When Harrison takes the football field tonight for their game with Talawanda High School, Braves coach J.D. Vonderheide will see a lot of familiar faces on the other side of the field. It will not be from watching game video.

Vonderheide will return to Harrison as the opposing coach after coaching there last year as an assistant to his Miami college teammate, Kent McCullough.

Vonderheide said he circled today‘s date on his calendar when he got the Talawanda job.

“This game will be special. It’s not a revenge thing,” he said. “I was there only six months, but the friendships I got there, the support I got there, are special to me.”

The Wildcats lost their first three games last season but won the next seven and earned a spot in the playoffs.

“We are two evenly matched football teams,” Vonderheide said. “They are 1-3, we are 0-4 but we come from different places. It will be a chess match with Kent.”

Harrison also started this season 0-3 before winning 42-13 over Little Miami in its first Southwest Ohio Conference game.

The Braves played SWOC favorite Mount Healthy even in three quarters last week, but the Owls scored three touchdowns in the second quarter enroute to a 35-20 win.

Talawanda led 7-0 after one quarter on a 3-yard Dakota Byrd run, set up by a big play on a screen by sophomore Maurice Thomas to get to the 5-yard-line.

The Owls responded with a 35-yard touchdown run by Tyree Elliott, who had four touchdowns in the game, a 10-yard TD run by Elliott and a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown.

The second half was more even. Mount Healthy took a 28-7 lead on a 13-yard run by Greg Green. Talawanda got a touchdown on a 4-yard run by Thomas but the extra point kick missed with just seconds left in the third quarter.

Elliott gave the Owls another score in the fourth quarter on a 70-yard run and Talawanda matched that on a 16-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Conner Scott to Steve Daugherty with 14 seconds left.

“It was a turning point for the kids, at least offensively,” Vonderheide said. “It’s very frustrating. It was a very winnable game for us … the kids stood toe-to-toe with them.”

Thomas has been a bright spot for the Braves.

“For a sophomore to be where he’s at is impressive,” Vonderheide said. “He carried 40 times for 190 yards rushing and had five catches for 82 yards. He also had three returns for 49 yards. He is absolutely a tough-as-nails kid. He took a lot of hits.”

His success this season has redefined the role of junior Dakota Byrd, who has moved to fullback and second receiver.

“(Dakota) is unselfish and does what we ask,” the coach said. “He’s a team guy. He made several gigantic conversion plays when we needed him (against Mount Healthy).”

Harrison will be a challenge.

“Their defense is as good as we will see all year,” Vonderheide said. “Truman Gutapel, a defensive tackle, is as good a defensive lineman you will see in the state of Ohio. Tom Schneider, a defensive tackle, is a big good athlete and a good complement to Truman.”

The Braves return home next Friday to host Northwest for Homecoming.