Kelly Earns Western Buckeye League Offensive Honor
Van Wert's Xavier Kelly led league skill players, while Ottawa-Glandorf claimed multiple top awards in the Western Buckeye League.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Football
Xavier Kelly of Van Wert was named Western Buckeye League Offensive Skill Player of the Year after ending the regular season with 1,111 rushing yards, 583 receiving yards, and 30 total touchdowns. The league also recognized Zach Horstman, Elliot Block, Jordan Schumaker, and Ben Kaufman in its annual awards.
Why it matters
The honors recognize individual production across offense, defense, and special teams in one of Ohio's regional high school football conferences. For Ohio readers following prep football, the awards offer a snapshot of the league's standout players and top-performing programs this season.
Kelly's 1,111 rushing yards, 583 receiving yards, and 30 total touchdowns were recorded over the regular season, while Block led the league at 39.9 yards per punt. The figures reflect regular-season output only, and postseason results were not part of the award criteria described.
The players
Xavier Kelly
Kelly is a running back and receiver for Van Wert whose combined rushing, receiving, and scoring output earned him the league's top offensive skill honor.
Ben Kaufman
Kaufman is the head football coach at Ottawa-Glandorf, whose team went 10-0 in the regular season and earned him Coach of the Year.
Western Buckeye League
The Western Buckeye League is a high school athletic conference in western Ohio that annually recognizes top players and coaches across its member schools.
The details
The Western Buckeye League announced awards across offensive, defensive, and special teams positions. Ottawa-Glandorf, coached by Ben Kaufman, went 10-0 in the regular season, and its offense averaged 200 rushing yards and 181 passing yards per game with Horstman blocking.
Timeline
2025: Ottawa-Glandorf went 10-0 the prior season.
2026 regular season: Kelly, Horstman, Block, Schumaker, and Kaufman earned league awards.
Season Trajectory
Ottawa-Glandorf's 10-0 season the prior year and its multiple awards this year suggest the program has sustained its success under Ben Kaufman. The honors place the Titans among the league's leading programs as the postseason approaches.
The awards highlight Kelly's production as a dual-threat option for Van Wert, and Block's league-leading punting average affects field position for Wapakoneta. Fantasy and recruiting followers can use the regular-season totals as a benchmark for these players.
The takeaway
Individual honors like these reward players whose impact spans several phases of the game, not just one position. Readers tracking Ohio prep football can use league awards to identify programs and players likely to shape the postseason.
Further reading
Explore more Ohio high school football coverage for context on the state's conferences and standout players.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Lima News.
