McClain Tigers 2025 Football Preview

GREENFIELD — The time has arrived for a brand-new season of McClain Tigers football, a season which will feature players who gained valuable varsity experience a season ago, and others who are getting to play under the lights of Friday night for the first time. 

McClain is coming off a season where they finished 1-9 overall and were 0-5 in the Frontier Athletic Conference. Their lone win came in Week Four against East Clinton, as they defeated the Astros by a 42-0 score at ECHS. 

On the gridiron in ’25, McClain features 43 players, some who battled their way on the field a tough ’24 season to be prepared for this season, while new faces and names to the varsity roster and football program are ready to begin their learning process while competing at McClain Field. 

The Tigers — who are coached by Keith Penwell — have a roster that consists of 14 seniors, seven juniors, 13 sophomores and nine freshmen. 

Seniors for McClain in ’25 include Jordan Bell, Dalton Rowland, Eli Douglas, Andrew Roeder, Clayton Gipson, Austin Ruddle, Tristan Dowden, Levi Warren, Kaleb Fryer, Colton McNeal, Easton Ary, Jacob Mick, Shane Adams and Wyatt Hammond. 

“Andrew Roeder has been playing for us since he was a freshman, and Kaleb Fryer, he’s been a three-year starter for us,” Penwell said. “We’ve got Austin Ruddle and Tristan Dowden coming back, plus Jordan Bell is back, and he played running back and linebacker. 

“Dalton Rowland played linebacker for us last year, and Eli Douglas has played wide receiver and defensive back, so those are some of the guys coming back with experience.” 

Juniors for McClain are Leiland Bond, Noah Sponcil, Charlie Gipson, Julian Swan, Peyton Alexander, Ethan Fryer and Isaac Morgan. 

The sophomores this season are Gavin Anderson, Kamden Penwell, Brady Binegar, Leland Corey, Hudson Lovett, Jordan McGinnis, Landon McNeal, Hunter Peabody, Ryan Roeder, James Zamora, Hunter Skaggs, Jason Brown and Julius Nelson. 

“We also have some guys who were freshmen who were in there too like Kam Penwell and Hudson Lovett who are sophomores this season,” Penwell said. “Hudson ended up being our starting quarterback last year at the end of the season. We have young guys coming in, and they’ve really worked hard and they are doing good things right now.” 

Freshmen for the Tigers are Cameron Skaggs, AJ Louk, Holden Lyons, Chase Minzler, Camden Barrett, Holden Clendaniel, Bentley Marsh, Jax Vanzant and Tatum Lyons. 

“Our guys are pushing each other and holding each other accountable,” Penwell said. “They’ve worked really hard this summer, and I’m really pleased where we are right now.” 

One returning player from last season is Sponcil, who in ’24 as a sophomore defensive tackle totaled 38 tackles, with 10 tackles for loss and two sacks. 

Some other standout performances from the ’24 season for returning players included Andrew Roeder with an eight-tackle game vs. Northwest and a seven-tackle game vs. Adena. He also had a sack vs. Jackson. 

Against Paint Valley, Douglas had an interception, while Bell and Roeder each collected three tackles. Against NWHS, Sponcil had a 4.5-tackle game, Bell collected three and Penwell made five tackles. Sponcil vs. Adena totaled 6.5 tackles, and against Jackson he had three tackles and one sack. In a game against Williamsburg, Roeder totaled three tackles, while Lovett completed nine passes for 75 yards. Lovett against Miami Trace passed for 41 yards, and he rushed for 34 yards. 

Those were just some top performances from the ’24 season, as the Tigers gained valuable success and experience headed into the ’25 season. 

“Hudson led us in offense last year, and he started a couple games at quarterback,” Penwell said. “He’s done a really good job of leading even though he’s just a sophomore. He takes control, he makes plays and I’m really pleased with his progress so far. 

“He (Lovett) is getting the receivers and backs comfortable with him, and he’s been doing a good job throwing into some windows, and I like how he is reading the defense. Hudson is doing a good job with a lot of things, and he’s making our first-team defense work too. He’s getting a lot of reps, and Hudson is a football guy. He soaks it all in.”

Coach Penwell also talked about the rest of the offense and how they have improved over the offseason. 

“Jordan Bell is our running back, and he got some experience last year. Brady Binegar, Hunter Peabody and Eli Douglas all had experience last season too, as it was a running back by committee," Penwell said. “Who is running the ball will depend on where we are on the field and what the situation is. We have a freshman who is doing well right now, and the best thing is everyone is working together and they work hard.

“Also on the offensive line, we have (Kaleb) Fryer back, who is a three-year starter, and he looks good right now. He’s worked hard this offseason. There is also Kam Penwell, Andrew Roeder, Tristan Dowden and Noah Sponcil. We have others competing too like Leland (Corey), Ethan Fryer and Austin Ruddle. They've all done a pretty good job, and it has been a good transition for those guys. Andrew was a running back, and he wanted to be on the field and he’s a good football player, so why not have him on the field?”

There are also the receivers for the Tigers. 

“Charlie Gipson has stepped up this year, and he’s doing much better,” Penwell said. “Gavin Anderson has been really good right now and Leland Bond is the same, that he’s improved. Brady Binegar and Eli will also play receiver plus we’ll have others who will contribute. At tight end there is Easton Ary, plus Leland might play some tight end too, and others.”

Penwell also spoke about the defense and what he’s seen this offseason. 

“We’ve got some quick kids, and we’ll be trying a lot of different things,” Penwell said. “Noah Sponcil has been playing since he was a freshman, and at the nose guard spot he’s a big, strong kid. Plus there is Tristan (Dowden) and Hunter Skaggs, who has really gotten after it at defensive tackle.

“Our linebackers are Dalton Rowland, Andrew Roeder, Kam Penwell and Jordan Bell, and we have guys like Landon McNeal, who has done a good job so far, and some young guys like Bentley Marsh. We’ve got some fairly young kids on the field this year.”

At defensive back, Hunter Peabody, Charlie Gipson and Gavin Anderson are all at cornerback, plus Eli Douglas is playing free safety and Brady Binegar is at strong safety, and Leland Bond has played safety. There are also Holden Lyons and Jacob Mick, and as Coach Penwell said, the Tigers will have a lot of young guys who will see the field for the first time.

The non-conference schedule for McClain will see the Tigers face Adena (8-22 home), Northwest (8-29 away), Paint Valley (9-5 away), East Clinton (9-12 home) and Williamsburg (9-19 away). 

McClain’s FAC schedule is Washington (9-26 homecoming for MHS), Jackson (10-3 away), Miami Trace (10-10 home), Chillicothe (10-17 away) and the Rotary Bowl against Hillsboro (10-24 home). 

McClain opens the 2025 season Friday, Aug. 22 at McClain Field in Greenfield vs. the Adena Warriors at 7 p.m.