Undefeated Jonathan Alder and Star Playmaker Trey Bentley Are Turning Heads Across Ohio High School Football
Updated: 2 hours ago
Sport: High School Football
Team: Jonathan Alder Pioneers
Record: 4–0 Classification: OHSAA Division III, Region 11
Latest result: Jonathan Alder 26, North Union 14
Trey Bentley: Class of 2028, wide receiver/defensive back
Four games into the 2026 season, Jonathan Alder is no longer simply a promising Central Ohio football team.
The Pioneers are undefeated, rising in the Ohio rankings and proving they can win in different ways. They have overwhelmed opponents with explosive plays, controlled games on the ground and responded when another unbeaten team challenged them.
At the center of that early success is junior Trey Bentley, one of Ohio’s most productive two-way players.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver and defensive back has followed a first-team All-Ohio sophomore season with another outstanding start. Through four games, Bentley has already accumulated approximately 607 receiving yards, according to the Central Buckeye Conference’s current statistical leaderboard.
He is not producing empty numbers, either. Bentley’s biggest performances have helped Jonathan Alder open the season 4–0.
Jonathan Alder wins battle of unbeaten teams
Final score: Jonathan Alder 26, North Union 14
Jonathan Alder faced its most meaningful test of the young season on September 11 when North Union arrived in Plain City with a matching 3–0 record.
Something had to give.
The Pioneers answered the challenge with a 26–14 victory, handing North Union its first loss and establishing Jonathan Alder as one of the strongest teams in the Central Buckeye Conference.
North Union entered the game averaging more than 37 points and featured an experienced group led by quarterback Nickolas Hajjar and receiver Dainon Lindsey. Alder’s defense held that offense to 14 points.
Bentley once again created problems for the opposing secondary. One of the night’s defining images showed him securing the football near North Union’s one-yard line with defenders closing around him. Even when he did not finish a play in the end zone himself, his ability to win downfield and position the offense near the goal line created scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The victory showed that Jonathan Alder could do more than pile up points against overmatched competition. The Pioneers defeated an undefeated opponent with legitimate playmakers and playoff expectations.
Four wins—and four convincing performances
Jonathan Alder has outscored its first four opponents 138–50.
Week | Opponent | Result |
1 | West Liberty-Salem | W, 41–10 |
2 | Columbus Academy | W, 36–12 |
3 | Bloom-Carroll | W, 35–14 |
4 | North Union | W, 26–14 |
The Pioneers are averaging 34.5 points per game while allowing only 12.5.
That balance is important. Jonathan Alder’s offense receives considerable attention because of Bentley and the team’s collection of skill players, but the defense has yet to allow more than 14 points in a game.
Alder has also defeated opponents from several different classifications and styles:
West Liberty-Salem entered with a physical small-school identity.
Columbus Academy presented athleticism and talent along the defensive line.
Bloom-Carroll gave Alder a Division III road test.
North Union brought an undefeated record and a productive offense to Plain City.
Jonathan Alder found an answer each week.
Bentley’s season begins with a complete performance
Bentley immediately established the tone in Alder’s 41–10 season-opening victory over West Liberty-Salem.
He caught six passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, averaging nearly 18 yards per reception.
That would have been an excellent night for a receiver alone. Bentley also delivered on defense.
Playing strong safety, he recorded:
Six tackles
Two tackles for loss
One interception
One forced fumble
It was a complete two-way performance. Bentley stretched the field offensively, disrupted plays near the line of scrimmage and created two turnovers.
His twin brother, Danny Bentley, also made an immediate football impact with two catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Drew Hughes completed 11 of 13 passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns, while Christian Amann rushed for 132 yards and two scores.
That opening performance revealed how difficult Alder’s offense could be to defend. Opponents could not concentrate entirely on Trey Bentley without creating opportunities for Danny, Amann and the rest of the Pioneer offense.
Big plays continue against Columbus Academy
Jonathan Alder traveled to Columbus Academy in Week 2 and earned a 36–12 victory.
Bentley finished with five receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged more than 22 yards per catch, once again demonstrating that his production comes with genuine explosiveness.
Through two games, Bentley had already accumulated:
11 receptions
218 receiving yards
Four receiving touchdowns
His ability to make plays after the catch was also evident. Alder used him on jet sweeps, swing passes and downfield routes, allowing him to attack different areas of the defense.
He is not a receiver who must remain on the outside and wait for deep throws. The Pioneers can move him across the formation, put him in motion and create opportunities for him to catch the ball with room to run.
That variety forces defenders to identify Bentley before every snap.
A huge night at Bloom-Carroll
Bentley delivered his most explosive receiving performance of the season during Alder’s 35–14 road victory over Bloom-Carroll.
He caught eight passes for 219 yards, averaging more than 27 yards per reception.
Through the first three games alone, Bentley had recorded:
19 receptions
437 receiving yards
23 yards per reception
Those are remarkable efficiency numbers, particularly for a player who also carries a substantial workload on defense.
Bentley’s Week 3 performance was not built around short, harmless completions. He consistently produced chunk plays and forced Bloom-Carroll to defend the entire field.
His presence also creates space for Alder’s running game. When a safety moves deeper or a linebacker widens to account for Bentley, the box becomes lighter for Amann and the other Pioneer ball carriers.
