ATLANTA — The Glenville pipeline to Columbus is unmatched and has a legacy that few other schools can claim. That pipeline was under the national spotlight on Monday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The last time Ohio State won a national championship, they did so behind quarterback Cardale Jones, a Glenville grad, in 2014. Now, in 2025, a trio of Glenville grads—sophomore linebacker Arvell Reese and freshmen Bryce West and Demarion Witten, who won state high school titles together at Glenville—won a national championship side by side with the Buckeyes.
"It's a bunch of guys who came from Glenville, Ohio State, so it means a lot to me to be in the exact same suit that they've been in," said Reese.
The three Cleveland natives have always been close. Now, together on the Buckeyes, their bond is stronger than ever.
"We all grew up together, so we're all very close, but now we're all on the same team again. We won state championships together. Now we're in a position to win the national championship together," West said before the game.
After the win, all three Glenville grads were celebrating together on the field. West was full of excitement to represent Cleveland.
"A man from Cleveland. A natty. Got state rings, got track rings, now I got a natty ring—all I'm missing is a Super Bowl ring now. Got to get to the league and win a Super Bowl ring," West said as confetti fluttered around him. "Inner city Cleveland man, we really did this."
The three Tarblooders turned Buckeyes not only got to celebrate the win on the field with each other, they went to do it with their former coach as Ted Ginn Sr. made the trip to the game Monday night.
Ginn was all smiles as he embraced his former players, full of pride for the three.
"It's huge for our community. It's huge for our city, and I'm just proud of them that they could be in a position like that," Ginn said after the game. "I think Ohio's got the best football and we have to continue to grow them up so that we can be on the stage like this."
That pride was shared by the players.
"It makes me feel real proud of myself just knowing that I did something for my city where I came from," Witten said.
As the Cleveland players celebrate with the rest of their teammates, many others representing parts of Northeast Ohio, they're already looking forward to the future.
"We're trying to run it back, we're trying to do it again," Reese said. "That's the goal."
