2025 Bishop Watterson Eagles

NEOne said:
Just curious as to why it always seems like Watty, Desales and Hartley are in the conversation when St. Charles is a bigger all boys school. I'm surprised that St. Charles isn't a top tier team like the rest of the Columbus Catholics. And a disclaimer I have no clue about St. Charles, just seems with the size they'd be a contender.
Click to expand...
St Charles up until very recently (e.g. this current school year) used to have difficult coursework loads, both in terms of homework and subject matter, mandatory for freshmen and sophomores. An example would be mandated Latin I and Latin II. This effectively “screened out” kids (e.g. 25-30% of an incoming class) by December of freshman year.

Before “EdChoice for all” (also a very recent development), the cost of Chucks coupled with its rigor more or less was a barrier to football growth. The three CCL co-eds have traditionally been cheaper, and bluntly aren’t as difficult academically compared to SC.

Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo all have all-girls Catholic schools, whereas Columbus does not have one to pair as a sister to St Charles. So, dollars and cents dictate the other three as more cost-effective for families that have a boy and girl within three years of another.
 
Congrats to the boys lacrosse team for winning the state title! I know there was talk on here about a program winning football, basketball & baseball all in the same year, Watterson wins football, wrestling & lacrosse. Not quite the same but still damn impressive. And girl’s soccer makes it 4 in the same school year.
 
Eagle_Panther said:
Congrats to the boys lacrosse team for winning the state title! I know there was talk on here about a program winning football, basketball & baseball all in the same year, Watterson wins football, wrestling & lacrosse. Not quite the same but still damn impressive. And girl’s soccer makes it 4 in the same school year.
Click to expand...
What an incredible year for Watterson. Congrats.
 
Jack Buckingham 181 said:
Bishop Watterson was really good last season and they return a lot of players. They may suffer a few losses but they’ll still be a tough team.
Click to expand...
I'll be surprised if its a "few" losses. 1 maybe or 2 losses if things don't go there way but would be shocked if more then that......
 
EddyEagle said:
Finally got around to talking to a friend of mine in the Lancaster area. Reynolds father Cliff did "play" for OSU out of Lancaster. Went there as a walk on and was pretty much a nobody. Did go back into the military and then back to Lancaster. So in like 2014-2016 area Cliff got upset that he wasn't the head of youth football in Lancaster and decided to leave as a board member and start his own youth football league. The league has actually done well and Cliff was constantly preaching about team, community and family. Wanting to build the Lancaster program back to some type of relevance. He helped a lot to bring Bryan Schoonover (former Groveport coach) in as head coach of the HS team while he was building the youth program with his son Jackson. Once Jackson got into JR High, Cliff left the youth program in trusted hands and moved on to join Schoonovers staff at the HS. Spent 1 year with the freshman team then moved to coaching Varsity defense after that. Heard his son Jackson was a little soft. From 5th-8th grade always had an "injury" or "illness" that kept him out of tough games and tough situations. Because Dad was a coach on the Varsity team Jackson didn't play for the freshman team his 9th grade year and played most of the year on JV team. He didn't do bad but sounds like it would have helped him to play a little more with the 9th grade team first. I guess Jackson told some of his teammates he wished he was playing with them on the freshman team. His sophomore year he started for the Varsity team and I guess really turned a corner. Was quick to the ball and actually turned into a pretty 'dang' good LB. At the end of the season Cliff and his brother-in-law we're either upset with Schoonover, upset about how the year went or were upset Cliff didn't have a bigger role within the staff. Either way about a month after the season a letter sent by someone who remained "anonymous" went out to EVERY single member of the staff and players. It went on about how Schoonover wasn't any good and Lancaster should expect more and just bashed the head coach as a whole. The letter I guess was supposed to accomplish something? Because about 1-3 months after Lancaster players find out Jackson and Cliff are leaving and transferring to Watterson. Then not long after that the brother-in-law has his kids transferred to nearby Amanda Clear Creek. I guess the brother-in-law didn't have either the means or the abily to sell their home and move like Cliff and his family did. So I guess it's pretty simple now to see who sent the letter out either Cliff, Jacksons dad or his brother-in-law Jacksons uncle. Sounds like we're getting a decent player but it also sounds like we'll have to deal with an overbearing father who thinks they know better cause they, "played for Ohio State." Like being a walk on and a nobody is something extremely special. Personally, I like our returning LBs and hope this kid and his dad don't rock the boat too much cause it sounds like thats who they are. Or maybe they should have just stayed down south. Especially since he built this program on community and then was the first ones to run out when things didn't go his way.
Click to expand...
Dad applied to A-C job several years back when it was open; word I heard on the grapevine is he also applied for Fairfield Union before they hired Andy.

