‘They just took it upon themselves’: Big Walnut football comes together after disappointing opener
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Junior Nolan Buirley (3) leads Big Walnut with almost 1,400 yards rushing in the Golden Eagles nine games this season. File photo
Walking off the field after the Big Walnut football team’s season-opening loss to Watterson, coach Curtis Crager noticed a group of seniors hanging around on the field to have a talk with one another.
That conversation might have been the catalyst for what followed – an eight-game winning streak that has the Golden Eagles sitting atop the Division II, Region 7 standings at 8-1 heading into the final week of the year.
The conversation demonstrated everything that Crager hoped his program would become when he took it over before the 2023 season.
“(The meeting on the field) wasn’t my direction,” Crager said. “They just took it upon themselves because that’s how much they cared. They kind of set the tone with that.”
The Eagles, who already own a share of the OCC-Capital Division championship (their second in as many years) at 5-0 heading into the finale at Westland Oct. 24, have outscored opponents an average of 38.1-6.6 during the eight-game winning streak since losing to Watterson 37-15 Aug. 22. They’ve scored at least 35 points in all but one game and have allowed fewer than 10 points in six of eight games since.
Big Walnut held a 15-0 lead late in the second quarter against Watterson before things fell apart.
“(It) was two minutes left in the half, and we dropped an interception in the end zone, and it went into their receiver’s hand,” Crager explained. “And then before you knew it, at halftime, it was 15-14. Then, we fumbled a snap on the 10-yard line, so they had a short field and scored. We had a bad snap on a punt (and they) had another short field. (Later), they had a third and 16 and completed it.
“You can’t give a championship caliber team like that those opportunities. They’re going to capitalize, which they did.”
Senior linebacker Eli Helton (22) is congratulated by his teammates for making a tackle earlier this season. File photo
So, what was said on the field?
“And it was pretty much like, ‘We know we can do it … we have the guys. We just have to regroup,’” senior linebacker Eli Helton said. “Since then, we’re a whole new team.”
Big Walnut, which won its only state championship in 2007 in Division III, was a state semifinalist last season when they went 13-2 overall before falling to Cincinnati Anderson 28-24. The season started with a 16-0 loss to Watterson. It was their best finish since 2008 when they were state semifinalists.
Crager believes that when his players are close with one another, they play for each other. It started with a three-day trip to Ashland during the summer and continues throughout the season.
On the Thursday before a game, Big Walnut holds team meetings where players stand up and talk about what’s going on in their lives. Crager has invited guest speakers and then they do a team dinner afterward.
“It’s a good bonding time and it’s a good time to reflect on what we’re here for and why we’re doing what we do,” he said.
Open communication doesn’t happen instantly. It’s a kind of bond that’s years in the making. Sunbury is a one school community where children grow up playing sports together all the way from elementary school through high school.
“We’re family almost,” senior Brody Hatfield said. “We’re not really scared to say anything to anybody. If we see something going on that we don’t like, or if we see something going on that we do like, we will tell each other. We’re not really ever keeping anything to ourselves within a team.
“We’ve all grown up together … almost like brothers. We have had this connection for a long time and we’re really comfortable being around each other.”
Senior Brody Hatfield (2) is a versatile weapon for the Golden Eagles, playing wide receiver, defensive back, and punt and kick returner. File photo
Senior offensive lineman Jake Wecker explained why it’s important for the team to come together.
“With school ramping up and looking for a college, on places to go, it gets a little tiresome (and) weighs on you a little bit,” he said. “But you overcome those, not by going through them by yourself, but by going through them with your brothers alongside of you because they’re going (through) the same thing. So, you can’t lean on each other a little bit. And those trials basically just test our endurance for each other, and it makes us stronger as a team.”
The importance of being connected on a personal level is one of the main reasons for Big Walnut’s success on the field.
As a team, Big Walnut is averaging 370.0 yards per game, giving up only 191.4.
Noah Buirley has 1,398 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns on 146 carries. Eli Stumpf is 80 of 116 passing for 1,301 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Hatfield does a little bit of everything for the Eagles. He is their leading receiver with 26 receptions for 419 yards and three touchdowns. Owen Pollack and Gavin Harrington also have three receiving touchdowns.
Hatfield is also the main punt and kick returner and leads the Eagles as a defensive back with eight pass break-ups and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
He is also a standout in basketball, earning honorable mention all-Ohio honors last winter to go with his first-team all-state honors in football last year.
Defensively, TJ Minor has 13 tackles-for-loss and six sacks, Brady Taylor has five interceptions and Landen Dian has three fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown.
“We all trust each other,” said Helton, who leads with 63 tackles, including four for-loss and two sacks. “And we all know we’re going to go out there, fly around and make plays. Sitting at 8-1, I mean, it feels awesome, but we haven’t achieved what we want to achieve.”
Junior quarterback Eli Stumpf (right) has thrown for 1,301 yards and 12 touchdowns this season for Big Walnut. File photo