Muskingum Valley League Big (MVL) – Conference Preview
By: Sam Nolan
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The Muskingum Valley-Big is one of the toughest Southeast Ohio conferences to find wins in. With plenty of coaching shakeups, there’s always room for chaos, but don’t ever think these top powerhouses will simply fade away.
Tri-Valley Scotties:
2025 Record: 9-3 (5-0)
Tri-Valley had little resistance in the MVL-Big last year, outside of the close 35-29 2OT victory over Sheridan in week nine. In their four other league games, they won by a combined 137 points.
With the departure of Cameron West, the Scotties had to find a new leader for the upcoming season. Their Offensive Coordinator, Austin Jones was promoted to the role in January. Jones was an all-time multi-sport athlete for Tri-Valley when he attended the school in 2009-2013.
Tri-Valley graduated 18 seniors in 2026, a group that includes star WR Ryan Lamonica. Despite the large number, the Scotties are known for bringing up bunches of young talent each year. Senior WR Luca Gargasz is expected to fill the main role through the air this season, but the run game will be crucial yet again for Tri-Valley.
To the Scotties’ benefit, All-MVL RB Leevi Wade has two more years of eligibility, and based on what he showed as a sophomore, he will be the name to watch with this team, and potentially, the entire conference.
Sheridan Generals:
2025 Record: 7-4 (4-1)
Sheridan found themselves a close second to Tri-Valley in 2025. The Generals graduated a sizable senior class that included star DL Creed Hill and Swiss Army knife Logan Hupp. To Sheridan’s benefit, they retain star QB Tyce Whiteman and a very talented RB in Logan Russell.
Much like Tri-Valley, the Generals have been known to churn out talent on a year-to-year basis. Coach Paul Culver III will enter year ten with this team and is showing no signs of slowing down. Sheridan has stayed a consistent force in this league, placing top two in each of the last four seasons.
There’s a growing motivation for more in Thornville, however, as they’ve come one game short of winning the league three years in-a-row. Can they get over this streak? Barring a big shift, week nine’s game at Tri-Valley could very well decide the winner of the MVL-Big yet again.
Maysville Panthers:
2025 Record: 5-5 (3-2)
Maysville is the newest member of the MVL-Big. The Panthers swap places with Morgan, as they shift to the MVL-Small. In 2025 MVL-Small play, Maysville went a clean 3-2, while finishing .500 overall. This marked their first time going .500 or better since 2022.
Chase Bowman will return for his second season as Maysville’s Head Coach, hoping to deliver a playoff appearance for the first time. His roster will be composed mostly of sophomores and juniors. The Panthers only graduated seven seniors, opening the door for a strong youth movement.
Philo Electrics:
2025 Record: 6-5 (2-3)
Philo, a victim to the tough competition in the MVL-Big, went 2-3 in conference play. Despite this, they finished above .500 overall. Dirk Lincicome enters year 16 in Duncan Falls, hoping to win the MVL-Big for the first time in his career. (Lincicome won the MVL when Philo was tri-champs in 2010 before the league split into Big and Small Divisions in 2020).
The Electrics graduated QB Jack Lincicome in a small group of seniors. Star RB Slade Sprankle is their most notable returning player, as he should look to shoulder a big part of the offensive load. Much like some of these other teams, Philo will not be afraid to run the ball. They should look to finish around third or fourth once again, as the top two of Tri-Valley and Sheridan seem impossible to shake.
John Glenn Muskies:
2025 Record: 4-6 (1-4)
Last season, John Glenn finished below .500 for the first time since 2022. In those five conference games, their sole win came against the winless River View. To make noise this season, the Muskies will have to step up and return to the form shown in 2023 (third place, 3-2).
Much of the Muskies roster is composed of rising seniors, and they graduated seven last year. This could give them an opportunity to grow without losing too much production. Beyond this year, however, it could shake things up. John Glenn has 14 seniors on roster, with potential for a clean slate beyond 2026.
River View Black Bears:
2025 Record: 0-10 (0-5)
River View has not won a game since 2022. For the tides to turn, it would take a lot of change. Energized Head Coach Tyler McKee will enter year two with the program and hopes to get things on track for his alma mater. McKee, a 2007 graduate of the school, was announced as Head Coach in January of last year.