Common denominator between both places was the intimation there’d be kids leaving Lancaster to go play ball there if he was hired.
 
GoGales said:
All is not well in Lancaster Football. I was made aware of this post and felt compelled to make some calls, dust off the keyboard and remember my password. My son no longer plays for Lancaster but I have friends with boys at all levels, but it seems everyone has a "friend" with inside information—sounds like yours might be Schoonover and/or that you are not a true "Eagle." I say that because I can tell you that not many, including myself, would align with this perspective. I don't have the confidence your "friend" does to say so factually but here are some words I or others would not use for Cliff or his son Jackson - "soft," "overbearing," and "nobody." My friends and I were made aware of the letter and never thought Cliff was the culprit, he's just not an "anonymous" guy and the Uncle isn't capable of writing this kind of letter. No offense to him, but that guy has worked most his life being some kind of tradesman, outside. Not sure if he's even turned on a computer - he'd probably need an old school type writer. The letter is now everywhere. I've seen it a few times and although I don't like some of the stuff in it, the overall letter does ring true on many items! Which leads me to this -

The Dad and/or the Uncle are not the problem in the eyes of the majority down here. I am sure the staff is angry and without a name in the signature line - it's easy to throw darts at the two that left. The parents and players are very fond of both the Dad and the Uncle. My friend's step-son still reaches out to Cliff, as he mentioned on the phone. I was around some of the Carpenters and Rob is a hero of mine, and we share the same opinion - Not Cliff. Here is the bottom line - While it's true that those two families left, they're not the only ones. During my call, I heard that another family is already at AC and is willing to accept the penalty of losing games rather than continue playing for the current head coach. On the same call, I was told that 3 other kids are looking at going to either FCA or FC. I've heard that several players, including starters from 2024 and those slated to start in 2025, are choosing to walk away from the game altogether. THERE ARE bigger issues at play. The grapevine ran by me too, I was told he applied to roles and not only were kids/parents excited to leave so they could play for Cliff, I heard some coaches from the staff were ready to go too. Again, everyone has a "friend" but yours filled with this rhetoric and the timing of your Yappi registration - makes it obvious what your purpose was. If you or anyone is truly wanting to find facts and truth - I am more than happy to share this said letter "off this site" or share people you can contact who could not be looked at as "subjective" if my account is questioned. Heck - reach out to a Carpenter, everyone on Yappi probably knows atleast one. I wish my Gales Luck in 2025 - looks to be a interesting year.
Click to expand...
The letter in question is pretty thick. It’s thorough (although at times granular/redundant) on the intricacies and other matters.

One thing not addressed in it, that frankly I feel people are not paying mind to: culture in the halls, culture of program with respect to the athletic department (vice versa.)

When the Gales were last good, consistently good, baseball and hoops were also on fire.

Today, only baseball is good (and they’ve been subpar by Lancaster’s standards in recent years.) Hoops has largely been in the can for 15 years and only recently have come within shooting distance of average.

Gales promote sports-specialization to a ‘T’ across the board these days. Each program with leadership that gets across the priority of their sport. AD said years ago in the paper that LHS doesn’t have the student base to be consistently competitive against a good percentage of the OCC.

I appreciate the point that, yes, sports is an arms race in the OCC and basically everywhere (to a degree) in this state — hence the preference for strength/conditioning and extra instructional time sport-by-sport instead of promoting “sharing.” That said, is there any reason to think the Gales are ‘one coach away?’ The way of doing things across the board when you don’t have O. Liberty-esque student population hasn’t done much since the end of the 2000’s.
 
