Watterson finishes as state Division III football runner-up

Columbus Bishop Watterson High School football coach Brian Kennedy knew he had the makings of a successful team even before the 2023 season started, and the Eagles wasted no time in backing up his confidence. 

They outscored a pair of Division II teams 89-0 in the season’s first two games, followed that with four victories against strong opponents, finished with one loss in the regular season and added four playoff victories before losing to Toledo Central Catholic 27-7 in the Division III state championship game on Dec. 1 in Canton.

“We were 12-2 in 2022, made it to the regional finals and had enough players back who knew the experience of a playoff run that they felt they could take things a few steps more,” he said. “You could tell from the first two games when we beat Columbus Whetstone 47-0 and Dublin Scioto 42-0, two teams that were in the division above us, that the motivation was there.

“We want to schedule challenging opponents from other areas, and we had that in the next three games with Parma Padua Franciscan, a usually strong program; Tiffin Columbian, which made it to its regional finals; and Chardon, a regional finalist. Then came our annual CCL (Central Catholic League) battle with (Columbus Bishop) Hartley. Once we won that and were 6-0, the feeling really began to develop that this team was something special.”

The Eagles closed the regular season with victories over KIPP Columbus, Columbus St. Charles and Harrison (near Cincinnati) before losing to Columbus St. Francis DeSales, then posted playoff wins over Columbus South, Miami Trace, Bloom-Carroll, Bellefontaine and Celina to make it to the championship game, where they faced an opponent that was unbeaten, ranked No.1 in the Associated Press poll all season and had won 30 straight games, including the 2022 state championship in Division II.

“Toledo Central, first of all, is a very well-coached team,” Kennedy said. “Their coach, Greg Dempsey, has been there 24 years and is a graduate of the school. I’m a Watterson graduate and have been here seven years. I think coaching your alma mater does make a difference because it means a little more to you and makes you coach that much harder.”

Kennedy is 51-28 at Watterson, which finished as state runner-up for the fourth time. The others were in 2001, 1999 and 1972. The Eagles won their only state title in 2002. Toledo Central Catholic’s state championship was its fifth, with the others in 2022, 2014, 2012 and 2005. The Irish were runners-up in 2015.

“Central is a team with no deficiencies, no weaknesses,” Kennedy said. “I knew we would have to play practically a perfect game to beat them, but we gave them a few opportunities and they took advantage of them.”

Ben Uhlenhake’s 6-yard touchdown run for Watterson in the first quarter opened the scoring, but the Irish responded with touchdowns after an interception, a fumbled punt and a mishandled snap by Watterson to make it 21-7 after three quarters. 

Central Catholic was led by Marquan Braswell, a member of the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association’s All-Ohio Division III first team, who scored twice and had 169 yards rushing on 22 carries. Watterson appeared to get within 21-13 about halfway through the fourth quarter, but A.J. McAninch’s 12-yard pass to Jake Uhlenhake was ruled to have hit the ground.

The Eagles had three first-team All-Ohioans, led by senior linebacker Dominic Purcell, who also was selected as the division’s defensive co-player of the year. McAninch at quarterback and kicker Rudy Kessinger, both seniors, joined him as first-team members, with senior linebacker Braxton Rundio on the second team and junior wide receiver-tight end Jake Uhlenhake on the third team.

Purcell, who also was on last year’s All-Ohio first team, finished with 200 tackles, including a game-record 21 in the championship game, as well as 40 tackles for loss, eight sacks, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He had announced before the season that he had accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

“I can’t say enough about Dominic and his work ethic,” Kennedy said. “You could tell that last year when he was elected a captain and was only a junior. You could see him grow into the epitome of leadership and be more comfortable as a leader in and out of the classroom all through this year. He’s the type of person that should do well at the academy in every way. 

“And you can see the kind of football player he is from looking at the names of the guys whose record for championship-game tackles he surpassed – players like (former Ohio State and NFL star) Chris Spielman.”

McAninch, the starting quarterback since the middle of the 2022 season, finished with 249 pass completions in 390 attempts for 3,391 yards, with 38 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Kennedy said McAninch’s best sport is baseball, and he will be attending Marshall on a baseball scholarship, joining two brothers who also played the sport at the Division I level.

“A.J. is another whose leadership you could see blossom as the year went on, more in a quiet way than Dominic. He wasn’t one for spectacular plays but was efficient and effective.” 

His leading receivers, both juniors, were Jake Uhlenhake with 68 catches for 1,130 yards and 13 touchdowns and Cal Mangini with 61 receptions for 727 yards and four scores. The team’s leading rusher was Zack Weber, also a junior, with 826 yards and 13 touchdowns on 154 carries.

“Jake missed almost all of last year with an injury and worked really hard to make up for that lost time,” Kennedy said. “It seemed like whenever we needed a big play, he made it.” He and his brother Ben, a freshman, are sons of former Ohio State and Newark Catholic star Jeff Uhlenhake, an assistant on Kennedy’s staff.

“Zack Weber is another player who stepped up and helped tremendously more and more as the season went on,” Kennedy said. “He’s also a wrestler and, as is so often the case, wrestlers seem to make good football players because of the discipline involved in both sports.”

Kessinger joined Purcell as back-to-back first-team All-Ohio players. He scored 114 points this year on 66 of 67 extra point attempts and 16 field goals in 18 tries. “He’s going to Eastern Michigan on scholarship because he was so dependable,” Kennedy said. “We’ll miss the feeling of assurance he brought to the kicking game.”

With the number of players with recognized talent he has coming back in 2024, Kennedy hopes for another strong season and long playoff run. 

“The schedule’s almost identical,” he said. “We’re still looking for a first-week opponent and have Westerville North replacing Whetstone, but otherwise we play the same strong out-of-area teams and our CCL opponents Watterson, St. Charles and DeSales. Every one of those league games is like playing in a playoff atmosphere and is good preparation for the postseason.

“We have a strong tradition to uphold and look forward to adding to it.”