consistent programs, making the playoffs 28 times — tied for 11th best in state history — although they are coming off consecutive 6-6 seasons. Alter is seeking its first state final appearance since 2018 and first title since 2009. The Knights, whose first championship came in 2008, lost to DeSales in a 2020 Division III state semifinal. Alumni include former Wisconsin and NFL linebacker Chris Borland and former Buckeyes Jeff Graham, Nick Mangold and Jerry Rudzinski.

20. Pickerington Central

A model of consistency throughout this century, the Tigers have made the playoffs 20 times in the past 21 seasons, won Division I titles in 2017 and 2019 and have been state runners-up three times. All of that was accomplished under Jay Sharrett, who went 211-42 from 2003-22 with 17 league championships and eight regional titles. Central has produced dozens of college players, five of whom have gone on to the NFL.

Thirty-year assistant and longtime defensive coordinator Jeff Lomonico, a former Central player who played at Ohio University, took over as head coach in January. He is only the program’s third head coach since 1972.

21. Chardon

The Hilltoppers play in quintessential small-town Ohio. About 35 miles east of downtown Cleveland, Chardon — the Geauga County seat — covers about 4.5 square miles, has a population of about 5,300 and "is widely recognized as the center of Ohio’s maple syrup industry as well as the center of the state’s snowbelt," according to destinationgeauga.com.

The web page doesn't mention football, but maybe it should. The Hilltoppers won state titles in 1994, 2020 and 2021, finished as a state runner-up in 1998 and also reached state semifinals in 1988, 1993, 1995 and 2003. Coach Mitch Hewitt was an all-state linebacker on Chardon's 1998 team. He played for Urban Meyer at Bowling Green and took over the program in 2011. The Hilltoppers went 12-0 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, 16-0 in 2021 and 11-2 last season, losing the Division III, Region 9 final to eventual state champion Canfield. Their top returnees include second-team all-state offensive lineman Logan Bryant and second-team all-state defensive backs Leo Colombi and Andrew Bruce, who have committed to Miami University and Pennsylvania, respectively.

22. Cincinnati Winton Woods

The Warriors went 13-3 in 2021, defeating Hoban 21-10 for their second state championship. Winton Woods and coach Chad Murphy followed that up with a perfect regular season in 2022, finishing 12-1 with a 23-16 loss to conference rival Kings Mills Kings in a regional semifinal. Winton Woods has reached the state semifinals three times since 2017.

23. Springfield

The final school on the list defines a program on the rise. Division I state runner-up each of the past two years, the Wildcats are 55-11 the past five seasons with four consecutive Region 2 championships but have fallen to St. Edward in the past two title games. They will seek to sustain their success this season with four-star cornerback Aaron Scott, an Ohio State commit, as one of the team’s leaders.

Springfield, located between Columbus and Dayton, opened in 2008 with the merger of Springfield North and South. Those two schools were founded in 1960 upon the split of the original Springfield High School, which opened in 1911.

Other schools receiving votes

Akron Buchtel, Avon, Canfield, Canfield South Range, Cincinnati La Salle, Cincinnati Wyoming, Clarksville Clinton-Massie, Cleveland Benedictine, Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit, Delphos St. John’s, Gahanna, Hamilton Badin, Hartley, Hudson, Medina, Mogadore, New Bremen, St. Henry, Trotwood-Madison, Upper Arlington, Warren Harding, Warren JFK, Watterson, West Chester Lakota West, Wheelersburg, Youngstown Mooney, Youngstown Ursuline

USA TODAY Network Ohio includes The Columbus Dispatch, The Cincinnati Enquirer, the Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other news outlets across the state.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio high school football: The best programs in 2023