Dave Andrews144 said:
Where's all the St. Andrews kid's? That was a #1 feeder to Watterson for years.
Click to expand...
There are some good St. Andrew’s kids in the program. Because of how the feeder school programs are set up I think there’s some confusion about who went where. IC, OLP & St. Andrew’s all play under IC in 7th & 8th grade so all those kids are often times just referred to as IC kids. Both Bellisari’s are St. Andrew’s kids who played for IC. A couple really good kids somehow ended up at DeSales. Love the kids Watterson had but with those 2, a top 5 team in the state regardless of division argument could be made for this year.
 
The Reynolds shared on social media recently that Jackson was diagnosed with what is essentially a sports hernia & that he’s probably had it for a couple years & not known. Could certainly explain why he’s had some injury issues in the past & certainly should allow him to shed the soft moniker (although I don’t think it’s fair to label any teenager soft, especially if you’re not his doctor or trainer.)
 
GoGales said:
The perceived suspicion still exists. A supporter of the Eagles, who after watching a once in a lifetime season (16-0) with All-State players, having All-State games, week after week - you decided to join as this season started to gear up - yesterday - After you "finally" talked to a friend of yours to find out about a transferring family - to break the news about the concerns you have for the year? I felt earlier I made a mistake by not saying to find Cliff at a scrimmage or game to talk to him as he's always been conversational to me, as it appeared you were an active guy, parent, community member - with all your "concerns." There isn't any opinion greater than your own experience. Now I feel like you might not even be at games, so I don't understand the stance on - "The kid is soft - I like our linebackers," or attacking a kids character based on a friend from Carroll? Ask your friend to talk to the 4-7 coaches on the BC varsity staff who have all coached at Lancaster, with Schoonover, and all gladly left. Like I said, there isn't a greater experience than your own. I hate what is going on in my town and in our program, but to blast a child based on the second or third person experience of a guy in a neighboring town - sounds very Lancaster of you! The "another kid" isn't leaving and losing half of his junior season because of a friendship. I woke up to a message (looks like my buddy made some calls after we hung up) that had the email the "another" kid's mom wrote to the athletic department - not much different than the anonymous one, other than she signed her name. I suppose the mom of the one of the kid's not playing wrote an email to the Superintendent too - I have not seen this so I won't make hard statements but it revolves around kids being bullied by coaches.

Coach Schoonover is liked by most. My friends and I think he's a funny and nice. I do not and will not say he is respected. That is a funny line to go back and forth from - where lies the problem. He won't turn down a conversation and asks everyone how they are doing but, kids/coaches have left, others not playing, letters to school leadership - kids intimidated by coaches - so they are not playing. Again, tell your buddy to ask the BC coaches, who were once Lancaster coaches, their opinion - they are not shy about it.

So what is in it for me? I joined years ago when my boy had dreams of D1 football - I was all in. I just found that once I got on this platform, there wasn't much to get involved with in the name of competition and Lancaster football. I got behind the "We looked good at our first and second scrimmages" but then would lose 53-0 to Pickerington North. The rest of the year wasn't a "lets get on here and have some good competitive banter. Then when I am just a spectator, we follow that up with a loss to Hamilton Twp? My yappi days were pretty much over.

Like {{Dock}} said, "culture in the halls, culture of program with respect to the athletic department (vice versa.) This town, the adults, the coaches - can tear each other apart. The Head Coaches of Football, Baseball, and Basketball probably wouldn't stop to help change a flat tire for each other on a rainy day. Isn't someone suppose to govern this? I am a Lancaster - born, raised, and dying man - but look at what we've become. I hope to see it back to where we once stood.
Click to expand...
I feel you are trying to say I'm someone I'm not. I'm not originally from the area. I love football as a whole and I've followed HS football across the state since my playing days in HS. I don't live far from Watterson in the Clintonville area so I tend to follow them a little more than most these days. I was wondering who this new LB was so I started searching the Google machine. This thread popped up and I spoke with a buddy of mine who lives in the area. I created an account for the first time in my life to say what I had heard. I'm simply stating what he told me he had heard. I do not know Cliff, his son, a single parent or coach honestly in pretty much all of Ohio. So I don't KNOW anyone on Watterson or Lancaster staff or parents. I honestly find it weird when grown men seem to "know" or talk to a player often because I don't know of many guys older than 25 that should be speaking with kids on a regular basis. Your attitude and assumptions are the exact type of banter that has kept me from joining a page like this in all my nearly 46 years on earth. You continue to post vaguely about the issues with Lancaster and why people are leaving without making a single point or statement. I was simply relaying what I had heard by making an actual statement, yet you continue to hint around at things. I feel you started attacking me and my character as to who I am and what I'm doing. So I'll remove my comments and log out as I'm clearly not welcome. But at least I had the courage to say what I had heard instead of hinting around to things like you have even though you claim to have actual insight. Have a nice day sir.
 
