High School Football Camp Tour: Wayne seeks breakthrough in 2026 after back-to-back regional final appearances

Aug. 5—A challenging year awaits Wayne in the eyes of head coach Roosevelt Mukes.

The Warriors nonconference schedule consists of a road game at Fairfield before hosting state powers Cincinnati St. Xavier and Lakewood St. Edward. The rigors of Greater Western Ohio Conference play follows.

"That's why you come to a place like Wayne High School to play a schedule like that and just compete," Mukes said.

Wayne competed well in 2025. The Warriors reached the Region 2 final for a second consecutive season. That has the team hungry to take the next step needed to get back to the state final for the first time since 2015.

"Just knowing what the seniors what they left off, we got to finish what they [started]," senior Aaden Curtis said.

Curtis will be one of the new senior defenders looking to take care of that business. He will be joined by Dajon Nalls-Oliver, the league's leading returning tackler, along with junior Kory Minor.

Kye Graham is back and is one of the area's top quarterbacks. James Dyer IV, a diminutive receiver listed at 5-6, will be a nuisance for opposing defenses to stop. Rising junior Gabriel Clyne will be a featured offensive lineman.

Jamier Brown, a 5-star recruit nationally and one of the GWOC's players of the year in 2025, was recently seen back at a Wayne practice. He transferred to Big Walnut in January but school officials confirmed he is back at Wayne. His status for the season is unconfirmed.

"I'm just excited to show [fans] what we got filling in the senior's shoes and what we're gonna do this year," Graham said.

Wayne Warriors

2025 Record: 9-5 (5-2, t2nd), Division I regional finalist

Coach: Roosevelt Mukes (8th year, 42-28)

League: GWOC

Need to know: Lakewood St. Edward, Wayne's Week 3 opponent, has made five consecutive D-I state final four appearances and won three state championships during the same stretch.

Players to watch

Gabriel Clyne, OL, 6-3, 300, jr.

Aaden Curtis, WB/DB, 6-2, 170, sr. (9REC, 135YDS, 2TD, INT)

James Dyer IV, WR, 5-6, 145, jr. (32REC, 415YDS, 5TD)

Kye Graham, QB, 6-2, 195, jr. (194-327, 2,628YDS, 20TD, 8INT)

Kory Minor, LB, 6-0, 210, jr. (92TKL, 4TFL, 2FR)

Dajon Nalls-Oliver, LB, 5-10, 190, sr. (105TKL, 9TFL, 3SACK, 1FR)

Brayden Redd, DB, 6-0, 175, sr. (61TKL, 1TFL, 1INT)

Derrick Stinnett, DB, 5-7, 150, sr. (41TKL, 3TFL, 1SACK, 1INT)

Schedule

Aug. 21 — at Fairfield

Aug. 28 — Cincinnati St. Xavier

Sept. 4 — Lakewood St. Edward

Sept. 11 — at Springboro

Sept. 18 — Fairmont

Sept. 25 — at Northmont

Oct. 2 — at Springfield

Oct. 9 — Miamisburg

Oct. 16 — Beavercreek

Oct. 23 — at Centerville

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