MORROW — Nate Mahon’s first season back at Little Miami High School provided evidence the Panthers were moving in the right direction.
The next step is turning progress into consistency.
Little Miami enters the 2026 season with Mahon beginning the second year of his second stint as head coach after the Panthers went 3-7 during the 2025 regular season and 3-6 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. They qualified for the Division I, Region 4 playoffs before falling 39-6 at Winton Woods.
The record told only part of the story.
Little Miami opened last season with a 21-14 loss at Jackson and followed with a 26-22 loss to Turpin. The Panthers later stayed within a touchdown of eventual 9-2 Kings in a 21-14 loss and fell 37-34 to Loveland in triple overtime.
Little Miami then found some momentum late.
The Panthers routed Milford 45-14 and West Clermont 42-0 over the final two weeks of the regular season. Andrew Trapp scored five rushing touchdowns against Milford, including a 60-yard run.
The challenge entering 2026 is replacing many of the seniors who helped spark that improvement. Trapp, Lucas Basta, Camden Fox, Landyn McCray and Nathan Wilson were among the experienced players who graduated. Basta was one of Little Miami’s most productive offensive weapons, while Trapp became a major part of the rushing attack late in the season.
There is experience returning, however.
Little Miami’s current roster includes seniors Jaxon Barnett, Carter Hainey, Tanner Meadows, Luke Roberson, Carter Stewart, Rylan Copenhaver, Tanner Sewell, Adam Trickey, Tyler Meadows, Dustin Cook, Zeke Timler, Garrett Greatorex and Joseph Barnes.
Stewart showed big-play potential last season. He had 510 receiving yards through the first six games and was among the Panthers’ primary offensive threats.
Mahon knows what a turnaround at Little Miami can look like.
He originally took over a program coming off three consecutive losing seasons in 2016. The Panthers went 3-7 his first year before producing consecutive winning seasons, culminating with a 9-3 campaign and Division II regional semifinal appearance in 2018. Mahon won 19 games during that first three-year stint before leaving for his alma mater, Hamilton.
His return began under similar circumstances. Little Miami had gone 1-9 in 2023 and 1-10 in 2024 before Mahon returned. The Panthers’ three victories last season included shutouts of Walnut Hills and West Clermont, and Little Miami returned to the postseason.
The Panthers will find out quickly whether they can continue that climb.
Little Miami opens the season at home against South Dearborn before traveling to Turpin and Anderson.
It is a demanding ECC path, but Mahon has been through the rebuilding process in Morrow before.
The Panthers enter 2026 hoping the second year of his return can resemble the second year of his first tenure — another significant step forward.
