Boys soccer: State title winners Watterson, Dublin Jerome, Worthington Christian turn attention to new season

Monday, August 17, 2026
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com

Watterson's Sam Meacham battles for ball

Watterson senior captain Sam Meacham battles for the ball during the Eagles’ game at Olentangy Orange last Friday. Photo: John Hulkenberg

The celebration of a state championship can only last so long. Then, it’s time to move on. So, the Watterson boys soccer team, winners of the Division III title, found a way to put last year’s success away and focus on the new one.

“(Coach Aaron Linden) made a rule,” senior midfielder Sam Meacham said. “(We) can’t talk about last year again … at all. If we do, we run.”

Meacham admitted there’s been a lot of running in the preseason. Still, the Eagles maintain the same goal as last season. They want to win another state championship.

Watterson defeated Aurora 3-0 to capture the program’s first state championship.

“In my eyes, it’s kind of a catch-22,” said Linden, who enters his fifth season. “These are high school young men. You want them playing with a little bit of attitude and (confidence). But you don’t want them thinking that they’re king of the hill.”

The Eagles were one of three central Ohio teams to win state titles. The other two, Dublin Jerome (Division I) and Worthington Christian (Division IV), have shifted their focus from past glory into future success.

Like Watterson, Jerome captured its first title. But the Celtics did it in dramatic fashion, ending Cleveland St. Ignatius’ run of six consecutive state championships with a 3-2 win on penalty kicks.

Senior forward Sean Dempsey, who knocked through the game-winner in the seventh round of penalty kicks to give the Celtics the win, said their focus shifted to the new season early in the year

Dublin Jerome senior Sean Dempsey reacts after converting a penalty kick to seal the Celtics’ OHSAA state championship last year. Photo: Kevin Rouch

“I would say at the start of this (calendar) year, our mindset has always been on this year,” Dempsey said. “We have a way younger team this year. We lost a bunch of seniors. We realize things are going to be different now.”

The Celtics, who ended up 15-3-5, graduated eight players off last year’s team and two other key players joined the MLS Next program. Among those lost were five of their top six scoring leaders in Crew Maust (7 goals, 8 assists), Nick Myers (6 goals, 3 assists) Brady Delmore (5 goals, 3 assists) and Jack Jones (3 goals, 3 assists). Seniors Patty Breedlove (7 goals, 2 assists) and Jacob Dahi, a top defender, moved on to MLS Next.

The Celtics already own a pair of victories in Lexington, Kentucky to start off the new season, defeating Paul Laurence Dunbar 4-2 on Aug. 14 and Henry Clay 8-3 on Aug. 15. They open their home schedule against Hilliard Davidson on Aug. 20.

Senior forward Pedro Maamud, Jerome’s top returning scorer with seven goals and three assists last year, scored twice in the opener and junior forward Chase Fritter, who scored four goals against Henry Clay, has five goals and three assists through two games. Dempsey has two goals and an assist so far.

Other key players back for Jerome are senior midfielder Liam Neidenthal and classmate Finn Peterson, a defender.

Worthington Christian, runners-up in the previous two state final games, finally got state gold, defeating Bay Village Bay 2-1 in overtime in last year’s final. The Eagles, who won their fourth championship overall, are used to getting an opponent’s best shot.

Dublin Jerome senior Pedro Maamud, the Celtics’ top returning scorer, kicks one into the net during the state title game last season. Photo: Kevin Rouch

Dan Roads, who is entering his 20th season as the Warriors’ coach, is mindful of the task at hand.

“Once you get in those big games, everyone compares themselves to you,” he said. “Everyone wants to beat you and everyone that follows wants to know how to do it.

“Every single game and every single practice, there’s a mantle is now set upon you that’s both fun to talk about on one side, but a pretty heavy one as well.”

The Warriors graduated 12 players off a team that finished 19-3-2 last year.

Senior midfielder Colton Hockinson, senior forward Blake Miller and junior forward Nolan Schoonover were all starters last year.

“They don’t really bend to pressure,” Roads said. “They’ve seen everything and done everything. Now it’s just their turn to once again push us into the spaces and the games that we want.”

Junior goalkeeper Noah Brown joins the Warriors, who defeated Northland 9-1 on Aug. 15 to open the season. Brown played with the Columbus Crew Academy in MLS Next last year.

Next up, Worthington Christian hosts Westerville North on Aug. 18.

Senior defenders Luca Ciccone and Grayson Davis and junior forward Logan Bills are Watterson’s top returning players. Another returner, junior midfielder Andrew Fultz (foot), will miss the early part of the season.

Watterson, which opened its season with a 5-3 loss at Olentangy Orange on Aug. 14, begins its home schedule against Pickerington North on Aug. 18.

“We know we’re being hunted by every team that we play,” Meacham said. “But we’ve just got to play one game at a time and not really worry about what they’re thinking about us – only control what we can control.”