NEWTOWN, Ohio — Miami Valley Christian Academy returns home Friday night for one of the biggest nights on the fall calendar as the Lions welcome Cincinnati Country Day for Homecoming 2026.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, following an afternoon of Homecoming festivities on the MVCA campus.
The Lions enter the matchup 4-2 after a commanding 42-8 road victory over Fayetteville-Perry last week. Cincinnati Country Day comes to Newtown at 2-4 and is also coming off a win after shutting out New Miami, 26-0.
A victory Friday would give MVCA five wins in a season for the first time since 2018, when the Lions finished 7-3.
LAST TIME OUT
MVCA closed out a perfect four-game road stretch in emphatic fashion last Friday, rolling past Fayetteville-Perry, 42-8.
The Lions produced one of their most balanced offensive performances of the season while the defense forced five interceptions and recorded four sacks.
Senior quarterback Jeremiah DesJardins accounted for five touchdowns. He carried the ball 16 times for 124 yards and three touchdowns and completed 11 of 24 passes for 157 yards and two scores.
Junior Lucas Livezey caught six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown and also threw a 25-yard touchdown pass. Jonah Criste added a rushing touchdown as MVCA finished the night with 426 yards of offense, including 244 on the ground.
On defense, Aidan Frisby intercepted three passes and Judah Walters added two more. Hans Erickson led MVCA with seven tackles, while Zach Holland recorded two sacks.
The victory pushed the Lions to 4-0 away from home this season.
DESJARDINS SETTLING IN AT QUARTERBACK
One of the biggest developments of MVCA's season has been the emergence of DesJardins at quarterback.
After beginning the year as a receiver and offensive playmaker, DesJardins made his first start at quarterback against Western Hills on Sept. 11. He has remained behind center for the Lions through their last three games.
His versatility is reflected throughout the conference statistics.
DesJardins leads the Miami Valley Conference with 10 total touchdowns and 60 points scored. He has rushed for 335 yards and six touchdowns on 51 carries while also recording 180 receiving yards and four touchdowns earlier in the season.
Through the air, he has thrown for 308 yards and three touchdowns.
His performance at Fayetteville-Perry showed what that versatility can bring to the offense, as DesJardins surpassed 100 rushing yards while accounting for five of MVCA's six touchdowns.
LIONS TO WATCH
DesJardins isn't the only Lion producing in multiple areas.
Lucas Livezey leads MVCA with 258 receiving yards on 20 catches and has become one of the Lions' primary targets. He also enters Friday with 505 all-purpose yards, placing him among the conference leaders.
AJ Ardizzone has contributed 137 rushing yards and 128 receiving yards, while Jonah Criste has rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries, an average of 5.8 yards per attempt.
Defensively, Hans Erickson leads MVCA with 47 total tackles. Layton Reeves has added 39 tackles, 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss, while Zach Holland leads the Lions with 4.5 sacks.
Livezey has also made an impact in the secondary with three interceptions.
SCOUTING CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY
Cincinnati Country Day enters Homecoming night at 2-4, but the Nighthawks possess several players capable of creating explosive plays.
CCD opened the season with a 30-26 victory over Summit Country Day before dropping four straight. The Nighthawks responded last week with their best defensive result of the season, a 26-0 shutout of New Miami.
The offense is led by quarterback Max Cicchinelli, who has completed 54 of 87 passes for 624 yards and seven touchdowns.
One of the biggest players for MVCA to account for will be Thomas Huckleby.
Huckleby has been dangerous both on the ground and through the air. He has rushed 30 times for 268 yards and six touchdowns, an average of 8.9 yards per carry, while catching 25 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
Nathan Kellenberger gives the Nighthawks another receiving threat with 20 catches for 335 yards and two touchdowns.
For an MVCA defense coming off a five-interception performance, limiting those explosive plays will be one of the major challenges Friday night.
A SERIES WITH HISTORY
Friday will renew a matchup that has been part of MVCA's schedule throughout much of the program's history.
Cincinnati Country Day has won the last several meetings, including a 49-6 victory in 2025 and a 50-19 win in 2024.
That gives this year's Lions another opportunity to continue what has already been one of the program's strongest starts in recent seasons.
HOMECOMING TAILGATE
The action begins well before kickoff.
The MVCA Homecoming Tailgate will run from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, giving Lion families, students and alumni a chance to gather before the football game.
Jack's Grill will provide free hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, gluten-free buns, chips and water.
Kona Ice and Johnny's Ice Cream will have desserts available for purchase, and the Lion Cafe will also be open.
There will be plenty for students throughout the afternoon, including inflatables for preschool through third grade and activities for older students such as a larger obstacle course, wrecking ball, foosball, putt-putt, climb-the-ladder and two gaming trucks.
The tailgate will also feature the Bling & Blitz a Bell station, where students can decorate small cowbells with stickers, along with face painters, balloon artists and family-friendly music.
Families are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs and find a spot to tailgate before heading into the game. Pavilion seating will also be available.
No food will be permitted on the field as it will be prepared for the visiting team and pregame warmups.
GAME INFORMATION
Cincinnati Country Day at Miami Valley Christian
Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Homecoming Tailgate: 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
MVCA All-Weather Field
