The final score from Galion’s season opener told only part of the story. The Tigers left St. Marys with a 36-12 loss, but they also left knowing how close the game had been before it slipped away. Galion pulled within 14-12 on the opening possession of the second half and ultimately outgained the Roughriders 372-366.
On Friday night, the Tigers will try to turn those encouraging stretches into their first victory of the season when they travel to Carey for a 7:00 PM meeting with the Blue Devils.
More Beneath the Final Score
Galion moved the football effectively in its opener, particularly on the ground. Senior Kale Early rushed 19 times for 116 yards, while junior quarterback Kane Hay added 99 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Hay also completed 10 of 22 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown, with senior Jamesen Glew catching five passes for 107 yards. The Tigers’ difficulty was finishing what they started. Penalties erased two apparent scores during the first half, a conversion attempt that could have tied the game was stopped, and a second-half interception ended another threat. St. Marys responded by scoring the final 22 points. It was a night when Galion generated yards but could not convert enough of them into points.
That leaves the Tigers with a relatively clear assignment in Carey: preserve the offensive production while eliminating the penalties, turnovers and missed opportunities.
A Familiar Opponent With Plenty Left
Carey also enters Friday’s game at 0-1 after opening with a 34-7 loss at perennial power Marion Local. Senior quarterback Tripp Phoenix supplied the Blue Devils’ touchdown on a seven-yard third-quarter run, briefly cutting the margin to 21-7. Neither opening defeat erases what these programs accomplished last fall.
Galion finished 11-2 and reached the Division IV regional championship game. Carey recovered from an 0-3 beginning, won nine of its next 10 games and advanced to the Division VI regional final before falling to Hopewell-Loudon. Both postseason runs extended deep into November. The Tigers have won the past two meetings. They escaped Carey with a 14-8 victory in 2024, then produced a more decisive 41-14 win at Heise Park last season. Four Blue Devil turnovers helped Galion break open that game, making ball security an obvious priority for Carey in the rematch. Galion converted several of those opportunities into points.
The Battle Inside the Battle
The most important matchup could come between Galion’s developing defense and Carey’s experienced running game.
Senior Mace Puckett returns after carrying the ball 254 times for 1,513 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He was equally productive at linebacker, recording 136 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Phoenix gives the Blue Devils a second rushing threat. He ran for 464 yards and six touchdowns last year while throwing for 660 yards and seven scores. Logan Summit, Louis Watkins and Bekkem Sherman add further experience to a Carey roster built around a substantial senior class. Carey’s returning personnel helped make the Blue Devils a preseason contender in the Northern 10.
Galion counters with the Early-Hay combination that produced 215 rushing yards at St. Marys. Hay, who led the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference with five interceptions on defense last season, has moved into a central offensive role following the graduation of quarterback Ayden Schmidt. Glew supplies an established target on the outside after averaging 18 yards per reception in 2025. The Tigers returned several key contributors from last year’s 11-win team.
Friday’s game may therefore turn on which team controls the pace. Carey will want Puckett and Phoenix to grind out possessions, keep Galion’s offense on the sideline and test a Tiger defensive front replacing important pieces from last season. Galion will look to create space for Hay and Early while finding Glew downfield.
Friday Night in Carey
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM Friday at Wentling Field in Carey. The game is the Blue Devils’ home opener and Galion’s second consecutive road contest.
The meeting is nonconference, but it carries significance for two teams accustomed to playing meaningful football late in the season. One will leave Week Two with its first victory. The other will face the uncomfortable prospect of entering September at 0-2.
An online broadcast is listed through the NFHS Network.