Nelsonville-York football looks to repeat the success from last season
By: Thomas Billington
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — The Nelsonville-York Buckeyes finished off the 2025 season in defeat against the eventual state runner-up Wheelersburg.
Then the team graduated 16 seniors, dropping the number of players on the team from the mid 50s to just 37.
Head coach Rusty Richards is now in his tenth year as Nelsonville-York head coach and said “we are a little lower on numbers this year. So we just don’t quite have the depth at the varsity level that we would like. So, some of these young guys’ backups are going to have to grow up fast.”
Richards is backed up by the Senior running back Walker Stone, who said the teams has “bunch of Swiss Army knives. We have the most speed we’ve had since 2017. So honestly, I think we’re really going to utilize … move guys around when we need them. I think people are going to rise to the occasion. So, I don’t think the, you know, 50 to 37 isn’t going to affect us that much because all of us are willing to play no matter where, no matter where it’s at.”
Last year’s defeat to Wheelersburg was the second-furthest Richards has made in the playoffs, as in 2017, in Richards’ second season, losing in the state final four.
The team this year will be aided by a former rival, as Athens’ standout Weston Wheatley moved from Athens to N-Y before the spring semester last year.
Wheatley led the state in interceptions last season, with nine on the year. He will face some similar foes, as last year he got two interceptions against Logan. The Buckeyes play Logan week two this year.
Richards and his whole team are clear on their motto this year. Go one-and-O every week.
“You know our saying has been here since I’ve been here. Let’s go one-and-O. You know can’t go 10. And if you don’t go one-and-O.”
Coach Richards adds his team is looking for yet another TVC Title “our main goals is win the league. Win the first one. Win the last one. And you know get into the regional finals somewhere. And that’s a great season for us around here.”
The Buckeyes will see the field on Aug. 21 when they face TVC-Hocking member Trimble.