Drew picks up a Division 1 offer from Miami (OH) after a great camp. I believe this is his first? I would assume after this season he racks up 10-12.
 
Joshua Niemann said:
Drew picks up a Division 1 offer from Miami (OH) after a great camp. I believe this is his first? I would assume after this season he racks up 10-12.
Click to expand...
Carter actually picked up the offer from Miami on Friday. Drew may have gotten one too but that would be news to me. I am surprised Drew hasn’t picked up more offers, especially FCS schools. I think he’s still sitting on the one offer from Gardner-Webb.
 
Eagle_Panther said:
There are some good St. Andrew’s kids in the program. Because of how the feeder school programs are set up I think there’s some confusion about who went where. IC, OLP & St. Andrew’s all play under IC in 7th & 8th grade so all those kids are often times just referred to as IC kids. Both Bellisari’s are St. Andrew’s kids who played for IC. A couple really good kids somehow ended up at DeSales. Love the kids Watterson had but with those 2, a top 5 team in the state regardless of division argument could be made for this year.
Click to expand...

That's good to hear. Thanks for the info!
 
Eagle_Panther said:
Carter actually picked up the offer from Miami on Friday. Drew may have gotten one too but that would be news to me. I am surprised Drew hasn’t picked up more offers, especially FCS schools. I think he’s still sitting on the one offer from Gardner-Webb.
Click to expand...
Maybe I was wrong, I get them mixed up all the time 😂 I’ll double check tonight
 
EddyEagle said:
I feel you are trying to say I'm someone I'm not. I'm not originally from the area. I love football as a whole and I've followed HS football across the state since my playing days in HS. I don't live far from Watterson in the Clintonville area so I tend to follow them a little more than most these days. I was wondering who this new LB was so I started searching the Google machine. This thread popped up and I spoke with a buddy of mine who lives in the area. I created an account for the first time in my life to say what I had heard. I'm simply stating what he told me he had heard. I do not know Cliff, his son, a single parent or coach honestly in pretty much all of Ohio. So I don't KNOW anyone on Watterson or Lancaster staff or parents. I honestly find it weird when grown men seem to "know" or talk to a player often because I don't know of many guys older than 25 that should be speaking with kids on a regular basis. Your attitude and assumptions are the exact type of banter that has kept me from joining a page like this in all my nearly 46 years on earth. You continue to post vaguely about the issues with Lancaster and why people are leaving without making a single point or statement. I was simply relaying what I had heard by making an actual statement, yet you continue to hint around at things. I feel you started attacking me and my character as to who I am and what I'm doing. So I'll remove my comments and log out as I'm clearly not welcome. But at least I had the courage to say what I had heard instead of hinting around to things like you have even though you claim to have actual insight. Have a nice day sir.
Click to expand...
Interesting thread here. I have no knowledge about the Lancaster situation or new LB coming in but I do know one thing. Watterson's culture, through staff, kids and community, have built a strong foundation and no single kid or parent will blow that up.

I'm hopeful all this is way overblown and Watterson picked up a solid addition to an already talented group.
 
watty1991 said:
Interesting thread here. I have no knowledge about the Lancaster situation or new LB coming in but I do know one thing. Watterson's culture, through staff, kids and community, have built a strong foundation and no single kid or parent will blow that up.

I'm hopeful all this is way overblown and Watterson picked up a solid addition to an already talented group.
Click to expand...
Question? Has this boy even won a spot on the field yet, and from the “me” attitude spread all over X by him, it’s has gotten old to his future teammates. Watterson is a “Team” atmosphere, viruses like this boy bring nothing but separation between players and parents. And if you are privy enough to watch last years scrimmage against Lancaster, you would be expecting Caden Jones(alumni son) to win open LB position with Ben U back in the middle and Jack McCoy as final LB. Homegrown Watterson boys at LB!!
 
