Area high school grads revel in CFP National Championship Game experience

Tegra Tshabola, a third-year offensive lineman at Ohio State who started at right guard for the Buckeyes this season, called making it to the final something he dreamed about his whole life.

“So now it’s a dream come true,” said Tshabola, who has frequently shared the field with Austin Siereveld, a redshirt freshman from Lakota East.

“He’s my guy,” Tshabola said. “We might joke around a little bit here and there but that’s my guy.”

While Tshabola is one of five Lakota West grads to be on one of the two rosters, Siereveld was proud to be the first East grad to earn a football scholarship from Ohio State.

“It feels awesome,” Siereveld said. “When I committed to Ohio State, I had this in mind about playing for a national championship, so it’s a pretty cool feeling.”

The other Lakota West players are all defensive backs: Ohio State’s Malik Hartford and Bukari Miles and Ben Minich and Taebron Bennie-Powell of Notre Dame.

They all credited the influence of Lakota West coach Tom Bolden for establishing a program that regularly sends players to the highest levels of college football.

“I think that Lakota West is just a great program,” said Hartford, a sophomore safety. “It teaches people how to be young men. Coach Bolden is great at teaching young boys to be young men, and Lakota West hardens you so when you come up here you can play.”

Hartford is primarily a special-teamer who figures to be on the field when the Buckeyes are punting and kicking.

He’s potentially in line for a larger role next season when Ohio State must replace at least seven and perhaps 10 starters on defense.

The same can be said of Aaron Scott Jr., a true freshman from Springfield who was one of the highest-rated recruits in Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class.

Scott said he has bulked up to almost 190 pounds while learning his craft behind seniors Jordan Hancock and Denzel Burke and junior Davison Igbinosun at corner.

“I feel like it’s all good,” Scott said. “Everybody thinks they’re gonna come in and play their first year. Definitely didn’t go that way for me, but I’ve been learning a lot, and I’m ready for my turn.

“I definitely think I’m in good position to be able to come in freshman year and possibly win the natty then be able to do it again my second year. That’s what everybody wants.”

Wayne High School also had multiple representatives in Atlanta, including players on each side.

Third-year sophomore Aamil Wagner is the starting right tackle for Notre Dame while the other tackle from his days at Wayne, Joshua Padilla, is Ohio State’s backup center as a redshirt freshman.

“Josh is long-time friend,” Wagner said. “Known him for years, and obviously playing on the same O-line we have the brotherhood of the O-line. Every once in a while we shoot texts back and forth to see how he’s doing, but it’s amazing to have two guys from the same high school in this game and the same position group playing in this game.”

Wagner also was happy to represent Yellow Springs, where he grew up before transferring to Wayne to play football.

“That community did so much for me,” Wagner said. “They raised me. These last 21 years they’ve always been there. It’s home for me, so the amount of love and support I get is unmatched. To be able to go on a stage like this and be able to represent them is an honor.”

Like Scott, Padilla has worked to add good weight since arriving at Ohio State. He was a little leaner than the average offensive line recruit because he was a standout wrestler at Wayne.

“Developing myself, just getting more knowledge about the game and becoming a better person overall,” Padilla said of his focus.

Of course, neither of them could claim to be the most famous former Warrior involved in the National Championship Game.

That honor went to Marcus Freeman, the head coach at Notre Dame, whose staff also includes Wayne grad Mike Mickens, who coaches defensive backs.

“Coach Mickens is a tremendous asset to our program with the ability to identify talent, to recruit the talent, to develop the talent,” Freeman said. “I mean, he’s been a heck of a coach.

“As far as where we grew up, I think everybody has a piece of who they are because of the way they were raised, and our four years at Wayne High School has a big impact on who we are as men today.

“That’s a special place. It’s a special place to me. There’s special people there. There’s teachers there. There’s administration, there’s coaches there that all have an impact on who I am as an individual. So I’ll always be a Wayne Warrior.”