The Galion Tigers return home to Unckrich Stadium Friday night with October football beginning and an opportunity to put a difficult September behind them. Pleasant comes to Galion for a 7:00 PM Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference kickoff, with both teams carrying 2-4 overall records into the matchup. For the Tigers, Friday offers a chance to end a three-game losing streak and pick up their first conference victory of the season.
Galion’s record does not quite tell the story of where the Tigers stood a week ago. After losses to Shelby and Ontario, Galion went to Highland last Friday and came within a field goal of getting back into the win column, falling 24-21. The Tigers are now 0-3 in MOAC play, but Friday’s game begins a four-week stretch that also includes River Valley, Marion Harding and Clear Fork.
Glew Emerging As A Big-Play Threat
One of the brightest signs coming out of the Highland game was senior receiver Jamesen Glew. Glew finished with a career-high 106 receiving yards against the Fighting Scots. Through the season’s first six games, the MOAC statistics page lists him with 23 receptions for 543 yards and five touchdowns, an average of 23.6 yards per catch.
Quarterback Kane Hay and running back Kale Early have also provided much of Galion’s offensive production this fall. Earlier in the season, Hay had established himself as both a passing and running threat, while Early has given the Tigers another option on the ground.
Defensively, Lachlyn Butcher enters the week as the MOAC’s leading tackler with 62 stops, while Dominic Capretta is tied among the conference leaders with two interceptions. Those numbers matter Friday because Pleasant has demonstrated that it can put points on the board.
Pleasant Brings A Different Look
The Spartans are also 2-4, but their route to that record has included some wild swings. Pleasant opened with a 49-7 loss to North Union, then erupted for 51 points against Triad. The Spartans beat River Valley 48-13 in their MOAC opener before being shut out by Clear Fork, 42-0. Last Friday, Pleasant stayed within striking distance of unbeaten Ontario before falling 42-28.
That means Galion should not expect a repeat of what happened when these teams met last fall. The Tigers dominated Pleasant 42-0 in Marion in October 2025, scoring 28 points before halftime and holding the Spartans scoreless throughout. Galion went on to finish 11-2 and advance deep into the postseason. Pleasant finished 2-8. This year’s Pleasant team has already exceeded last season’s entire scoring total through six games, putting up 148 points. Its two victories have produced 51 and 48 points.
A Game With Something At Stake
Friday also brings together two programs occupying nearly identical positions as the regular season reaches its final month. Galion is 2-4. Pleasant is 2-4. Both have lost three of their last four games. Both have shown that they can score. And both enter Friday knowing that there are only four regular-season opportunities remaining.
For Galion, there is also the matter of getting home-field momentum back. The Tigers’ first two home games produced a 28-24 victory over Bishop Ready before conference losses to Shelby and Ontario. Now comes Pleasant, followed by one more home date against Marion Harding on October 16.
A year ago, the October portion of Galion’s schedule became the launching point for a memorable postseason run. This October begins with a considerably different challenge. The Tigers aren’t trying to protect a winning streak Friday night. They’re trying to start one, and we here at 1831Galion wish them all the best.
Kickoff between Galion and Pleasant is set for 7:00 PM Friday at Unckrich Stadium.