Cville1029 said:
Question? Has this boy even won a spot on the field yet, and from the “me” attitude spread all over X by him, it’s has gotten old to his future teammates. Watterson is a “Team” atmosphere, viruses like this boy bring nothing but separation between players and parents. And if you are privy enough to watch last years scrimmage against Lancaster, you would be expecting Caden Jones(alumni son) to win open LB position with Ben U back in the middle and Jack McCoy as final LB. Homegrown Watterson boys at LB!!
Click to expand...
“No way! No such thing as homegrown at these private school all star teams! All recruits” - half the public school fans out there (Picktown and Gahanna included ironically)
 
ColumbusCatholic said:
“No way! No such thing as homegrown at these private school all star teams! All recruits” - half the public school fans out there (Picktown and Gahanna included ironically)
Click to expand...
Look at their competitive balance and all home grown from the appropriate feeder schools. But, that has always been the case with Watterson, very rarely do you see anyone transfer in(academics and brotherhood started in grade school) and actually make it. Last transfer was Cam Nickelson and didn’t see any advantages having him on the team.
 
Cville1029 said:
Look at their competitive balance and all home grown from the appropriate feeder schools. But, that has always been the case with Watterson, very rarely do you see anyone transfer in(academics and brotherhood started in grade school) and actually make it. Last transfer was Cam Nickelson and didn’t see any advantages having him on the team.
Click to expand...
Completely agree…..while I am definitely not a Watty guy I have the utmost respect for them because they do it almost exclusively with boys from their system which is rare in any successful program…private or public
 
Cville1029 said:
Question? Has this boy even won a spot on the field yet, and from the “me” attitude spread all over X by him, it’s has gotten old to his future teammates. Watterson is a “Team” atmosphere, viruses like this boy bring nothing but separation between players and parents. And if you are privy enough to watch last years scrimmage against Lancaster, you would be expecting Caden Jones(alumni son) to win open LB position with Ben U back in the middle and Jack McCoy as final LB. Homegrown Watterson boys at LB!!
Click to expand...
It’s probably a pretty good bet that his dad is running his social media so let’s cut the kid some slack. Even if he is doing his own posts, it’s what kids do these days & kids who aspire to play in college are advised to do this by recruiting services. Us old timers may not like it but it’s the way it is & I doubt any of his teammates are perturbed by what gets posted on Twitter. There have now been posts calling this kid soft and a virus, if you’re an adult saying these things try to be better. He’s a kid & if you have some sort of ill will towards his dad then direct it at him.

The Watterson junior & senior class are extremely tight. They probably would prefer to go to battle with someone they’ve fought beside since 4th grade but I don’t think any of them are hating on this kid. He’s going to have to earn his spot, there’s zero doubt about that but if he does the work & the coaches name him a starter he’ll have earned it. Uhlenhake is probably locked in at mike. McCoy will probably start at RB. The two of them will probably be interchangeable at those spots. I don’t see a world where Purcell doesn’t man one of the other spots. Then I think it’s between Jones & Reynolds for the other spots. May the best man win!
 
The core question is the acclimation, not the topic of self-promotion for next level purposes.

Going from Lancaster to the Diocese is a major change in the day-to-day. Discipline across the board, earlier imprint on “acting like adults” both individually and as a group, and strong emphasis on personal conduct within the DoC schools.

If you can get those down, you’re going to be a good teammate. Basically impossible to carry yourself in that fashion only to be terrible in the locker room.
 
Cville1029 said:
Look at their competitive balance and all home grown from the appropriate feeder schools. But, that has always been the case with Watterson, very rarely do you see anyone transfer in(academics and brotherhood started in grade school) and actually make it. Last transfer was Cam Nickelson and didn’t see any advantages having him on the team.
Click to expand...
Jacob Lee (starting Off Guard) from last years team, was a transfer from Jonathon Alder who cam after his soph year just like Reynolds. Joe Hayes never went to feeder schools (i think came from Dublin) and transferred in as a freshman. They integrated just fine and were accepted because they put the effort in. If this new LB does the same, won't have any issues.
 
