Not in your memory…has anyone celebrated London football as they are presently, and the Red Raiders return 11 players who earned all-league last year, and made it to the state semi-final round. (Press Pros Feature Photo by Brian Bayless)
Did you know Kyle Cutler’s program has won 23 straight regular-season games and played in the Division III state semifinals last year? What you need to know now is that 11 players who earned all-league honors last fall in the Central Buckeye Conference return.
By Marcus Hartman for Press Pros Magazine
London, OH – Is London High School football the best kept secret in Ohio?
There’s a good case for it.
The Red Raiders have won or shared four straight Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division titles.
They last lost a regular season game in September 2022.
Veteran columnist Marcus Hartman writes the OHSAA, Ohio State, and sports at large for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Kurtz Bros. has Central Ohio locations: Dublin, Westerville, Sunbury, I-71/Frank Road.
Last season, London outscored its opponents by an average of 45.2-8.2, including allowing just 13 points in conference play.
Perhaps most importantly, the Red Raiders advanced to the state semifinals in Division III last season for only the second time. A 56-21 loss to Columbus Bishop Watterson denied London its first trip to the state championship, but the Red Raiders still made strides after not making it that far since 1994.
Now in his 12th season at the helm, coach Kyle Cutler wants people to know about what he’s accomplished in Madison County. But he remains more focused on program building as another season’s beginning nears.
“I just want to play great physical, aggressive football,” he said. “You know, I’m not about chasing the numbers or past years or teams. And so I want the best version of this team, whatever that looks like, whatever that turns into.
“Obviously, we had a great year last year, but it’s about this year, and I just want them to play in a high competitive level and to get better each week.”
Whether outsiders know it or not, the Red Raiders play a style of football popular in most corners of the state.
They ran for nearly 5,000 yards last season while throwing for 769. The run/pass ratio works out to about 88 to 12, a figure Woody Hayes would no doubt love even if it might be a little too extreme for Jim Tressel.
Cutler had 15 players earn All-CBC recognition, and only four were seniors.
Three of the latter were offensive linemen — Brechen Kennell, Detrick Portman and Jesse Rojas — but Garrett Cremeens and Nicco Yerian are back.
Any time is the time for a greener, healthier lawn? We can help. contact Weedman USA at 614-733-3747 or go online to Weedman.com.
“Garrett Cremeens has really stepped up this year, and he’ll be a senior for us at offensive guard,” Cutler said. “Nicco Yerian is another young man that’s really stepped up, will be our left tackle and is showing progress.”
Blake Reay returns after splitting time with Chris Mason at quarterback last season. Reay completed 18 of 30 passes for 217 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s done a good job, so those are the guys that are really popping right now,” Cutler said before his team scrimmaged Bishop Ready last Thursday night.
Noah Sollars and June Turner ran for 1,177 and 719 yards, respectively, last season as seniors, but Daquanne Parks added 818 as a sophomore while Steven Gravely added 636 yards as a junior.
Don’t expect London to change what it does this fall.
“I think any team that that makes a run or wants to win the state of Ohio probably has a pretty good running game,” Cutler said.
On the other side of the ball, linebacker Braxton Brown led the Red Raiders with 85 tackles as a junior last season while Kyler Russell was next with 72 from his safety spot.
“Kyler Russell has done a great job at safety, flying around, leading the defense and making some plays,” Cutler said. “We have some other questions we still have to get answered.”
Something he did not seem to think would be an unknown was the philosophy of the program.
“Obviously, we lost a lot of key players from last year,” Cutler said. “We have some experience coming back, so right now, we’re just trying to find some of the fit and teaching some of the young guys on how to be a London Red Raider. We’re in the thick of it, trying to master the process.”
Asked to define a London Red Raider, Cutler didn’t mince words.
“Do things are the right way, compete at a high level, have a standard for self and community.
“We take pride in doing things for our community and what we represent, and we’re not afraid to work hard. So we kind of embrace that process of, if there’s something we need to address, we accept adversity, and we do it the right way.”
It’s a style of play and leadership that has allowed Cutler to amass an 87-37 record in 11 seasons at London. The Red Raiders finished below .500 in two of his first three seasons, but they have won at least six every year since.
That “at least” figure bumps to eight if you exclude the 2020 pandemic season when they only played eight games. But in the middle of August, one gets the impression Cutler was more worried about the future than the past anyway.
He also made clear he hopes his team is not overlooked between the winning traditions at Springfield to the west and the Hilliard schools to the east, among others.
“I’m about London, Ohio, and about our process,” he said. “If you see it, hopefully people respect it.”
Logan Services, in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus proudly sponsors your favorite sports on Press Pros Magazine.com.