Walsh Jesuit, David Ternosky aren’t done after state final four run

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — As Walsh Jesuit pushed toward its first state final four appearance in football since 1999, quarterback David Ternosky played through it knowing he needed Tommy John surgery from an injury he suffered that June while playing baseball.Ternosky put off the surgery, knowing a long recovery process was ahead of him.“I can’t miss football,” he said he thought.He didn’t, and the Warriors made history. Just not enough history to his liking.“Just getting to that final four, not being able to come out with a win, it was definitely a tough feeling,” Ternosky said Saturday after Walsh Jesuit’s four-team scrimmage at home.The Warriors’ season ended with a tough loss to Avon in the OHSAA Division II state semifinals. Ternosky soon had his surgery after that and is just starting to “knock the rust off” this preseason.“He responded from this injury,” coach Nick Alexander said. “He responded last year after getting hit early. He responds and he shows up.”Ternosky threw for 1,466 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, his first as the starter after replacing graduated standout Keller Moten. This year, he will have a new No. 1 target after Milan Parris graduated and went on to Miami in Florida. Ternosky’s No. 2 target last year, Cambell Lann (289 yards, four TDs, 21 receptions) returns with a new group of quick receivers around him. The defense returns experience at all three levels with end Dario Jeras (67 tackles, 13 TFL, six sacks), linebacker Emmett Tobin and safety Ben Biel.They have experience, but not as much as last year’s senior class.“All these guys keep hearing about is how we graduated everyone,” Alexander said. “There’s no doubt last year’s senior class was awesome, right? They took us to a different level, but that’s all we heard all offseason.”It motivated Ternosky in his comeback, which took a big step Saturday as he fired deep passes toward the end zone against Olmsted Falls, Nordonia and Elyria Catholic.He said he had been dreaming about it in the months leading up to this preseason while working his way back. Now he’s here.Check out the Warriors in the video at the top of this post and learn more about them in this quick breakdown, which is part of the cleveland.com preseason camp tour:Who’s the best guard, center in NE Ohio football 2026? Our picks, your votes (poll)Aug. 10, 2026, 6:05a.m.Best quarterbacks in Ohio Division 3 high school football entering 2026Aug. 10, 2026, 6:00a.m.Has Strongsville leveled up its speed and physicality for 2026?Aug. 9, 2026, 10:05a.m.Walsh Jesuit Warriors2025 finish: 11-2, Division II state semifinalistCoach: Nick Alexander (eighth season)Players to watchDavid Ternosky, QB, 6-0, 195, sr.Kinzy Shea, QB, 6-3, 180, fr.Dominick Courtad, RB/LB, 5-11, 210, jr.Emmett Tobin, RB/LB, 5-10, 190, sr.Cambell Lann, WR/TE, 6-4, 200, sr.Cayden Levert, WR, 5-11, 175, so.Owen Pelkowski, OT, 6-5, 280, sr.Calvin Brunson, OT, 6-5, 315, fr.Dario Jeras, DE, 6-2, 240, sr.Caleb Buckner, DL, 6-1, 245, sr.John Wollschleger, LB/RB, 6-0, 210, sr.Caden Mariola, S/LB, 5-10, sr.Drew Wollschleger, S/OLB, 5-11, 165, sr.Ben Biel, S/QB, 5-11, 160, sr.Oliver Nonno, K/P, 5-10, 162, jr.ScheduleAug. 21 at HighlandAug. 28 vs. Springfield Sept. 4 vs. Toledo Central CatholicSept. 11 vs. St. IgnatiusSept. 25 vs. Archbishop HobanOct. 2 vs. St. Vincent-St. MaryOct. 9 vs. Youngstown UrsulineOct. 16 vs. Columbus Bishop WattersonOct. 23 at Trotwood-Madison