WAYNESVILLE — The Waynesville Spartans are hitting the reset button in 2025, but they’re doing it with a foundation years in the making.
Spartans coach Ben Johnson enters his fifth season with a roster light on varsity experience but heavy on familiarity — a group of players who have grown up in his system, learned his expectations and embraced a culture built on work ethic and leadership.
“It’s been fun to see,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a group of kids that have been with us all the way through. Just to see the program grow through the off-season with our weight program and the buy-in from these guys — it’s been a fun group to work with.”
The Spartans graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team — which finished 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division — including every starter on offense. Only four defensive starters return. It’s a significant turnover, but Johnson believes the leadership passed down from last year’s veterans is a foundation this group can build upon.
“The success and leadership from those previous groups has been a legacy left to the current group,” Johnson said. “While we’re really young this year, just being in that culture of work ethic and success that’s been laid in the past is going to help us moving forward.”
With more experience on defense, Johnson plans to lean on that side of the ball as his younger offensive players gain varsity reps. Waynesville scored just under 40 points a game in 2024 — the SWBL’s best offense.
Up front, seniors Ben Federle and Cody Gunn anchor the defensive line, along with senior tight end-turned-pass rusher Justin Trentham.
Senior linebacker Dillon Wiley, who started last season before a knee injury cut his year short, returns alongside junior Hayden Harrison and junior Mac Sullivan in the middle. The secondary will feature junior Harrison Byrd at corner, sophomore Ty Rutledge at safety, and an open competition for the other corner spot between sophomores Brenden Linder and Arjun Hakim, plus freshman Chase Kazmierski.
“We could have some young guys playing in the secondary,” Johnson said. “But they’re good athletes. They just need to take that next step.”
Sophomore Gregory Marlow steps in at quarterback after leading last year’s JV squad to a 9-1 record. Johnson likes Marlow’s ability to both run and throw, calling him “really hard to defend” because of his dual-threat skills.
The offensive line should provide some stability, with Federle, Gunn and Trentham joined by Harrison and other newcomers up front. Wiley will carry the load at running back, determined to make the most of his senior season after last year’s injury.
At receiver, Byrd and Rutledge move into starting roles, while Sullivan takes over at fullback.
Waynesville kicks things off at Clinton-Massie on Aug. 22.
“You’re gonna see kids that are just gonna play their butts off,” Johnson said. “They’re gonna play hard every night, they’re gonna play by the rules, they’re gonna play with sportsmanship and class. No matter what happens, win or lose, you’re gonna be proud of the effort they make.”
