LIMA, OH (WLIO) - The Perry Commodores are coming off a sub-.500 season, but with several returning starters from 2025, the tide may finally be turning in the 'Dores' favor in 2026.

It was anything but smooth sailing for the Perry Commodores in 2025. The team finished 4-6 overall and seventh in the Northwest Central Conference. For seventh-year head coach Seth Evans, he will have nine starters back on offense and 10 on defense.

"We struggle to put points up on the board and inconsistently. I think we only averaged 14-15 points a game. Trying to get the offense caught up with the defense and with the guys that we have returning back, I think we can do that. Having a lot of those returning guys, it helps us move faster, helps us get through things, helps us focus on more of the detailed stuff, being physical, and things like that," said Evans.

The new field general for the Commodores will be junior Colten Scott.

"We're going to run the ball pretty hard all season and deep balls are going to be a big play in our game. Definitely mechanics and accuracy. That's my big focus right now and just getting better at that position overall," said Scott.

"Big, strong, solid kid. His arm's really, really nice. He's learning it, he's getting a little more comfortable and I think he's going to do a nice job for us," said Evans.

The Perry Commodores open the 2026 season against a familiar opponent they haven't faced since 2022, welcoming in fellow Allen County foe the Allen East Mustangs for a Week 1 showdown.

"We're going to go out there and give it our best. You know, we're going to play within ourselves and do everything we can to win. It gives me a sense of pride that I get to show what Perry's about," said Perry senior Wyatt Taviano.

"You know, I know a lot of their guys and they know a lot of our guys. So I say it's a fun matchup for the juniors and senior classes for both schools, and we just got to come out and play hard overall," said Scott.

For the Commodores to return to the top of the NWCC, they need to practice what they preach, as they chase down their first conference crown since 2020.

"We just got to stick to our process. Last year we had some things not go our way and kind of teetered some games and we lost some games that we shouldn't have. And I think this year with the returning guys we have, the focus that we have and the core we have, we can get on top and have a nice season this year as a whole," said Evans.

Perry is still seeking their first winning season since 2021. In for them to be successful in 2026, it starts with trusting the process.

"We still have to play our style of football, which is, fast and physical, and we have to practice that way. If we don't practice that way, we can't expect for games to go that way," said Evans.

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