Which central Ohio high school football players had top Week 9 games?

Many of the top individual performances in Week 9 of the high school football season across central Ohio had impact beyond the night’s results.

League championships were on the line for many teams, as were playoff seedings and even first-round byes in the postseason.

Here is a look at which central Ohio players had the best games in Week 9.

This list was gathered from games covered by the USA Today Network and statistics submitted to The Dispatch by area teams or otherwise publicly posted. The Dispatch encourages all central Ohio programs to submit information to sports@dispatch.com, dpurpura@dispatch.com and fdirenna@dispatch.com as soon as possible following games:

1. Dillan Cornell, Berne Union

Statistics: The junior defensive back had interception returns for touchdowns on consecutive

plays, scoring from 56 and 80 yards in the third quarter as the Rockets (6-3, 5-0 MSL-Cardinal) shut out Fairfield Christian 32-0.

Next game: Oct. 23 at Zanesville Rosecrans

2. Darnell Young, Independence

Stats: The freshman running back ran for 248 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries and returned an interception 32 yards for a sixth score as the 76ers (2-7, 1-5 City League-South) beat Eastmoor Academy 50-26. Independence snapped a six-game losing streak.

Next game: Oct. 23 vs. Walnut Ridge

Big Walnut's Nolan Buirley (3) runs the ball in the second half of the OHSAA football game at Big Walnut High School on Oct. 2, 2026 in Sunbury, Ohio.

3. Nolan Buirley, Big Walnut

Stats: The senior running back scored six first-half touchdowns, five of them on the ground, as the Golden Eagles (9-0, 5-0 OCC-Capital) scored all of their points before halftime in a 54-0 win at Dublin Scioto. Buirley caught an 83-yard touchdown pass from Eli Stumpf and ran for 215 yards on just eight carries.

Next game: Oct. 23 vs. Westland

4. Camden Stephens, Heath

Stats: The senior wide receiver and safety accounted for two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ (6-3, 3-1 Licking County League-Cardinal) 49-0 rout of Newark Catholic. Stephens threw a 4-yard touchdown to Joe Ward and returned an interception 50 yards for a score in the second quarter.

Next game: Oct. 23 vs. Lakewood

Bradley Binion (4) returns a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to help West defeat South 14-0 on Oct. 16.

5. Bradley Binion, West

Stats: The junior returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown, giving West (9-0, 6-0 City-South) the eventual game-winning touchdown in a 14-0 victory at previously unbeaten South.

Next game: Oct. 23 vs. Briggs

Olentangy's Tommy Hartings (7) passes the ball against Upper Arlington in the first half of the OHSAA football game at Olentangy High School on Aug. 21, 2026 in Lewis Center, Ohio.

6. Tommy Hartings, Olentangy

Stats: The senior quarterback threw touchdown passes of 2, 8, 25 and 47 yards as the Braves remained undefeated in the OCC-Cardinal (5-4, 4-0) with a 27-21 win over Dublin Jerome. Olentangy won for the fourth consecutive week and fifth time in six games after an 0-3 start.

Next game: Oct. 23 at Olentangy Berlin

Newark's Payton Knott sacks Reynoldsburg's Justin Heckman during the visiting Wildcats' 33-6 loss on Oct. 16, 2026.

7. Justin Heckman, Reynoldsburg

Stats: The senior quarterback completed 12 of 20 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries as the Raiders (6-3, 4-0 OCC-Buckeye) won their fourth consecutive game, 33-6 over Newark.

Next game: Oct. 23 at Pickerington Central

Licking Valley's Levi Lewis defends a Teays Valley receiver during the host Panthers' 21-20 victory at Randy Baughman Stadium on Sept. 4, 2026.

8. Levi Lewis, Licking Valley

Stats: The sophomore defensive back helped maintain the Panthers’ undefeated season (9-0, 4-0 LCL-Buckeye) by returning an interception 79 yards for a touchdown in the final minute as Licking Valley held off Granville 42-28. The Panthers clinched at least a share of the league championship.

Next game: Oct. 23 at Zanesville

Worthington Kilbourne's Jackson Szabo (3) makes a pass in the first half of the OHSAA football game at Big Walnut High School on Oct. 2, 2026 in Sunbury, Ohio.

9. Jackson Szabo, Worthington Kilbourne

Stats: The Wolves’ (8-1, 4-1 OCC-Capital) junior quarterback amassed 414 yards of offense, rushing for 227 and three touchdowns on 28 carries and passing for 187 yards in a 22-12 win over Westerville North.

Next game: Oct. 23 at Westerville South

Orange's Makir Clifton (22) tackles Berlin's Cooper Ailes (1) during Week 1 of high school football at Olentangy Berlin in Delaware, Ohio on Aug. 21, 2026.

10. Cooper Ailes, Olentangy Berlin

Stats: The sophomore returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown and a kickoff 90 yards for a score as the Bears (7-2, 4-0 OCC-Cardinal) won their fifth game in a row, 28-6 over Marysville, to set up a league title showdown with Olentangy in Week 10.

Next game: Oct. 23 vs. Olentangy

High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which central Ohio high school football players had top Week 9 games?