It’s easy to see how Valley View has been a well-oiled machine under head coach Matt King.
A focused practice regime and bought in players that have seen success come before them keeps the talent rotating in. The next group of 50-some players are trying to keep the tradition going.
“I’m pretty sure there’s way more seniors this year, and I think that’s pretty good because a lot of time, you’ll lose guys along the way, but having a big senior class shows that we’re all a big brotherhood,” Isaac Johnson said.
Those seniors are back-to-back SWBL champs. They let everyone know it by often wearing their t-shirts commemorating the accomplishment, according to Owen Neal.
“Even though we lost some seniors, we’re still a great program. We’re gonna come back and show everybody what we can do,” he said.
Recently, three regional final appearances and two titles have hark back the Matt King-era to that of the late 1990s and early 2000s for the Spartans.
King said he knows this group hasn’t done anything yet and is eager to see how their excitement can define success.
“There’s always things you want to improve on, and it’s something you always got to think about,” King said. “Hopefully they come out and they show that physicality. The guys coming back have done a nice job of retaining what they should know, so being able to come back and run the thing that we know, those guys that haven’t gotten reps can keep working to get better.”
Valley View Spartans
2025 Record: 11-2 (6-0 Buckeye, 1st), Division IV regional finalist
Coach: Matt King (5th year, 33-7)
League: SWBL Buckeye
Need to know: Valley View is seeking its 10th regional title, and is 3-0 all-time in state championship games.
Players to watch (2025 statistics)
Garrett Brewer, WR, 6-5, 200, jr. (12REC, 187YDS, 3TD)
Wyatt Burkett, LB, 6-2, 200, sr. (68TKL, 13.5TFL, 2SACKS, 1FR, 2INT, 2PB)
Camron Flannery, OL/DL, 6-1, 283, sr. (53TKL, 5TFL, 4SACKS, 2PB)
Brody Gibbs, QB, 6-3, 196, sr. (92/155, 1,278YDS, 14TD, 5INT)
Isaac Johnson, WR/DB, 6-0, 175, sr. (23TKL, 2.5TFL, 2INT, 9PB)
Kaiden Hadley, OL/DL, 6-2, 225, sr. (61TKL, 8.5TFL, 1SACKS, 1FR, 1PB)
Brodie Hopkins, RB, 5-9, 187, sr. (108ATT, 893YDS, 11TD)
Owen Neal, DB, 5-11, 160, sr. (30TKL, 2.5TFL, 2INT, 9PB)
Schedule
Aug. 21 - at Coldwater
Aug. 28 - Franklin
Sept. 4 - at Bellbrook
Sept. 11 - Carlisle
Sept. 18 - Eaton
Sept. 25 - at Oakwood
Oct. 2 - at Madison
Oct. 9 - Edgewood
Oct. 16 - at Brookville
Oct. 23 - Waynesville