{"id":208581,"date":"2026-08-05T20:28:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=208581"},"modified":"2026-08-05T20:28:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:28:15","slug":"wbl-predictions-a-new-champ-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/08\/05\/wbl-predictions-a-new-champ-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"WBL predictions: a new champ in 2026?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent sports<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wapakoneta has won at least a share of the WBL championship every year since 2018. That doesn\u2019t count the 2020 season, when no league champion was crowned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the stretch, the Redskins are 59-4 in league play. That makes them the favorites again in 2026, right? Yes and no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wapakoneta (11-1 in 2025) suffered staggering losses to graduation, including first team All-Ohio quarterback Caleb Moyer, who is now at Bowling Green. The Redskins also lost top notch talent up front on both sides of the ball. Despite that, Wapak returns 18 letterwinners and the team isn\u2019t giving up the crown without a fight. In fact, one can easily argue that the Redskins are league champs until someone knocks them off. But with the season fast approaching, the VW independent <\/em>believes a rival team that\u2019s about 20 minutes away from Wapakoneta will dethrone the defending champions this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are this year\u2019s preseason predictions. Admittedly, after the first three spots, things get murky pretty quickly. The middle spots could be interchangeable.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Zach Crummey will once again pilot Van Wert’s potent offense this season. Bob Barnes photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

1 \u2013 St. Marys Memorial:<\/strong> It\u2019s no secret that the Roughriders (7-3, 7-2 in 2025) love to run the football out of their old school Wing-T offense. Last year\u2019s squad led all WBL teams with 293 yards per game on the ground and similar results are expected this year. It\u2019s a nightmare for opposing coaches because few teams still run that style of offense, making it extremely difficult to prepare for. Last year, Caleb Schmidt was the WBL\u2019s second leading rusher (255-1661, 26 touchdowns regular season), but he\u2019s been lost to graduation. For a team like St. Marys Memorial, that\u2019s not necessarily a problem. Coach Bo Frye\u2019s system is a plug and play system and the next man up is Dyllan Fink, who rushed for 682 yards and a pair of scores last year. Hunter Codiron, Tre Moore and others will see time in the backfield as well. Quarterback Aiden Meinerding, who ran the offense well but seldom had to pass, was lost to graduation. Logan Payton is the frontrunner to step into that spot. The majority of the offensive line is back, which is a tremendous help and it\u2019s a big part of why the Roughriders are the preseason pick to win the league title. Along with the offense, there\u2019s significant returning experience on defense, including last year\u2019s WBL leading tackler, Taylor Compton, along with several two and three year letterwinners. The Roughriders will host defending WBL champion Wapakoneta on September 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 \u2013 Wapakoneta:<\/strong> It\u2019s probably not too wise to pick against the defending champions. Wapakoneta may very well capture at least a share of this year\u2019s title but to do so, they\u2019ll have to break in plenty of new faces. All is not lost, because many of those players saw substantial game action last season. Make no mistake, this is a team that isn\u2019t going to plummet in the standings. The bar has long been set for Travis Moyer\u2019s club. The biggest shoes to fill will be those of first team All-Ohio quarteback Caleb Moyer, All-Ohio lineman Mason Ludwig, and All-Ohio wide receiver Kaleb Page. Leading rusher Jarett Mullen (588 yards, six touchdowns) was also lost to graduation. Like St. Marys Memorial, Wapakoneta\u2019s program is a plug-and-play program, which is a big compliment to both programs and the players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

3 \u2013 Van Wert: <\/strong>Three of Van Wert\u2019s losses last season were by a touchdown or less, as the Cougars finished 5-5. That team was still fairly young and now, those players are back, a year older, wiser and stronger. Head coach Keith Recker\u00a0 has 20 letterman returning, including 14 starters. With the retirement of Ottawa-Glandorf head coach Ken Schriner, Recker is now the dean of WBL coaches, entering his 15th year leading the Cougars. Other coaches may have coached longer, but at different schools. Scoring points should be no problem for Van Wert. After passing for 2,339 yards and 19 touchdowns and running for nine more scores last season, 6-6 253-pound junior Zach Crummey is back as the starting quarterback. He\u2019s being recruited by several Division I MAC schools as a tight end. His top two receivers are back as well, Micah Cowan 78-1,038, eight touchdowns) and Keaten Welch (43-595, six touchdowns). Junior running back Xavier Kelly will handle the bulk of the carries after a 1,193 yard, 16 touchdown sophomore season. Three offensive linemen were lost to graduation, along with two defensive linemen. While there\u2019s plenty of offensive firepower, the defense simply must improve. The Cougars were ranked last among WBL against the run last year, allowing 213 yards per game and seventh overall, giving up 363 yards per game. Alex Benner is expected to replace Griffin McCracken as the team\u2019s kicker. Perhaps the two biggest games of the year for the Cougars will take place back-to-back \u2013 September 25 at Wapakoneta and October 2 at home against St. Marys Memorial. In the 21st century, Van Wert has won just twice at Wapak \u2013 in 2004 and the state championship season of 2020. A Week No. 3 game at Bath could also loom large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 \u2013 Bath:<\/strong> Frank Russell\u2019s team finished the regular season 8-2 and scored a lot of points along the way, putting up 34 points or more in nine games. However, many of the players responsible have been lost to graduation, including quarterback Zach Welsch, who passed for 2,776 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and rushed for 926 yards and 18 more scores, all during the regular season. Senior Daniel Cole will take over as the signal caller. Running back Mikey Hale (1,005 yards rushing, 19 touchdowns) also graduated. Leading receiver Josiah Clark (73-924, 11 touchdowns) is back and is one of 15 returning letterwinners. The Wildcats may not be quite as explosive this year, but this will still be a solid team.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Xavier Kelly will again add some pop to Van Wert’s running game. Bob Barnes photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

