Olentangy Liberty beat Olentangy Orange 21-15 on Friday, Oct. 23, securing a share of the OCC-Central Division football championship and the program’s 10th conference title.
The Patriots finished the regular season 6-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play, tied with Upper Arlington atop the division. Orange finished 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the league.
The Olentangy Liberty High School athletics account posted on X, calling the championship win the 10th OCC title in school history. The final score was confirmed by SI.com's statewide results and Columbus-area scores compiled by Yahoo Sports.
Whether the OCC-Central title is outright remains unclear. Upper Arlington also finished conference play at 4-1 after beating Hilliard Davidson 31-7 on the same night. The head-to-head result between Liberty and Upper Arlington this season was not available in published standings.
The game carried extra weight as a matchup between the last two OHSAA Division I state champions. Liberty won the 2024 title with a 28-14 win over Archbishop Moeller. Orange followed with a perfect 15-0 season and a 28-14 victory over St. Xavier in the 2025 state championship at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
The rivalry has seesawed. Orange won 26-14 in 2025 to clinch the OCC-Central crown and the No. 1 playoff seed. Liberty won 50-22 in 2024 and 21-7 in 2023, according to the series history on the Orange football site.
Liberty entered the Oct. 23 game at 6-4 overall and 4-1 in OCC-Central play. Orange stood at 5-5 overall and 3-2 in conference, according to standings on the Orange football site.
The Patriots' season has been a turnaround story under head coach John Sansbury, now in his third year leading the program. A preseason preview by 270 Gridiron noted that Liberty started 0-3 in 2025 before reeling off six straight wins. That preview identified senior running back Grayson Davis, quarterback Alex Leonard, receiver Carter Nelson and defensive lineman Ben Rucker as key returners for 2026.
Davis, a Columbia commit, was among the seniors who had waited for their chance to lead after serving as role players on the 2024 championship team.
Liberty's Week 9 loss to Hilliard Davidson, 12-6 on Oct. 16, had put the OCC-Central race in doubt, according to The Westerville News. The bounce-back win over Orange answered that.
Liberty earned the No. 4 seed in Division I, Region 3 and a first-round bye, according to the OHSAA’s official pairings, released Oct. 25. The Patriots will host the winner of No. 5 Olentangy Berlin (8-2) and No. 12 Westerville Central (5-5) in a regional quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 6.
Orange earned the No. 9 seed and will travel to No. 8 St. Charles (8-2) for a first-round game at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. The winner advances to play at top-seeded Gahanna Lincoln (10-0) on Nov. 6.
