After a strong resurgence in 2024, the Nancy Rehm Border Wars will return with girls and boys games on Sunday, April 27th. The games against Ohio will again be played at the University of Saint Francis.
On Wednesday, USF announced all four rosters for the game as Northeast Indiana’s best battle the neighboring state, many of which are from Northwest Ohio. Admission is a cash only $10 for the games; this is the 29th year for the event, now back to an annual set of games.
Team Indiana on the girls side is headed up by some of Northeast Indiana’s best scorers from this past season, including Lakewood Park all-time leading scorer Ava McGrade, as well as 1,000-plus career scorers Brookelynn Buzzard (Wabash), Isabella Stout (Bluffton), Jersey Paul (Carroll), Ashley Cox (DeKalb), Emily Bleke (Bellmont) and Marissa Trout (Huntington North). Rounding out the girls Team Indiana are Homestead’s Olivia Fry and Snider teammates Saniah Sandlin and Kyra Parker.
Team Ohio, on the girls side, will consist of Bowsher’s Kelaysia Harris, Anthony Wayne’s Elise Bender and Brooke Bender, Hilltop’s Libbie Baker, Maumee’s Lucy Porter, Ottoville’s Carly Thorbahn and Erica Thorbahn, Columbus Grove’s Lauryn Auchmuty, Crestview’s Ellie Kline and Ottawa’s Kaitlyn Kimmet.
The girls game will tip off at 2 pm, to be followed by the boys game at 4 pm.
On the boys side, Team Indiana will be headlined by Class 2A state champion Gavin Betten of Manchester and Indiana All-Star Kellen Pickett of Blackhawk Christian. The loaded boys roster will also include Dereon and Drelyn Truesdale of Bishop Luers, Wayne’s Trey Dillard, Warsaw’s Brandt Martin, Carroll’s Paxton Crane, Woodlan’s Trey Yoder, Leo’s Solomon Richard, Columbia City’s Stratton Fuller and Huntington North’s Ethan Zahn.
Taking on Indiana for the Ohio boys will be Otsego’s Kaidyn Hutton, Southview’s Brandon Ingram, Toledo Christian’s Karter Koester, Swanton’s Charlie Wood, Marion Local’s Austin Niekamp, Liberty Benton’s Jake Gerken, Coldwater’s Baylen Blockberger, Spencerville’s Carder Orr and Elida’s Zori Island.
Is the 2026 Nancy Rehm borders war set yet?