One week after opening Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play against Shelby, Galion gets another major test under the lights at Unckrich Stadium. Like this past week, the opponent arrives undefeated. Ontario brings a 4-0 record to Galion Friday night for a 7:00 PM kickoff, while the Tigers enter at 2-2 and looking to rebound from last week’s 31-14 loss to Shelby. Both teams are one game into the MOAC schedule, with Ontario at 1-0 and Galion at 0-1.
Warriors Have Been Rolling
Ontario has put together one of the stronger starts in north central Ohio. The Warriors opened with a 35-7 win over Lexington, followed with a 58-0 shutout of Norwalk and then went on the road to beat Tiffin Columbian 49-28. Last Friday brought a different kind of challenge, and Ontario responded with a 17-7 victory over Clear Fork in its conference opener.
Through four games, Ontario has scored 159 points while allowing just 42, an average margin of nearly 30 points per game. The Clear Fork game, however, showed that the Warriors can win when the scoring slows down. Ontario led 14-0 at halftime, saw Clear Fork cut the margin to seven in the third quarter, and then added a field goal in the fourth to finish the job.
A central figure in that unbeaten start has been senior Gavin Miller, whose job description seems to change from play to play. Miller has lined up at quarterback, running back and receiver, plays linebacker on defense and also handles punting and kickoff duties. He scored Ontario’s first touchdown against Clear Fork on a 13-yard quarterback keeper. Ontario has also continued using junior Sean Tanner at quarterback, giving the Warriors the ability to change personnel and offensive looks without necessarily changing what they want to accomplish. Coach Aaron Eckert told Richland Source after the Clear Fork win that Ontario has confidence in multiple backs and receivers and likes the direction of its offensive line.
Galion Looking for Four Complete Quarters
Galion’s first month has been considerably more uneven. The Tigers opened with a 36-12 loss at St. Marys Memorial before bouncing back to win 21-17 at Carey. They then defeated Columbus Bishop Ready 28-24 at home before Shelby handed them their second loss of the season.
For a while last Friday, Galion appeared ready to hand Shelby its first loss. The Tigers led 14-10 at halftime before the Whippets took control after intermission. Shelby scored twice in the third quarter and added another touchdown early in the fourth to pull away for the 31-14 victory. The loss nevertheless offered another look at Galion’s passing game. Quarterback Kane Hay threw for 254 yards against Shelby, while twin brother Kurt Hay caught nine passes for 78 yards. Jamesen Glew and Dominic Capretta were also prominent targets as Galion moved the ball effectively during the first half. The problem was sustaining it.
Galion generated 193 yards and eight first downs in the first half, according to the Mansfield News Journal, but managed only 65 yards and three first downs after halftime. Coach Matt Dick pointed afterward to the need to eliminate penalties and put together a full four-quarter performance. That challenge becomes particularly important against an Ontario team that has shown it can score quickly but also grind through a lower-scoring conference game.
A Series That Has Swung Wildly
Recent history offers an intriguing backdrop. When Ontario visited Galion in 2024, the Warriors were unbeaten and left with a 49-0 victory. Ontario eventually finished that season 12-2 and advanced to the Division IV regional championship game.
A year later, the script flipped. Galion traveled to Ontario and shut out the Warriors 7-0. That victory became part of an 11-2 Tiger season that ultimately carried Galion to a regional championship game of its own.
Now Ontario returns to Galion undefeated once again. The circumstances are different. Galion graduated several major pieces from last year’s team, including quarterback Ayden Schmit and receiver Jacob Chambers, while Ontario returned considerable experience at its skill positions. Galion also moved from Division IV to Division V this season, while Ontario competes in Division III.
Another Early MOAC Measuring Stick
It is only Week 5, but conference games begin piling up quickly from here. For Ontario, Friday offers an opportunity to remain unbeaten and move to 2-0 in the MOAC before road games at Pleasant and Shelby loom on the schedule. For Galion, the objective is more immediate: stop an early conference loss from becoming two.
The Tigers have already demonstrated that they can win tight games, edging Carey by four and Bishop Ready by four. They have also shown enough offensive production to challenge strong opponents. Friday night will test whether those pieces can stay together for four quarters against a team that has yet to lose.
And after the last two Galion-Ontario meetings produced a 49-0 Ontario win followed by a 7-0 Galion win, recent history suggests there is little reason to assume this one will follow any particular script.