5 \u2013 Celina: <\/strong>Head coach Brennan Bader has molded the Bulldogs into a tough, no-nonsense type of football team. Celina (4-6) may not be flashy but they run the ball well and play very good defense. This year\u2019s team should be no different. The Bulldogs have five starters back on each side of the ball, including quarterback Parker Wynk. The opening half of the schedule is anything but easy. The first two games are at home against defending Division VII state champion St. Henry and defending WBL champion Wapakoneta. In Week No. 3, \u201cThe Battle of Grand Lake\u201d will take place at St. Marys Memorial, the projected WBL champion, followed by a return home to face Van Wert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 \u2013 Defiance:<\/strong> The Bulldogs had some up and down moments in 2025, finishing 4-6. Eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters from that team were lost to graduation, including running back Kelten Gibbs, who was the WBL\u2019s leading rusher (186-1,717, 15 touchdowns). He was also the team\u2019s second leading receiver. Head coach Steve Rittenour is looking for more balance this season. Defiance had some success defensively last season and Rittenour is hopeful that trend will continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 \u2013 Elida:<\/strong> The Bulldogs finished 4-6 in 2025 and return 18 letterwinners. Jonan Snyder passed for over 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, and he\u2019s back as the starting quarterback. He\u2019ll work behind an offensive line that returns three starters. There will be some new faces up front defensively, but the back seven, for the most part, returns intact. The key for Elida this season will be consistently, especially on offense. Last year, the Bulldogs scored 14 points or less in four games, and 24 or more in four other games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 \u2013 Shawnee:<\/strong> The Indians are coming off a 7-3 regular season but there will be plenty of different faces, starting at the top. Head coach Shane Wireman left to take over at his alma mater, Allen East, so Shawnee hired Hall of Fame coach Bob Olwin as his replacement. Olwin has been a head coach for 40 seasons, including the last six at Edon. He\u2019s also led programs at Tiffin Calvert, Ridgedale, Arlington, Fairview, Versailles, Lake and Ada. Olwin\u2019s teams throw the ball a lot and this year will be no exception. It\u2019ll be a new look for the Indians and 14 returning letterwinners. The big question is how will take to succesfully complete the transition to a pass happy offense?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 \u2013 Kenton:<\/strong> The Wildcats finished 1-9 last season but there were some bright spots. Sophomore quarterback Xavier Gammon is among 17 returning letterwinners. In eight starts, Gammon completed 78 percent of his passes for 2,969 yards and 18 touchdowns, while adding 424 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Junior Maddux McFarlin had 71 receptions for 879 yards and six touchdowns and classmate\/speedster Gavin Sealscott is expected to put up big numbers. Head coach Zach Turner said the Wildcats need to build their offensive line and front seven on defense. Kenton doesn\u2019t have a lot of size but the Wildcats are athletic. The WBL opener is against Shawnee. The air should be filled with footballs that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 \u2013 Ottawa-Glandorf:<\/strong> For the first time since 1996, the Titans will have a new head coach. Ken Schriner announced his retirement in January, paving the way for longtime assistant coach Ben Kaufman to take the reins. Ottawa-Glandorf is coming off an 0-10 season but has 21 letterwinners returning. The list includes quarterbacks Carson Yaeger (19-49, 320, one touchdown, three interceptions) and Tanner Vogt (96-160, 1,098, eight touchdowns, two interceptions). Trevor Rump and Oscar Salsburey return as starting running backs, along with Deegan Miller, the team\u2019s leading receiver last year (42-701, four touchowns). Graduation hit the offensive and defensives lines rather hard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent sports Wapakoneta has won at least a share of the WBL championship every year since 2018. That doesn\u2019t count the 2020 season, when no league champion was crowned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the stretch, the Redskins are 59-4 in league play. That makes them the favorites again in 2026, right? Yes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-15 13:35:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208581"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208610,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208581\/revisions\/208610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}