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DICK'S Sporting Goods appreciates sports of all sorts. On this occasion, DSG has stepped up to applaud the successes found within the Greater Miami Conference chess boards. In a demanding 14 match conference schedule, GMC teams matched wits and strategies in an attempt to stalemate their opponents and bring them to their knees. With the completion of the GMC's first winter sport, the conference chess coaches selected Sycamore's Sunav Adhikari as the league's "Player of the Year". The GMC Chess coaches then selected Sycamore's Head Coach Scott Eckert and Oak Hills Head Coach Brad Murphy as the GMC "Co-Coaches of the Year".

Sunav Adhikari - Sycamore  2025 GMC "Player of the Year"

(Photo compliments of Sycamore Athletic Department)

Scott Eckert - Sycamore and Brad Murphy - Oak Hills 2025 "Co-Coaches of the Year"

(Photo compliments of Sycamore Athletic Department)

On the strength of an undefeated season, the Sycamore Aviators overwhelmed their conference opponents on the way an unblemished 14-0 season and their second consecutive conference title (shared crown with Mason in 2024). Since joining the Greater Miami Conference in 1989-90 school year, the Aviators have taken home the conference chess championship on 18 occasions.

Sycamore Aviators  GMC Chess Champions 2025

(Photo compliments of Sycamore Athletic Department)

First Team All-Conference Selections

(Photo compliments of Sycamore Athletic Department)

Second Team All-Conference Selections

(Photo compliments of Sycamore Athletic Department)

As the exciting fall conference season concludes, DICK’S Sporting Goods proudly celebrates the historic achievements of 2025 GMC Football. The Greater Miami Conference continues to showcase some of Ohio’s finest football talent. With 8 of 10 conference schools qualifying for the OHSAA playoffs, the GMC once again demonstrated its remarkable depth and strength.

As the regular season came to a close, GMC head coaches gathered to select the “best of the best” from an impressive list of standout players and performances in 2025. This year, Lakota East senior running back Ryder Hooks was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Oak Hills senior linebacker Max Rhodes earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Andre Parker, head coach of the GMC champion Princeton Vikings, was recognized as GMC Coach of the Year. Ironically, both the “Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year” saw critical duty on the opposite side of the ball.  A testament to their overall athletic value to their teams.

Without question, Thunderhawk running back Ryder Hooks dominated the rushing title in 2025. He set a Lakota East record with 2,032 yards on 220 carries, outdistancing Hamilton’s Andre Bailey (1,277 yards) by a remarkable 755 yards. Hooks delivered results rarely seen in the GMC, averaging 169.3 yards per game and an astounding 9.3 yards per carry. He also contributed 25 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns, totaling 22 offensive touchdowns overall, while providing critical minutes in the Thunderhawk secondary with 3 critical interceptions.

A high-caliber GMC athlete, Ryder Hooks has earned first-team all-conference honors for three consecutive seasons, cementing his legacy as one of the league’s premier performers.

Ryder Hooks – Lakota East Thunderhawks  “GMC Offensive Player of the Year”

(Photo compliments of Lakota East SID, Dan Hilen)

A dominant force for the Oak Hills Highlanders on defense, senior linebacker Max Rhodes, led a vastly improved defense to take its place amongst the best in the conference. Rhodes, a three-time All-GMC first team performer, logged 115 total tackles and 35 assists this season which placed him third in the conference with 80 of those being solo takedowns. Playing aggressively, Rhodes piled up 4.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss this season. Max Rhodes also saw duty on the offensive side of the ball as a selfless player willing to “roll up his sleeves” to block for others.

Max Rhodes – Oak Hills Highlanders “GMC Defensive Player of the Year”

(photo compliments of the Oak Hills Athletic Department)

The highest compliment a head coach can receive is the recognition of his peers for a job well done. Such is the case with Princeton Vikings Head Coach Andre Parker. Selected by his fellow coaches as the GMC Coach of the Year in both 2023 and 2025, Parker has guided the Vikings to an impressive 25–2 conference record over the past three seasons.

Under his leadership, Princeton has captured three consecutive GMC Football Championships (shared with West in 2024). Entering the OHSAA playoffs as the fourth seed among Greater Cincinnati teams, the Vikings advanced to the Regional Semi-Finals—the “Sweet Sixteen”—before bowing out to the top-seeded Elder Panthers.

In recognition of both Princeton’s 2025 success and the program’s continued development, GMC head coaches once again honored Andre Parker as the GMC Coach of the Year.

Andre Parker – Princeton Vikings “GMC Coach of the Year”

(Photo compliments of Princeton Athletic Department)

After a remarkable 2025 campaign, the Middletown Middies posted a strong 7–2 GMC record and an overall 11–3 mark, including their playoff run. The Middies ultimately bowed out of the OHSAA Football Playoffs with a 21–6 loss to St. Xavier. As they climbed the OHSAA playoff mountain, the Middies reached the program’s first-ever “Final Four” in school football history. Middletown finished the regular season in second place in the conference and stood as the only GMC team to blemish Princeton’s championship record of 8–1.

Powered by a high-octane offense that averaged 288 yards per game, the Middies lit up the scoreboard with 327 total points. They paired that production with a rock-solid defense, leading the league by allowing just 173.6 yards per game and holding opponents to only 9.0 points per contest.

Congratulations to the entire Middletown football program on a tremendous 2025 season and an exciting tournament run.

In a classic showdown between two powerhouse programs, the Middletown Middies battled the Wayne Warriors for four hard-fought quarters before finally punching their ticket to the OHSAA State Championship “Final Four.” In a game that truly went down to the wire, the Middie ball hawks capitalized on a late Wayne turnover, driving in a touchdown as time expired to secure a dramatic 21–14 victory over an exceptionally talented Warriors squad. This marks the first time in Middletown’s storied football history that the program has earned a coveted spot in the “Final Four.”

The Middies will take on Region 4 champion St. Xavier on Friday, November 28th at Dayton's Welcome Stadium with game time 7:00 PM.

OHSAA "Final Four" Tickets: Middletown vs. St. Xavier Tickets

Final Four bracket details: OHSAA Final Four Bracketology