New Albany football program positions itself for future success

Coach Brian Finn’s name was called when it came time for the New Albany football team to accept the Division I, Region 3 runner-up trophy Nov. 18 at Historic Crew Stadium.

Finn sent senior linebacker/offensive lineman Tom Bohman to midfield to claim the hardware, and despite his and the team’s pain after a 25-17 loss to longtime rival Gahanna, Bohman took the trophy and raised it with his right arm as he walked back to his kneeling teammates.

A few minutes later, Finn emphatically told his players how much he hoped they regarded the trophy with pride rather than disdain.

“2019 was our first year in Division I and here we are just a few years later, playing for a regional title,” Finn said. “That has to be the goal. When I took the job (last winter), that’s what I told everybody in the interview. We’re not going to talk about state championships. We have to get to the regional first.

“This group of seniors has a lot to be proud of in that regard. Someday, (a regional championship) is going to happen and it’s going to be because of the 2019, 2020, 2021 and now the 2022 teams that led the way.”

All-Ohio high school football: Division I honors

Seeded third in the region, New Albany fell behind the top-seeded Lions 18-3 at halftime but hung in on two touchdown runs for senior Christian Manville and a stingy defense that gave up just two second-half first downs.

Manville scored from 18 and 59 yards on consecutive possessions to make it 25-17 halfway through the third quarter, but sandwiched between those was an 88-yard kickoff return for a score by Gahanna’s Makai Shahid.

Elijah King’s sack of Eagles senior quarterback Luka Garver halfway through the fourth quarter took New Albany out of a potential scoring chance near midfield, and Isaiah Wills-Jackson intercepted Garver on the next possession to essentially end the game.

Still, King lauded New Albany, which also lost 38-24 to the Lions on Sept. 30 in OCC-Ohio Division play.

“Their offense, their plays and their playbook, they changed everything (from the first game),” the Gahanna junior defensive lineman said. “We had to adjust. When we did, they ran the other way. I’m just glad we got them. We definitely felt like we were on the ropes.”

Playing in their first Division I regional title game and first overall since 2017, New Albany finished 10-4 overall and 3-2 in the league. The Eagles were Division II, Region 7 runners-up in 2017, 2016 and 2013 and hadn’t been to a state semifinal since 2012.

“Our first and third quarters were pretty good, but that’s what Gahanna does well. They wear you down,” Finn said. “They have a great defense and they pinned us deep a few times. It’s a lot to ask any offense to go 70, 80 and 90 yards on their defense, but I was proud we responded in the second half.

“I’ve been saying all year that they were the best team in the region and they showed it.”

Manville finished with 190 carries on 27 carries against the Lions, capping a season in which he ran 233 times for 1,904 yards and 29 touchdowns and a career in which he amassed 3,008 yards and 45 scores on 355 carries. He also made 11 catches this year for 234 yards and three touchdowns and was named first-team all-league and all-district.

Senior Dylan Rosser added 212 carries for 1,150 yards and nine scores.

On average, New Albany outscored its opponents 31.8-15.5 and rushed for 5.8 yards per carry. The Eagles totaled 3,749 rushing yards and 825 through the air, all of which came from Garver.

Garver finished with 12 touchdown throws, six of which went to junior Braylen Nash, and seven interceptions.

New Albany started 4-0, with wins over Marysville (35-0 on Aug. 19), Canal Winchester (45-13 on Aug. 26), Walnut Ridge (58-8 on Sept. 2) and Lancaster (42-7 on Sept. 9) before a 27-0 loss at eventual Region 2 finalist Olentangy Liberty on Sept. 16.

The Eagles began OCC-Ohio play seven days later with a 45-21 win over Grove City. After the first loss to Gahanna, New Albany defeated Westland (49-14 on Oct. 7) and Pickerington North (16-15 on Oct. 14) before losing 17-7 at Westerville Central on Oct. 21 to finish the regular season.

In two home playoff games, the Eagles dominated 14th-seeded Westerville North 49-18 on Oct. 28 and 10th-seeded Hilliard Davidson 38-7 on Nov. 4 before using four interceptions to edge second-seeded Upper Arlington 20-7 in a semifinal Nov. 11 at Westerville Central.

Bohman and senior linebacker Chidi Mabatah both earned first-team all-league and first-team all-district with Manville. Senior lineman Ben Dehmer was first-team all-league along with classmates James Collins (DL) and Colin Schuler (K), and Dehmer also was second-team all-district.

Seniors Elijah Griffith (DB), Sabian Harris (DB), Roman Orsinelli (LB) and Michael Roth (DL) were second-team all-league, Rosser was special mention all-league and senior Dillon Schaub (LB) earned honorable mention all-league.

Collins, Orsinelli, Rosser, Roth and Schuler were named special mention all-district, while Griffith and Schaub were honorable mention all-district.

Other players eligible to return include junior Thomas Roberts III (DB) and sophomores Ashton Allen (RB/DB/KR) and Will Olah (FB).

“I say this all the time in our program — I don’t care if we win. I don’t care if we lose. But I care how we win and how we lose,” Finn said. “I can’t be prouder.”

dpurpura@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekDave

NEW ALBANY FOOTBALL

•Record: 10-4 overall

•OCC-Ohio standings: Gahanna (5-0), New Albany (3-2), Westerville Central (3-2), Grove City (2-3), Pickerington North (2-3), Westland (0-5)

•Seniors lost: Tyler Beckman, Justin Bell, Josh Berzow, Tom Bohman, Jack Christopher, James Collins, Michael Craft, Ben Dehmer, Joseph Flauto, Luka Garver, Shenouda Gerges, Richard Gilchrist, Colin Gregory, Sabian Harris, Abram Henry, Kaden Johnson, Zach Lumpkin, Chidi Mabatah, Christian Manville, Jonny Miller, Roman Orsinelli, Caron Pennington, Nick Reeping, Michael Roth, Dylan Rosser, Jason Samuel, Dillon Schaub, Colin Schuler and Joey Skowron

•Key returnees: Ashton Allen, Braylen Nash, Will Olah and Thomas Roberts III

•Postseason: Def. Westerville North 49-18; def. Hilliard Davidson 38-7; def. Upper Arlington 20-7; lost to Gahanna 25-17 in Division I, Region 3 final

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: New Albany football program positions itself for future success