Five years ago when Nick Yordy took over the Badin Rams program he brought with him a moniker– “Return to Dominance.” A callback to when Badin was a regular in the state final four under legendary coach Terry Malone. This fall, the Rams returned to dominance in glorious fashion.
Yordy’s Rams outscored their opponents 464-130 as they marched themselves to an undefeated record and the programs first trip to the state championship in 31 years. It was a season filled with lofty expectations and somehow the Rams still exceeded them. Despite coming up just short of the championship.
“We thought we had something pretty special,” said Nick Yordy, Badin’s head coach. “But we didn’t think about playing for a state championship. It was hard to know how good we could be because I’ve never experienced anything like that.”
Yet, as the season started and the wins started piling up against marquee teams in the region, it started to feel like Badin was destined for something special.
“We started having a feeling like ‘hey we might have a shot at this,’ said Yordy. “We never addressed it, but we all felt like we had a special group.”
Badin went 9-0 in the regular season, going undefeated for the second straight year. Of their nine wins, five of their opponents played in a regional championship in either 2020 or 2021 (Roger Bacon, Ross, Alter, Bellbrook and McNick). Though the idea of what they were capable of lingered into their mind, the focus never shifted from the tasks at hand.
“We hada mentality of let’s focus on us, let’s focus on winning the next game,” said Yordy. “Our kids did a great job of always focusing on the next game and the task at hand.”
And that mentality followed them all the way to Canton, where the task at hand was the final task of the season– give the reigning state champions everything they can handle. They did just that.
In front of 7,000 fans in an NFL stadium the Rams fought for 48 minutes, despite a start that couldn’t have been worse. A three-and-out by Badin on their opening drive, then Chardon scored in three plays. As the collective air was taken out of Badin’s fans’ sails, the Rams themselves hunkered down. Badin’s defense stopped Chardon’s patented Wing-t offense, and fought for four quarters. The Hilltoppers scored with one minute and five seconds left in the game, to beat the Rams 21-14. Badin’s season ended with a 14-1 record and the program’s third state runner-up trophy.
The defense that kept them in the state championship game, was the same that dominated all season. The stonewall side of the ball pitched six shutouts during the season, and allowed an average of under 10 points a game. For the five games before the state championship, the Rams allowed just one touchdown on the defensive side. In their game against Dayton Carroll they held the Patriots to one yard of total offense.
“As a whole unit, from top to bottom that was a very special unit,” said Yordy. “From d-line, to linebackers to defensive backs this was a complete group.”
Logan Neu, Hunter Harrison, Nick Maraschiello and Jackson Martin were an immovable force on the D-Line, combining for 21 sacks and over 260 tackles. Any back that was fortunate to get past the line were met by Eli Emmons, Tj Hayes, Kaden Starks and Brady Imhoff in the linebacker unit. While Carson Cheek, Braedyn Moore and Jeffrey Luna-Mata hawked the secondary. Cheek and Moore alone combined for 14 interceptions and four touchdowns on the season.
Through the shortened season of 2020 and the state-run of 2021 the Rams allowed 210 points over the course of 25 games. In the 2013 season alone, when the Rams went 10-3 and were regional runners-up, they allowed 227 points.
Though the defense was stellar, you can’t win if you don’t score and the Rams did it in droves. Thanks to their senior combo in the backfield, Landyn Vidourek and Jack Walsh, the tone was always set and the scoreboard was always lit up.
Landyn Vidourek, the two-year starting quarterback, was an incredible talent. The 6’1 University of Cincinnati baseball commit was well on his way to be the first QB in program history to rush and throw for 1,000 yards. In his two years under center he led the Rams to a 21-1 record.
“The one thing that stuck out to me about Landyn was how he prepared in practice,” said Yordy. “He was always full-go. That’s what made him such a great quarterback. His preparation before games was something I never saw in a high school quarterback before. He took it to a whole new level for two years.”
Vidourek broke his hand in the first half of the regional championship game and was taken out in the fourth quarter. That’s when the legend of Alex Ritzie took shape.
Down two scores with under ten minutes to go, the sophomore quarterback in his first meaningful varsity snaps, marched a scoreless Badin team down the field twice. Finding top target Braedyn Moore in the endzone on a broken play to get the Rams on the board. Then orchestrating a go-ahead drive the next possession to clinch the program’s first regional championship since 1998.
With a program as associated with running the football as Badin’s is, to own the record for single season rushing is quite a feat. Jack Walsh found himself at the top of that prestigious totem pole this season, as he rushed for 1,919 yards and 19 touchdowns. Though he was a great player, his leadership on the team was felt through the locker room just as much as his play.
“The way he carried himself in games and in practice speaks volumes about the player he is,” said Yordy.
Walsh was voted by his peers to be a captain, and was the bell cow when they needed him most. After all, when the spotlight was on him was when he shined brightest.
In a revenge game of their postseason exit a season ago by the hands of Alter, Walsh rushed for 230 yards and scored two touchdowns. With 40 seconds remaining in the regional championship game against Bellbrook, the senior back caught the edge and tiptoed in the end zone as the Rams fans went ballistic. Perhaps his greatest performance came in week 10 though. In a rivalry game heightened as a battle of the unbeatens, Walsh crossed the goal line five separate times tying a 25-year-old Badin record held by his own coach, Nick Yordy. Though jokingly, Yordy denies preventing Walsh from surpassing his record.
Though the season in the is in the rearview mirrors of these great players and for the coaching staff, they’ll never forget the support they had along the way from the Ram faithful.
“It was truly amazing,” said Yordy. “We got letters from St. Pete’s, St. Joe’s and Queen of Peace. We got calls and emails from players on the 1990 state championship team. People donated mails and volunteered their time to help us along the way.”
Badin played their state championship game at 3 p.m. on a Friday and despite this fans traveled four hours to Canton to watch the game. Those that didn’t make the trip watched the game at Municipal Brew Works ,The Hub or Pohlman Lanes.
“The support was something that you just don’t see very often. To be apart of it and to see how many people got involved was truly something special. It’s certainly not a thing that we will take for granted,” said Yordy.
Though the state run is over, it will be a fall remembered in Hamilton for years to come.