Cincinnati, OH - The Eastern Cincinnati Conference has been one of the more prominent conferences in Division II Ohio High School Football in the last decade. The talent pool in this conference is higher than it's ever been, but there are some notable players who stand out.
5. Paul Kelly, Senior Running Back/Defensive Back, Kings
The King's offense was one of the best in the ECC last year. Will Kocher led the Kings to the Division II Final Four in Columbus behind his 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns through the air. But with his departure, along with Michael Mussari and Jake Cameron on the outside, the Kings will have to rely more on the run this year. Kelly is an athletic two-way player who I believe can make a huge impact offensively, as well as in the secondary. In his first game this year, he accounted for 197 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. If he keeps up this pace, he is going to be a problem.
4. Zae Jennings, Senior Running Back, Winton Woods
Winton Woods has established itself as the premier running back school in the ECC over the last half-decade with Trey Cornist and Tyreke Spikes leading the conference in rushing the last two years. Zae Jennings certainly has the talent to carry on the tradition. He originally won the starting quarterback job at Colerain in 2021 where he rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons. With much more talent around him and an upgraded offensive line, I believe Jennings can have an Offensive Player of the Year campaign.
3. Quinten Wagers, Senior Defensive Lineman, Lebanon
Lebanon doesn’t have the highest expectations for this season, but Wagers has established himself as an absolute machine in the trenches. He amassed 13.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last season to comfortably lead the ECC. He had 4 games with multiple sacks and a 3 sack performance against one of the best offensive lines in Cincinnati (Lakota West). Wagers is a monster inside and will continue to dominate this season.
2. Brodey Berg, Senior Running Back/Receiver, Anderson
Quite possibly the most versatile player in the ECC, Berg has a ridiculous combination of speed and strength that makes him a threat both in the backfield and on the perimeter. He put up some ridiculous all-purpose numbers, rushing for 800 yards while putting up nearly 1,000 receiving yards. He doesn’t have trouble getting into the end zone either, amassing 39 total touchdowns. After putting up 80 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns in the Raptors’ first contest, it’s safe to say Berg could have another monster season in 2023.
1. Delan Massey-Wright, Junior Defensive Lineman, Winton Woods.
This guy is the definition of a game-wrecker. Massey-Wright is one of the most skilled defensive players in Cincinnati and the scary thing is he’s only a junior. Last year, he recorded 64 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks, one of the better defensive seasons this conference has seen in the last five years. He is certainly a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year this season and next season as well.
The Eastern Cincinnati Conference is loaded with Divison 1-worthy talent, and there are plenty of teams that can make a run to Columbus.