Photo By Kim North Former Linsly and Marietta College standout Chance Knight lowers the boom on an opposing quarterback during a game from the 2025 season. Knight returns for another season with the Ohio Valley Ironmen.

SHADYSIDE – The second season of outdoor professional football in the Ohio Valley is set to get started Saturday night when the Ohio Valley Ironmen travel to Mason High School’s Dwire Field at Atrium Stadium to battle the Cincinnati Dukes in Continental League Football action.

Kickoff is set for 7.

The Ironmen held an intrasquad scrimmage on Tuesday at Fleming Field that left Head Coach/General Manager Manny Matsakis shaking his head at how much talent there is.

“It was good. We probably ran about 70 plays,” Matsakis said. “We had to let four guys go to get down to our roster for the weekend, but we’ve got quite a bit of talent back from a year ago. We have to gel, but, overall, we’ve got a better team from last year.

“A lot of guys impressed me. The effort was good,” he continued. “They treated each other professionally and everything was on-point.”

That’s saying something coming from a team that outscored its three opponents by a combined score of 166-0, which led to scheduled opponents forfeiting their upcoming game before the Ironmen canceled the remainder of their 2025 season in late July. Rather than playing a patched-together schedule, management pivoted to fully relaunching the franchise for the 2026 season.

However, according to the CoFL website and Matsakis, two of the North Division teams – the Indianapolis Capitols and the Michigan Arrows – have folded their franchises, leaving only Cincinnati and Ohio Valley as teams eligible for the championship game. There are a pair of ancillary teams – the Norfolk Neptunes and the Vegas Gamblers.

“Our roster is solid and there are some people that once they see it, they don’t want to play us if they are non-league opponents,” Matsakis continued. “In the last month, I’ve had three games that were supposed to play us, drop out. It’s frustrating. Indianapolis and Michigan did not run their franchises well enough and that has really hurt us from a competition standpoint.

Quarterback

Back for a second campaign as the field general is Javonte Howard (6-0, 195, University of Charleston). The former MEC standout had an excellent season last summer and Matsakis is expecting more this time around.

“Javonte looks better than he did a year ago. He has a mastery of the offense. He studied it all during the off-season,” Matsakis noted. “The first day of (training) camp he was having meetings with different players in the hotel. He’s got a good handle on the offense.”

Running Backs

“We’ve got three (running) backs. I was originally only going to keep two, but they are all so good it was hard to decide who to keep and who to let go,” Matsakis admitted.

They are returnee Jeremiah Nelson (6-0, 240, Kutztown State); Quincy Wimbish Jr. (5-11, 198, West Liberty) and Jada Byers (5-8, 185, Virginia Union) who led the nation in rushing at the NCAA Division II level.

Offensive Line

“Our offensive line is frightening,” Matsakis stressed. “They are all big and can move.

“Our quarterback of that group is our center Aiden Ferguson (6-4, 305, Minnesota State). He has taken control of that group as the leader,” Matsakis offered.

Others include Kedonis Haslem (6-5, 330, University of the Cumberlands); Derrick Villarico (6-3, 270, W.Va. Wesleyan); Anthony Turrubiartes (6-3, 310, Sam Houston State); Matthew Foster (6-7, 318, Virginia State University); Brock Fox (6-6, 318, Augustana) and Deontae Veney (6-5, 300, Minnesota State).

Wide Receivers

“As good of a group that we had last year, we’re even better this year,” Matsakis continued.

Cahsid Raymond (6-2, 170, Mansfield University) just came off a (NCAA D-II) track season where he ran a 20.8 in the 200 meters.

“I think he is ready,” Matsakis said. “We also have a local guy Chris Charles (6-3, 200, West Liberty).

D’Ago Hunter (5-6, 165, Towson State) returns for another season.

“He’s a tremendous talent. He can play in the backfield. He can play in the slot and is a great kickoff and punt returner, just ask West Virginia about him,” Matsakis said.

Another solid returnee is Said Sidibe (6-1, 180, Virginia Union).

Other wideouts are Joseph Boykin (6-2, 190, Savannah State), Nick Turner (5-8, 165, Mount Union University) and Rodney Pierre (6-4, 210, Virginia State University).

“It’s hard to single out just one guy because they play so well as a unit,” Matsakis said of the offense.

Defensive Line

“It is setting the tone. It is very strong,” the head coach praised

Kevin Thurmon Jr. (6-3, 300, Ball State) was a Canadian Football League All-Star with British Columbia.

“He’s a real talent,” Matsakis said.

“CJ Wright (6-0, 285, Ga. Southern) is a great defensive lineman but also rushed for half-a-dozen touchdowns in college, so he’s a great athlete,” Matsakis noted.

Lashawn Paulino (6-4, 260, Vanderbilt University)

Chance Knight (6-3, 250, Marietta College) former Linsly standout.

“I’ve got three Canadian League teams after him already,” Matsakis admitted.

Also listed are Aditya Singh (5-11, 280, Oklahoma Baptist) and DeShawn Bell (6-4, 250).

Linebackers

“We had so many very good linebackers we had to let a couple go,” Matsakis revealed.

Mike Smith Jr. (6-1, 231, Baylor).

“He started at Baylor. One of their coaches Dave Aranda called me about him and said ‘he is captain-like material,’ and he wasn’t wrong about that,” Matsakis added.

Others include Sheriff Kamara (5-10, 210, Wesley College); Joshua Holley (6-2, 240, Morgan State University); Stone Cummins (6-0, 230, Coe College); Joe Brown (5-11, 220, Union Local) and Kyhree Marshall (6-1, 210, Bethany College, Kan.). Holley and Brown are returners.

“All of those guys are so physical and fast,” the head coach/general manager said. “They can play up on the edge or they can drop back into pass coverage.”

Defensive Backs

“Dox Aitken (6-2, 195, Virginia) can play anywhere back there and Jaylin Mack (5-10, 190, Campbellsville College) is back after starting all three games,” Matsakis said.

Also listed in the secondary are Jhaqwori Austin (6-0, 180, St. Thomas University, Fla.); Leon Crawford III (6-0, 205, Davenport, Mich.); Caleb Ham (6-1, 195, Fordham University) and Rontay Dunbar (6-0, 185, Johnson C. Smith University).

“The competition in practice is legit,” Matsakis stressed. “If we practice hard, that’s what we want. We want our practices to be harder than any game.”

Special Teams

Anthony Beitko (6-0, 195, Cal (Pa.) will handle the placekicking and kickoff duties. He was an All-American in college and hails from McKeesport, Pa.

Isaac Parks (6-0, 230, UNC Pembroke) returns after very limited use last season.

“Our punter is off the charts,” Matsakis described. “This year with the new ‘Continental Shift’ in the fourth quarter, if he punts it through the uprights it counts as two points. He hit one from more than 70 yards.”

The long-snapper is Colten Menges (6-5, 240, Alcorn State University).

Home Field

The Ironmen will make the move from John Marshall’s Monarch Stadium to Purple Rider Stadium inside the Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry.

The seating capacity is listed at 5,500. Home games will be played on Sunday nights at 7.

Coaching Staff

Matsakis brings decades of football experience, leadership, and innovation to his dual roles. With a career spanning over 35 years at every level of the game, he has built a reputation as a turnaround specialist and offensive innovator.

Clint Lekanudos, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs; Rob Caldwell, Special Teams Coordinator, Outside Receivers; Bailey McGrath, Linebackers; Boogie Johnson, Running Backs; Dante Defelice, Offensive Line; Jim Bittengle, Slot Receivers and Chad Nickerson, Strength Coach.