COLUMBUS — For all of its accomplishments, it was a difficult year for Sheridan football.
The Generals shared the Muskingum Valley League-Big School Division title and added to their league-high postseason appearances. There was another win against unbeaten New Lexington, their chief Perry County rivals, and a Week 11 revenge win against Tri-Valley in the Division III, Region 11 playoffs.
Advertisement
But there was also a rash of key injuries, including to 1,400-yard rusher Logan Russell, most of the linebacker corps, nose man Ethan Riley and multiple offensive linemen. Free safety T.J. Connors was among those who played through ailments.
There was also the death of Barb Culver, the mother of Generals coach Paul Culver III and longtime assistant Chad Culver, who lost her battle with cancer the week of the regular-season matchup at Tri-Valley. Barb’s husband, Paul Jr., built the Sheridan program into a mainstay in Hall of Fame career that spanned 34 seasons.
Coaching with heavy hearts was difficult. The coaching resilience mirrored that of the players, who defeated three playoff teams in four weeks to end the year to cap a 9-3 season.
Head coach Paul Culver III addresses the team following Sheridan’s 42-28 loss to host Columbus East in a DIvision III, Region 11 quarterfinal game in Columbus, Ohio. Sheridan ended a 9-3 season that included a second straight playoff berth.
More: Special teams loomed large in Sheridan football’s playoff loss
Advertisement
More: New Lex survives defensive showdown to shut down Heath
More: Why Sheridan volleyball’s fast start wasn’t enough vs. Bloom-Carroll
Seniors went down fighting
Culver III empathized with his seniors, such as Russell and quarterback Tyce Whiteman, who moved up to varsity as first-year starters. They were among those thrust into action prematurely out of necessity, and the group was rarely adjoined in their careers because of injuries.
The maladies of 2026 merely stick to the script.
“That’s season-changing stuff,” Culver III said of the injuries. “But they kept playing hard. They stayed together and leaned on each other. I’m proud of the way they handled it.”
Advertisement
The mettle showed against East, which held leads of 13-0, 21-7 and 28-14, only to see the Generals rally each time for scores to stay within on possession of the lead. Special teams coverage woes and penalties ultimately led to their demise.
It was even more evident against New Lex, a week after allowing 362 rushing yards to Leevi Wade in the loss to Tri-Valley, when it rallied for their biggest win of the season.
A week later, it won a high-scoring rematch with the Scotties in the postseason. The seniors had never been part of a home playoff win as varsity players.
“That was pretty good, especially on own turf, the new turf we got this year,” senior H-back Brody Barrera said. “That’s something that us seniors hadn’t had in our whole lives. Words can’t even describe it. It was just definitely the best moment of my high school career.”
Players sing the alma mater following Sheridan’s 42-28 loss to host Columbus East in a DIvision III, Region 11 quarterfinal game in Columbus, Ohio. Sheridan ended a 9-3 season that included a second straight playoff berth.
Schedule offered no favors
A back-loaded schedule, with playoff teams Philo, Tri-Valley and New Lex coming in a three-week span after a physical affair at John Glenn, came as the team was at the height of its injury strain. Multiple starters missed the Philo and Tri-Valley games and others played through ailments, due to the importance of those games.
Advertisement
Barrera called it “a gauntlet” that the coaches viewed with a four-quarter approach, and he credited Culver III for keeping the team together after the Tri-Valley loss. He called him an unbelievable coach” said he wouldn’t want to play for anyone else.
“I absolutely love that man,” Barrera said. “The connection that he builds with his players and everyone else, words can’t describe it. He’s not even great just because he’s a great coach, he is also a great human being. And he will be there for you. I know I can call him at 3 in the morning with anything and he will pick up and be there whenever I need him.”
Senior safety Logan Russell calls out signals during Sheridan’s 42-28 loss to host Columbus East in a DIvision III, Region 11 quarterfinal game in Columbus, Ohio. Sheridan ended a 9-3 season that included a second straight playoff berth.
Senior receiver Reed Parkison, who caught 49 passes for 778 yards with a school-record 12 touchdowns, said the strong finish to the season helped ease the pain of a frustrating playoff loss. He had 4 catches for 41 yards in the game, and he and Barrera were among eight players to catch passes in 2026.
Advertisement
He cited the team’s chemistry as the reason it didn’t unravel after the injuries and Tri-Valley loss. He was among those who played through late-season injury.
“It definitely made us question how good we actually were,” Parkison said. “It was definitely a wake-up call. … It was good to beat Tri-Valley because none of us had ever beaten them in four years.”
What’s next?
Culver said it will be a challenge to find replacements, particularly in the trenches. While many faces were forced into action and two starters are set to return, much of the depth came in the form of upperclassmen.
Advertisement
Should others develop, there are ample playmakers still available.
S.J. Shriner, a sophomore, ran for 1,129 yards and 15 TDs in nine games after Russell’s knee injury in Week 3. Freshman Emmit Gilder averaged 9.2 yards on 33 carries, almost exclusively against playoff teams. Ross Holman is coming off a 12-catch campaign in which he averaged 14.6-yards per catch.
Sheridan’s S.J. Shriner tries to fight through the tackle of Tri-Valley sophomore Chris Reid during a 38-21 loss on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Dresden, Ohio.
Quarterback Graham Anderson, whom Culver III considered a starter for most every other MVL team, should make a smooth transition to fill Tyce Whiteman’s shoes at quarterback.
The defense is due to return a big, versatile middle linebacker in Hoyt Gore, another in 220-pound Jackson Morbitzer and safety Lincoln Russell to the front eight.
Advertisement
Culver III acknowledged it will be an important offseason.
“I think this senior group did a good job showing the younger kids how to work,” Culver III said. “We have to grow up on the lines. We have skilled players returning, but we have to get better up front because those units were predominantly seniors. That senior class was special. There were 26 kids in it and 12 of them were linemen. That’s rare. … We’ve got pieces, but we’ve got some work to do.”
sblackbu@usatodayco.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Sheridan football didn’t let setbacks ruin its season. What’s next?
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
