Football: Davis, Fickel carry Olentangy Orange to first regional title
Friday, November 21, 2025
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Levi Davis finds open field during Olentangy Orange’s 39-7 regional final win over Pickerington Central at Historic Crew Stadium Friday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Levi Davis didn’t dwell on a thrown pick six that tied the score in the second quarter. Instead, the Olentangy Orange senior quarterback went back to the sideline – and with the help of his teammates – gathered himself and went back to work.
The Pioneers’ football team responded with a touchdown drive on the next series and never looked back.
Orange rallied for the final 32 points and rolled to a 39-7 win over Pickerington Central to win their first regional championship Nov. 21 at Historic Crew Stadium.
Orange will play Lakewood St. Edward in a state semifinal Nov. 28 at a neutral site to be announced. The state final is Dec. 5 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
“I ended up getting (Central’s Ramazani Nsungula) in my face and probably just instead of eating it, I threw it and I shouldn’t have,” said Davis, who’s pass was intercepted by Chris Smith and returned 20 yards for a touchdown to tie the game 7-7 with 5:35 left in the second quarter.
“But I feel like this team a year ago, we would have let that snowball,” Davis added. “We would have let that affect us and it ultimately would have changed the outcome of the game. But this team is so resilient. I’m just so excited to see what we’re going to do in the future.”
Olentangy Orange’s Kingston Johnson (6) stops Central’s Rocco Williams during regional final action Friday at Historic Crew Stadium. Photo: John Hulkenberg
The top seed in Division I, Region 3, the Pioneers (13-0) rode the two-headed monster of Davis and senior running back Lucas Fickel to the tune of 270 yards on 33 carries. Both scored twice on the ground and Davis added 124 yards and two touchdowns on 5 of 9 passing.
“I went back to the sideline and all of my teammates were really supportive and they knew that I had to get it back,” Davis said. “And they knew that I would get it back. So just that support around me … that’s a team. That’s what the team is.”
Davis responded by leading a six-play, 65-yard drive after the turnover, connecting with MC Walker, who raced 34 yards on a slip screen to give Orange a 14-7 lead with 2:43 remaining in the first half. They never trailed again.
“Oh, (the touchdown) was huge,” Fickel said. “It was great and flipped momentum back in our favor, because it was on their side. Then after that score, I mean, it really went in our favor (the rest of) the game.”
Second-seeded Central (11-2) was poised to tie the score before halftime. But Colby Luling stepped in front of a Rocco Williams pass and returned 69 yards on the final play of the half.
Then, Davis broke it open, going up 54 yards untouched up the middle on the third play of the second half.
“I mean, it was just any small, missed assignment (and he’d) make you pay for it because he’s so athletic,” Central coach Jeff Lomonico said.
The Pioneers defense gave little ground, holding the Tigers to just 30 of their 152 total yards in the second half.
Olentangy Orange’s Lucas Fickel (2) tries to elude Pickerington Central’s Cameron Green during their regional final at Historic Crew Stadium Friday. John Hulkenberg
“(Central is) well coached – they’re a good team,” Orange coach Wes Schroeder said. “You don’t want to give them any momentum. And when you can kind of take away the momentum, you know you have a good shot. The momentum kind of went away (for them) and then, (it kind) of snowballed.”
Freshman Edmond McAllister III had 34 yards on his first six carries, helping the Tigers reach the 4-yard line on their opening drive.
Lined up at quarterback, McAllister watched a snap sail over his head. He fell on it for a loss of 17 yards and the Tigers ended up with no points on the series. Mason Peirano’s 38-yard field goal sailed wide left.
McAllister finished with 34 yards rushing on 11 carries. Rocco Williams was held to 10 of 24 passing for 86 yards and two interceptions, including one by defensive back Treyton Schroeder in the second half.
“We had opportunities and we were loose with the ball,” Lomonico said. “It’s not our night and I’m not making any excuses because we should have played better. (Orange is) a great team and I hope they do well.”
It’s the second meeting between the programs after Central defeated Orange 44-0 in a regional semifinal in 2019. The Tigers were seeking their 10th regional title and 10th appearance at state, but first since 2020.
Conversely, Orange had never reached a regional final since the school opened in 2008.
“I hope we’ll be holding another (title) in a couple weeks,” Schroeder said. “So, (there’s) a lot of work left.”
The Olentangy Orange defense takes down Pickerington Central’s Nick Bousquet during the Pioneers’ 39-7 regional final win at Historic Crew Stadium Friday. Photo: John Hulkenberg