By Jesse Swafford | CSwaff Media
Photography by Oliver Shrider | OliverShoots1
Wildcats outscore previously unbeaten Cowboys 21-7 in the fourth quarter, force three interceptions, and secure a share of the Cincinnati Hills League title.
DEER PARK, Ohio — For the first time in two decades, Deer Park walked off the football field victorious against Wyoming.
And this time, the Wildcats walked away as conference champions.
Deer Park delivered one of the biggest victories in program history Friday night, defeating previously unbeaten Wyoming 41-21 to claim a share of the Cincinnati Hills League championship.
The victory marked Deer Park’s first win over Wyoming since 2006 and secured the program’s first CHL football title.
For third-year head coach Tucker Berger, the moment was especially meaningful. A Wyoming graduate, Berger guided the Wildcats to a historic victory over his alma mater, completing a 9-1 regular season and establishing another milestone in the program’s continued growth.
“It’s huge!” Berger told CSwaff Media following the victory. “It shows the kids what’s possible when you show up and do the right things each and every day. It shows what happens when you work and play together.”
“The win goes a long way in bolstering the standard and culture we are building here.”
A Back-and-Forth Battle
Wyoming entered Friday’s matchup undefeated at 9-0, needing one more victory to secure the outright CHL championship.
Deer Park entered at 8-1, coming off its first loss of the season against Indian Hill but still possessing an opportunity to earn a share of the conference title.
The Cowboys struck first when Jonas Whalen broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter.
Deer Park answered with an 11-yard touchdown run from Titus Sayers, evening the score at 7-7 after one quarter.
Wyoming regained the lead in the second quarter when Tyler Johnson-Huff scored on a 10-yard run, putting the Cowboys ahead 14-7.
But the Wildcats responded with two touchdowns before halftime.
Morgan Brown scored on a four-yard run to tie the game, and quarterback Tink Sellers connected with Caden Lewis on a two-yard touchdown pass to give Deer Park a 20-14 halftime advantage after the extra-point attempt failed.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, leaving the Wildcats holding a narrow six-point lead entering the final 12 minutes.
Then the game erupted.
Sellers broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, extending Deer Park’s advantage to 28-14 after a successful two-point conversion by Brown.
Wyoming answered when quarterback David Dupee connected with Cam Maupin for a 10-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 28-21.
With the championship hanging in the balance, Deer Park delivered the decisive response.
Brown scored his second rushing touchdown of the night on a 15-yard run, pushing the Wildcats’ lead to 35-21.
Then Sellers put the finishing touches on the victory, intercepting a Wyoming pass and returning it 49 yards for a touchdown.
The defensive score sealed the 41-21 victory and sent the Deer Park community into celebration.
Deer Park outscored Wyoming 21-7 in the fourth quarter, turning a six-point advantage into a convincing 20-point victory.
Sellers Delivers on Both Sides of the Ball
Sellers played a central role in the Wildcats’ historic victory.
The Deer Park quarterback completed 12 of 16 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.
He also carried the ball 12 times for 101 yards, including the 55-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run that helped Deer Park take control.
His final contribution was perhaps the most memorable.
With Wyoming attempting to keep its comeback hopes alive, Sellers intercepted a pass and returned it for the game’s final touchdown.
The performance gave Sellers a passing touchdown, rushing touchdown, and defensive touchdown in the same game.
He also established himself as Deer Park’s career passing yards leader during the contest.
Brown provided another outstanding performance, carrying the ball 27 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
Sayers added 32 rushing yards and a touchdown on two carries, while C.J. Warner contributed seven yards on his lone rushing attempt.
As a team, Deer Park rushed for 249 yards on 42 attempts, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
The Wildcats also received important contributions through the air.
Warner led Deer Park’s receivers with five catches for 86 yards, while Braylon Dennis added two receptions for 50 yards.
Lewis finished with three catches, including the second-quarter touchdown reception that gave Deer Park its first lead.
The Wildcats totaled 403 yards of offense, combining their productive rushing attack with an efficient passing performance.
Defense Creates the Difference
While Deer Park’s offense produced five touchdowns, the Wildcats’ defense played an equally important role in the victory.
Wyoming entered the game with an undefeated record and an offense capable of producing explosive plays.
The Cowboys finished with 335 total yards, including 191 through the air and 144 on the ground.