That is part of Bentley’s influence that does not appear in his personal statistics. Defenses must change their structure simply because he is on the field.
Building on an All-Ohio sophomore season
Bentley’s early production is not a sudden development.
As a sophomore in 2025, he recorded 1,234 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions. He helped Jonathan Alder finish 11–2 and advance into the Division IV postseason.
He was rewarded with first-team All-Ohio honors in Division IV, an impressive accomplishment for an underclassman.
Jonathan Alder moved into Division III for the 2026 postseason structure, but Bentley’s impact has followed the Pioneers into the larger classification.
That sophomore season established him as a legitimate college prospect. His junior year is strengthening the résumé by showing continued production, physical development and value on both sides of the football.
What makes Bentley a college prospect?
Bentley possesses the combination of size, athleticism and production coaches want from a modern receiver.
At 6-foot-3 and approximately 195 pounds, he presents a large target and has the frame to continue adding strength. He can attack defenders vertically, secure the ball in traffic and generate yards after the catch.
His defensive experience adds another layer to his evaluation.
Bentley understands route development from both perspectives. As a receiver, he knows how defensive backs attempt to disrupt timing. As a safety, he learns how offenses manipulate coverage and create leverage.
His physical nature is evident in both sports he plays. Bentley has openly identified football as his favorite sport because he enjoys the contact, and that attitude shows when he blocks, runs through traffic or steps downhill from the secondary.
He is not merely a receiver who tolerates defensive responsibilities. He has created turnovers, made tackles behind the line and demonstrated that he can affect a game without catching the football.
Recruiting interest is growing
Bentley has already attracted confirmed college attention.
Press Pros reported interest from Miami University and Colgate, and Bentley’s public recruiting profile indicates that he has received Division I opportunities. His combination of academic performance and athletic production should make him attractive to both scholarship programs and academically selective schools.
His profile lists a 4.13 GPA, an important part of his recruiting story.
College football programs are evaluating more than highlight catches. They are looking at transcripts, course selection, physical development, position versatility and how a prospect competes when the ball is not coming his way.
Bentley checks several of those boxes:
First-team All-Ohio production
More than 1,200 receiving yards as a sophomore
Two-way varsity experience
Size and positional versatility
Multi-sport background
Strong reported academic performance
Continued production against a stronger Division III schedule
Most importantly, Bentley is still only a junior. He has the remainder of the 2026 season, another offseason and his entire senior year to expand his recruitment.
The Bentley brothers make Alder more dangerous
Trey’s story is also connected to his twin brother, Danny.
Danny established himself first as a basketball standout. He averaged 18.1 points per game as a sophomore, earned CBC Player of the Year honors and received second-team All-Ohio recognition.
After concentrating primarily on basketball during his first two high school years, Danny joined the football team in 2026. His arrival gave Jonathan Alder another 6-foot-2 target and allowed the brothers to share the field on Friday nights.
They may be identical twins, but they have different favorite sports. Danny prefers basketball, while Trey has embraced football as his primary passion.
Their competitiveness is the common thread.
That multi-sport background also matters to Alder. At a school where athletes frequently contribute to multiple programs, the football and basketball staffs have worked together to prevent players from feeling caught between sports.
Trey has also played basketball for Jonathan Alder, providing additional evidence of his footwork, coordination, spatial awareness and ability to compete in traffic.
Alder climbs the Ohio rankings
Jonathan Alder’s undefeated start is beginning to receive statewide recognition.
After Week 4, the Pioneers were ranked No. 83 among all 700 OHSAA football teams in Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50 predictive ratings. Looking specifically at the classification list, Alder was approximately No. 6 in Division III and the second-highest-rated team in Region 11, behind Steubenville.
Those ratings were updated September 13 after the completion of Week 4.
It is important to understand what that ranking means. The Fantastic 50 is a predictive computer rating intended to compare team strength and forecast future games. It is not the official OHSAA playoff standings.
Still, reaching the top 10 of a competitive Division III field is meaningful. Alder entered the season outside the statewide top 150 in the same model and has steadily climbed by winning four consecutive games.
The Pioneers’ progression has been clear:
After Week 1: No. 163 statewide
After Week 2: No. 105
After Week 3: No. 100
After Week 4: No. 83
Jonathan Alder is not moving up because of preseason reputation. It is earning ground through performance.
The road ahead
Jonathan Alder travels to face Springfield Shawnee on September 18 before returning home to play Tecumseh on September 25.
The schedule becomes more demanding during October. Games against Urbana and London could carry significant CBC and playoff implications, followed by matchups with Kenton Ridge and Bellefontaine.
London, in particular, projects as one of Alder’s most important remaining tests. The Red Raiders feature a physical rushing attack and have already produced convincing victories this season.
Alder cannot afford to look that far ahead, but its opening month has created a strong foundation. The Pioneers are scoring in multiple ways, defending consistently and receiving major contributions from experienced players and newcomers alike.
An exciting team with an emerging star
Jonathan Alder’s 4–0 start belongs to the entire program.
Drew Hughes has provided efficient quarterback play. Christian Amann has given the offense a productive running presence. Danny Bentley has added another dangerous receiving option. The offensive line has created time and space, while the defense has held every opponent to 14 points or fewer.
But Trey Bentley has been the player who can change a game from almost anywhere on the field.
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