Eagle_Panther said:
It’s probably a pretty good bet that his dad is running his social media so let’s cut the kid some slack. Even if he is doing his own posts, it’s what kids do these days & kids who aspire to play in college are advised to do this by recruiting services. Us old timers may not like it but it’s the way it is & I doubt any of his teammates are perturbed by what gets posted on Twitter. There have now been posts calling this kid soft and a virus, if you’re an adult saying these things try to be better. He’s a kid & if you have some sort of ill will towards his dad then direct it at him.

The Watterson junior & senior class are extremely tight. They probably would prefer to go to battle with someone they’ve fought beside since 4th grade but I don’t think any of them are hating on this kid. He’s going to have to earn his spot, there’s zero doubt about that but if he does the work & the coaches name him a starter he’ll have earned it. Uhlenhake is probably locked in at mike. McCoy will probably start at RB. The two of them will probably be interchangeable at those spots. I don’t see a world where Purcell doesn’t man one of the other spots. Then I think it’s between Jones & Reynolds for the other spots. May the
Click to expand...

watty1991 said:
Jacob Lee (starting Off Guard) from last years team, was a transfer from Jonathon Alder who cam after his soph year just like Reynolds. Joe Hayes never went to feeder schools (i think came from Dublin) and transferred in as a freshman. They integrated just fine and were accepted because they put the effort in. If this new LB does the same, won't have any issues.
Click to expand...
Jacob Lee was horrible, watch state championship game, he was in the backfield more than Drew. As for Joe Hayes, he is a legacy following his sister there. Oh, and his brother is enrolled at Watterson now. Give me a better example? Ask the boys how well Lee integrated, he didn’t.
 
Eagle_Panther said:
It’s probably a pretty good bet that his dad is running his social media so let’s cut the kid some slack. Even if he is doing his own posts, it’s what kids do these days & kids who aspire to play in college are advised to do this by recruiting services. Us old timers may not like it but it’s the way it is & I doubt any of his teammates are perturbed by what gets posted on Twitter. There have now been posts calling this kid soft and a virus, if you’re an adult saying these things try to be better. He’s a kid & if you have some sort of ill will towards his dad then direct it at him.

The Watterson junior & senior class are extremely tight. They probably would prefer to go to battle with someone they’ve fought beside since 4th grade but I don’t think any of them are hating on this kid. He’s going to have to earn his spot, there’s zero doubt about that but if he does the work & the coaches name him a starter he’ll have earned it. Uhlenhake is probably locked in at mike. McCoy will probably start at RB. The two of them will probably be interchangeable at those spots. I don’t see a world where Purcell doesn’t man one of the other spots. Then I think it’s between Jones & Reynolds for the other spots. May the best man win!
Click to expand...
Will be some interesting battles for sure.

LB - Ben U isn't going anywhere as he was great in his soph year as a MLB. Will LB I would assume is the battle that would have Reynolds and Kaden Jones. The Will in this defense is much more like a ILB then outside guy. I don't have a clue where the loser of this battle would play as no other spots on def for them. I assume (I have a few sources) they would like Purcell to be SAM LB.

RB - I could see McCoy starting as he did last year but I could see significant time from Ben U and Caden Mangini. Possible they only use Ben U when truly needed so he can focus on Def. Its going to be interesting as McCoy started every game but Weber got every carry when games mattered. Perfect world for coaches might be rotate McCoy nd Mangini until crunch time then use Ben U.

SS- with Haley leaving, this spot appears open. I had thought maybe purcell would play this but seems OLB for him. One thought might be to move Hayes back there as he is great tackler. If that happens maybe new young corner (Ben Lamielle as example) might step up. If they don't move Hayes, i don't know who is next in line. Maybe loser of LB job if they can swing it?

WR/TE - lost all 4 from last year so all pen. I would guess Noah wins TE job, Carter Bellisari WR, and then 2 spots open for younger kids (again Ben Lamielle and maybe brady MaCAnich). Or they could consider rolling DB's both ways and you see Hayes, Henderson, and carter all playing WR. IDK.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top