SPENCERVILLE, OH (WLIO) — It has been a tough 2020s for the Bearcats, who are still searching for their first winning season since 2019. But this 2026 squad is determined to flip the script and prove they can compete with the best.

2025 saw the Spencerville football team finish 2-8 overall and seventh in the Northwest Conference. Head coach Kyle Koenig returns for year number four at the helm, and he brings back 7-8 starters on both sides of the ball.

"You know, we got some younger guys at the skill position, but they're hungry and they're really, really coachable kids. So it makes it fun to be out here coaching them and an offensive line with some older guys that help. So they kind of know what the system's like and what they need to do. And now we can just focus on fine tuning the little things and executing the way we need to. It's been a fun offseason, trying to figure out all the pieces that we need to fit in," said Koenig.

One of those key pieces will be sophomore quarterback Grant Layman.

"He's done a great job of learning everything and communicating things at the line of scrimmage for our guys," said Koenig.

"I mean, it's been my dream since I was just a little kid. I've just been always looking forward to these moments, playing under the lights with my teammates and all. It's just the game I love. I'm a bit of a better runner, but I can show my passing game quite a lot. I've never fully been a quarterback. This is going to be my first time on air as a quarterback, but I'll be able to show my running skills as the coaches are putting me at different spots on the field. They're going to put me in different positions to succeed, and that's just what I'm planning to look forward on," said Layman.

The Bearcats will once again begin the season against back-to-back Division Six regional finalist Anna.

"I think when the time comes for week one, we're going to be in a position we want to be and just compete our brains out and try and go get a win," said Layman.

Spencerville is still looking for their first NWC title since 2019. According to head coach Kyle Koenig, his team needs to stay disciplined and limit the big plays to have a strong conference run this season.

"This year it's more of a focus of keeping things in front of us and kind of making everybody earn what they're going to get against us, and I think our guys are doing a real good job of embracing that aspect and then on the offensive side of the ball, we just need to do what we do. We're a Wing T offense, our best thing that we can do, our best defense is if we can hold on to the football for a long period of time," said Koenig.

After a tough season last year, Spencerville is focused on building momentum this offseason. And the key to a strong start for the Bearcats will be their consistency and competitiveness.

"We just have to work on consistency, stacking good days out here. You know, we don't have the numbers we'd like to have, but we just stack days, be a team, stay together. I think when the time comes for week one, we're going to be in a position we want to be and just compete our brains out and try and go get a win," said Spencerville senior Landon Kahle.

"Yeah, I think the biggest thing for us is that we just are going to continue to focus on being competitive no matter the circumstance. You're going to see our guys fighting like crazy each and every day. They're going to continue to fight in every game and compete at a high level and not let things get to them. They're going to stay focused on what needs to be done and hopefully the results of our game show that and we'll go from there," said Koenig.

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