Football: Coach Mahon named 2026 ECC Coach of the Year as the Panthers face Springboro in the Playoffs

MORROW, Ohio — On Friday, Sept. 30, the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) released its 2026 All-Conference football team, and for the first time since Little Miami joined the ECC in 2020, Panthers head football coach Nate Mahon has been named ECC Coach of the Year.

From 2016 to 2019, Mahon led the Panthers to 19 victories in three seasons, including back-to-back winning campaigns. After returning to Little Miami in 2025, Mahon faced the challenge of rebuilding the program, as the Panthers finished 3-7 in his first season back.

However, Year 2 has brought a significant turnaround. Under Mahon and his coaching staff's leadership, the Panthers earned his 70th career victory with a Week 3 win over Walnut Hills. Little Miami continued to build momentum throughout the season, closing the regular season with four consecutive victories in Weeks 7-10.

The Panthers finished 7-3 overall and tied with Lebanon for third place in the ECC standings. With the conclusion of the regular season, Mahon has improved his career coaching record to 74 victories and will look to reach win No. 75 on Friday night when Little Miami travels to Springboro for a Division I, Region 4, first-round playoff matchup.

The Panthers and Panthers? No — Little Miami and Springboro have a long history on the gridiron. The two programs first met in 1965 and competed continuously as members of the Fort Ancient Valley Conference (FAVC) until Springboro departed the conference following the 1997 season.

Adding another layer of history to Friday night's matchup is current Little Miami defensive coordinator Mark Kalugyer, who has helped rewrite the LMHS defensive record books this season. Little Miami has recorded three shutouts and held opponents to fewer than 17 points in several games. Kalugyer was Springboro's head coach the last time the two schools met as FAVC rivals during the 1997 season. Additionally, Kalugyer led Springboro to their first postseason appearance in school history following the 1998 season, it was also their first year as members of the Mid Miami League (MML).

In 2024, the Warren County rivals met in Week 1 at Springboro, where the visitors fell 31-0. Now, with both programs entering the postseason, Little Miami will have an opportunity to avenge that 2024 season-opening loss.

Friday night's matchup features two Division I programs looking to extend their seasons. With a second-round meeting against Elder awaiting the winner, the stakes are high. Whoever comes out on top will advance, while the other team's season will come to an end.