ASHLAND – There might not be a football player in Ohio this season who’s had a more unforgettable Homecoming game than Nathan Bernhard.
Ashland’s senior quarterback rode around the Community Stadium track Friday in a candy apple red Dodge Viper convertible as a member of the AHS Homecoming court before the Arrows’ game against Madison.
Bernhard then stepped onto the field and ripped through three Ashland records while fueling his team past the Rams in a 38-7 victory that kept AHS a perfect 6-0.
The 6-foot-6 Appalachian State commitment accounted for five touchdowns on offense – three passing and two rushing – to give him 101 for his career. The total surpassed the 100 touchdowns Marcus Fuller accumulated to set the mark in 2010.
Bernhard also surpassed Fuller in career completions (now 533) and career yards on offense (unofficially 8,891) on a night during which junior sidekick Killian O’Brien added two touchdown catches and two interceptions.
“I knew I was getting close – I was at 96 coming into this and I needed 101, so that’s special,” Bernhard said of his new AHS standard for touchdowns.
“It’s just a credit to him and the hard work he’s put in over the years, learning and getting better at each thing,” Ashland head coach Scott Valentine said. “I’m happy for him and it’s well-deserved.”
Bernhard also expanded his streak of games without an interception to 12 dating back to last season (more than 240 passes) and has yet to go a game in 2025 without totaling at least two rushing touchdowns and one passing score for the Arrows (2-0 in the Ohio Cardinal Conference).
Against the Rams, he finished 17-of-25 for 240 yards through the air, passing for 10 first downs in the first half. Bernhard now has 26 total touchdowns this season.
“He’s a great player and I’m excited to see his future after high school,” said first-year Madison head coach Kobi Johnson, whose squad fell to 2-4 overall (1-2 in the OCC).
The Rams entered Friday following a shutout loss at West Holmes, but they had the services of swift running back Kaleb Gordon to lean on against the Arrows.
The senior, who missed two games with health issues, pulled Madison within 17-7 of the Arrows late in the second quarter after a dazzling touchdown run.
Gordon slipped away from multiple tackles to beat the Ashland defense down the right sideline for a 55-yard score.
Johnson wasn’t surprised to see a few big plays from his senior, who has multiple small-college offers to play at the next level and finished Friday with 134 yards on 15 carries.
“He’s got that ability, even when there may not be a huge seam, to turn a little bit of nothing into something,” Johnson said.
“He’s a good runner and he’s been injured and came back,” Valentine added. “He breaks tackles and has a strong lower body. We just didn’t finish with our feet the way we needed to.”
Unfortunately for Madison, Bernhard and the Arrows still had 2:20 to operate in the first half after Gordon’s big score, and they struck back in a hurry.
Senior Gabe Baith caught a pair of Bernhard passes to cover a quick 31 yards, then AHS delivered a dagger to stretch the lead back out to 24-7.
On that play, Bernhard lobbed a deep ball up the right sideline to O’Brien, who was wide open on a busted coverage and strolled into the end zone for a 50-yard score.
The junior also caught a 22-yard strike for the first points of the game, then followed that two plays later with an interception that set up a 16-yard Bernhard-to-Braden Donatini TD toss.
O’Brien added his second interception of Rams quarterback Colton Adkins late in the third quarter, which led to the night’s final touchdown – a 3-yard rushing score from Bernhard that broke the career record.
Also with multiple college offers under his belt, O’Brien exploded out of the gate to start the season, totaling four receiving touchdowns and two interceptions through Week 3. He was limited to just 59 yards and no picks the last two weeks.
“It’s definitely one of my best games,” said O’Brien, who had 101 yards receiving on three catches Friday. “I came in with a chip on my shoulder after the past two games.”
Conversely, Madison and Adkins couldn’t get anything going through the air against the AHS defense, managing just 13 yards passing for the game, as Ashland’s Jordan Ferguson also collected a first-half interception.
The Rams did post six first downs before halftime, but the two early turnovers cost them any chance to keep things close.
Madison’s four losses this season now have come to teams with a combined 20-4 record through six weeks.
“I’m proud of some of the execution,” Johnson said. “We did a nice job of doing some things better than what we did last week to move the ball, but it’s gotta be more consistent.”
Outside of Gordon’s theatrics, the Ashland defense was steady yet again, allowing just one touchdown for the fifth time in six games.
Seniors Gunner Lacey and Budda Martin terrorized Madison with a variety of tackles in the trenches. That unit helped AHS improve its scoring advantage after halftime this season to 93-7.
Bernhard added 12 carries for 36 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, Baith collected 72 receiving yards on seven catches and kicker Carson O’Brien connected on 5-of-5 PATs and a 36-yard field goal.
Running back Julian Cabrera also totaled nearly 50 yards of offense. Valentine said the sophomore stepped in admirably for the team’s leading running back, Grayson Baith, who missed the game for disciplinary reasons.
Ashland heads onto the road in Week 7 when it faces winless Mansfield Senior (0-6, 0-3). It will be the 82nd all-time meeting between the programs (the Tygers lead 40-38-3).
Killian O’Brien feels like the Arrows are setting themselves up for a big finish.
“I think we’ve built on last season and we’ve got a lot of offensive guys back,” he said. “And the guys who have come in are really proving themselves.”
“I think for the most part, we just focus on the next game and winning games and continue to keep this thing rolling,” Bernhard added.
Madison will try to get its first home win of the season next week when New Philadelphia (3-3, 2-1) comes to town.
The big OCC showdown in Week 7, meanwhile, will be at West Holmes, where the Knights (5-1, 3-0) host Lexington (5-1, 2-0).
Notes: Prior to the game, Ashland senior running back/linebacker Mateo Stephenson was named Mr. Football for 2025. Ashland lineman Brandon Briggs also was named Homecoming King alongside Homecoming Queen Eva Early.
