Thomas More’s 2025 football season gets underway on Saturday at Southern Illinois and they are now officially official for Division II.
The provisional waiting period is over, meaning they are now eligible for postseason play as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC).
Their first four games are on the road to start the season which also includes Dayton and then conference foes Northwood and Findlay. Their home opener will be Oct. 4 against Lake Erie College. They’re coming off a 5-6 season in 2024.
The roster makeup includes 25 players from the Northern Kentucky area consisting of Boone, Campbell and Kenton County.
Here they are:
Kel Hawkins, Dixie Heights — Hawkins is a redshirt junior who appeared in nine games for the Saints last season, recording four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Ben Fay, Conner — Fay transferred from Eastern Kentucky University, where he did not appear in a game as a freshman for the Colonels and took a redshirt year. He’s listed as a tight end.
Logan Verax, Ryle — Verax took a redshirt his freshman year with the Saints last year and is listed as a quarterback.
Drew Warth, Cooper — Warth is in his senior season for the Saints and has been in a reserve role listed as a quarterback.
Eli White, Cooper — White is in his junior year. Last season he played in all 11 games, rushing for 191 yards on 67 attempts and two touchdowns. He also brought down six receptions for 25 yards.
Preston Agee, Covington Catholic — Agee is in his senior year. He recorded 16 receptions for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2024 and has 70 receptions for 801 yards and five touchdowns in his Saints career.
Chase Crone, Simon Kenton — Crone enters his junior year with 668 passing yards in 14 games played for the Saints his first two seasons. He’s 62-for-117 passing with a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown.
Aven Bohms, Simon Kenton — Bohms enters his freshman season and is listed as a linebacker.
Max Neal, Dixie Heights — Neal enters his freshman year and is listed as a defensive back.
Demetrick Welch, Newport Central Catholic — Welch took a redshirt last year in his freshman season and is listed as a running back.
Adam Duncan, Conner — Duncan took a redshirt last year in his freshman season and is listed as a linebacker.
Jackson Belk, Ryle — Belk enters his senior year with 49 career tackles as a linebacker, a tackle for loss, interception, pass deflection, forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Alex Castrucci, Conner — Castrucci is a senior with 25 career tackles and two tackles for loss as a defensive back.
Elian Ruzindana, Conner — Ruzindana took a redshirt last year in his freshman season and is listed as a defensive back.
Davis Burleigh, Highlands — Burleigh redshirted his freshman year and was a reserve last season for the Saints as the kicker is now a redshirt sophomore.
Ryan Urti, Covington Catholic — Urti played at Covington Catholic his senior year, transferring from Charlotte Catholic. He’s in his freshman season with the Saints as a kicker.
Emmanuel Ekpe, Conner — Ekpe took a redshirt year last season as a freshman and is listed as a running back.
Xavier Campbell, Beechwood — Campbell played a reserve role his freshman season last year and is listed as a defensive lineman.
Tyler Morehead, Dixie Heights — Morehead enters his freshman year and is listed as a linebacker.
Jake Putthoff, Simon Kenton — Putthoff appeared in three games on the Saints offensive line last season as a freshman.
Jaidan Combs, Cooper — Combs enters his freshman year and is listed as a wide receiver.
Kolton Smith, Newport Central Catholic — Smith appeared in six games for the Saints last year and is listed as a tight end.
Chad Atkins, Newport Central Catholic — Atkins is a redshirt freshman and listed as a wide receiver.
Luke Iden, Scott — The senior Iden led the team in scoring last season as a junior with 62 points which also included a program kicking record 14 points scored in a game last year when he made three field goals and kicked five extra points in a win over Kentucky Christian. In his Saints career, he’s made 25 field goals and 67 extra points for 142 points.
Rob Sanders, Newport — Sanders is a transfer from Hocking College where he played in 13 games in two seasons for the Hawks as a defensive lineman, recording 43 tackles, two sacks and forcing a fumble.