But Deer Park forced three interceptions, repeatedly disrupting Wyoming’s offensive rhythm and creating opportunities for the Wildcats.
Sellers, Sayers, and Miles Osborne each recorded an interception.
Sellers returned his interception for a touchdown, while Sayers added a 20-yard return and Osborne contributed a 49-yard return.
Together, the Wildcats accumulated 117 interception return yards.
Deer Park’s defensive effort was led by Braylon Dennis, who recorded a team-high 16 tackles.
Warner added eight tackles, while Sellers finished with six.
Osborne and D’Juan Hedges contributed five tackles apiece, helping the Wildcats limit Wyoming’s ability to sustain momentum.
Wyoming quarterback David Dupee completed 13 of 20 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted three times.
Whalen led the Cowboys’ rushing attack with 91 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Donovan Brown caught six passes for 78 yards, while Brylan Miltenberger added four receptions for 47 yards.
Despite those contributions, Wyoming was unable to overcome Deer Park’s fourth-quarter surge.
Resilience Defines the Wildcats
For Berger, Friday’s victory reflected something that has become a defining characteristic of his team throughout the season.
The Wildcats refused to allow adversity to dictate the outcome.
“They never dropped their heads,” Berger said. “After every negative play or score, they kept pushing and pushing to get right back on track. They’ve never quit all season and it continued Friday.”
That resilience was evident throughout the contest.
Deer Park trailed twice in the first half, responded each time, and then faced another challenge when Wyoming pulled within seven points in the fourth quarter.
Rather than allowing the Cowboys to regain control, the Wildcats answered with two touchdowns to close out the game.
The performance also demonstrated how Deer Park responded to its Week 9 loss against Indian Hill.
That setback ended the Wildcats’ undefeated season, but it did not eliminate their championship aspirations.
Instead, Deer Park entered the final week knowing it still had an opportunity to accomplish something special.
A Week of Preparation Pays Off
Berger credited his players’ preparation for putting them in position to deliver the historic victory.
“The focus was on point,” Berger said. “The guys showed up everyday and grinded out the week. They knew what this week meant to the community and knew they had a chance to make history.”
He also recognized the contributions of the players responsible for helping the starters prepare throughout the week.
“This was by far the best our scout team has looked and they gave us a great look to prepare for Wyoming.”
For a program working to establish a higher standard, the preparation and commitment represented an important part of the victory.
The Wildcats were not simply trying to compete against an undefeated opponent.
They were preparing to win a championship.
And on Friday night, that preparation produced the biggest result of Berger’s tenure.
A Three-Way Championship
Deer Park’s victory created a three-way tie atop the Cincinnati Hills League standings.
The Wildcats, Wyoming, and Indian Hill each finished conference play with identical 6-1 records.
Indian Hill secured its share of the championship with a 38-0 victory over Reading.
For Wyoming, Friday’s loss ended an undefeated regular-season bid and prevented the Cowboys from claiming the outright title.
For Deer Park, the result represented something far more significant.
The Wildcats completed the regular season with nine victories, defeated Wyoming for the first time in 20 years, and earned the program’s first Cincinnati Hills League football championship.
The achievement also continued the progress Berger has made during his three seasons leading the program.
What began as an effort to raise expectations and establish a winning culture has now produced a championship.
Turning the Page Toward the Playoffs
The Wildcats now shift their attention to the postseason, where the stakes will only increase.
With a 9-1 regular-season record, Deer Park enters the playoffs carrying momentum from one of the program’s most memorable victories.
Berger understands that maintaining the team’s focus will be essential, particularly with a bye week separating the Wildcats from their next game.
“Just keeping our edge and focus,” Berger said. “Having a bye can present troubles just being off a week.”
“Treating it like another week, fixing things, and continuing to get better is crucial moving forward. The games now mean so much more, so our focus has to be even sharper.”
The message is consistent with the approach that helped Deer Park reach this point.
Continue improving. Stay focused. Prepare with purpose.
For one night, however, the Wildcats earned the opportunity to celebrate something special.
Twenty years without a victory over Wyoming came to an end.
A conference championship was secured.
And a group of players who refused to quit delivered a moment their school and community will remember.
For Tucker Berger and Deer Park football, Friday night was more than another victory.
It was proof of what the program has become — and what it hopes to accomplish next.
