The Moeller High School football team is the Greater Catholic League South division champion.
The Crusaders defeated visiting Elder 35-28 Friday night at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.
It is Moellers fourth GCL South title in the past five seasons. Moeller also recently won the GCL South championship in 2024, 2023 and 2022. Elder won the GCL South title in 2025.
Obviously our guys are really excited about the GCL championship and winning it outright especially how it happened last year where it was just a tough loss to Elder, Moeller coach Bert Bathiany said early Saturday morning.
So this was a date we definitely had circled for quite some time. Just really happy for our fans, happy for our players and more importantly our seniors. They get to be GCL champs. Thats a big deal as a senior to be able to say that. Really proud of them proud of our staff.
Moeller sophomore running back Juice Glover-Brown rushed 28 times for 205 yards and three touchdowns in the Crusaders fourth consecutive win. His 26-yard touchdown run with 50 seconds remaining broke a 28-all tie and proved to be the winning play. Moeller completed a six-play, 63-yard drive which proved to be the difference.
Sophomore quarterback Hunter McLaughlin was 15 of 23 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Phil Bailey rushed nine times for 109 yards.
Moeller had 544 yards of total offense including 352 yards rushing.
Bathiany said he was basically speechless at the end of the game.
These GCL games they get so tight and so close, they can be emotionally draining on you sometimes, Bathiany said. And that was like a GCL classic as well.
Moeller (5-2) is No. 4 in the Division I, Region 4 computer points standings. Moeller plays at Cleveland St. Ignatius (4-3) Oct. 9.
Elder (5-2), ranked No. 3 in Region 4, travels to play Highlands (6-1) Oct. 9.
Thats a really good football team, Bathiany said of Elder. Theyre going to be really good in the playoffs. Theyre going to be really tough. Just like St. X, we expect to see them again. So were going to celebrate this one tonight and were going to soak it up but we know we have a big challenge ahead with Iggy (St. Ignatius) and (Lakewood St. Edward) and (Detroit) Martin Luther King and getting back to playoff football.
Bathiany told the Moeller team to be appreciate everything about the GCL championship on Friday night.
Soak it up take this moment in youre GCL champs and to enjoy this night because you dont get moments like this too often,' Bathiany said.
