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Celina's Braylon and Caleb Gabes, center, committed to attend Tiffin University (Braylon) and Defiance College (Caleb) and play football next season. Seated with the twins are their parents Shaun and Amity. Standing are Celina football coach Brennen Bader and athletic director Derek Wenning.
CELINA - For Braylon and Caleb Gabes, the road of recruiting for college football was winding.
For Tucker Ackley, it was an easier decision.
The Celina trio, all three of whom played key roles in the Bulldogs' run to the Division III state semifinals, made their college commitments on Wednesday.
For the Gabes twins, the road will split after initially deciding on both going to Concordia University in Michigan. Braylon Gabes will head to Tiffin University to play for the NCAA Division II Dragons. Caleb Gabes and Ackley will head north to Defiance College, joining a program that moves from Division III to NAIA this upcoming season.
All three players are set to major in sports management.
The Gabes had initially committed to NAIA Concordia along with teammate Kaden Murlin, but the school was unsure whether it would be able to remain open for the upcoming school year. While the school did officially declare it would stay open through 2025 - and Murlin officially signed a few weeks later - the Gabes had already made new decisions.
Now a confirmed Dragon, Braylon Gabes enters a program that is coming off a great season with a new coach.
Tiffin finished 11-1 last season, winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference title at 9-0, and reached the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, losing to Slippery Rock at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin. After the season, head coach Cris Reisert stepped down to take the head coaching position at Division I Gardner-Webb. Tiffin hired Brett Ekkens, who was the offensive coordinator at Saginaw Valley State, in February.
"They brought me in and said they really wanted me," said Braylon Gabes. "They talked about how they could use me.
"I feel like they're going to be good again, and hopefully I can contribute."
Braylon Gabes' work for the Bulldogs, especially in the 2023 season, was outstanding. Slated to start at wide receiver to start the season, Gabes moved into a wildcat quarterback, sharing snaps with Bobby Morris. As the season moved on, he became the primary player on offense, rushing for 1,440 yards with 26 touchdowns, passing for 216 yards and three touchdowns and still finding time to play receiver, leading the team with 486 yards on 30 catches with six scores. Defensively at cornerback, Gabes led the team in tackles with 113 and in interceptions with five, including a pick-six in the regional final against Hamilton Badin.
Gabes was named both the Offensive and Defensive Skill Player of the Year in the Western Buckeye League and earned Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association first-team All-Northwest District honors as an athlete. Gabes wrapped up his season with second-team All-Ohio honors as a running back.
Braylon Gabes looks to primarily work as a defensive back, with the chance to play some receiver.
"We worked hard in the weight room. Our junior year they brought in a new offensive coordinator (Jack Hemmelgarn) and a new lifting coach (Jason Lipp)," said Braylon Gabes. "We just got stronger and faster."
Caleb Gabes chose Defiance because of a bond with head coach Bill Nickell, a 2006 Celina graduate who was a Division II All-American at Urbana and has coached at Urbana, Kent State and Arkansas before becoming an assistant at Defiance and then being named head coach in 2022.
"I really like the coaches," said Caleb Gabes. "They know what they're doing. They wanted me really bad."
Since taking over, Nickell has improved the team after the Yellow Jackets went 1-9 in 2021, going 3-7 in 2022 and 4-6 in 2023 with consecutive 3-4 marks in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Yellow Jackets will officially join the NAIA starting July 1 and play football in the Mid-States Football Association, which features many teams that Defiance will face in other sports in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.
Caleb Gabes was a potent safety for the Bulldogs last season, recording 55 tackles with three interceptions and six pass breakups. He was a first-team All-WBL selection as a defensive skill player and earned second-team All-Northwest District honors and an All-Ohio honorable mention.
"We knew we could go far with that (level of) competition. It set an example of what Defiance could look like," said Caleb Gabes.
Celina's Tucker Ackley, center, will attend Defiance College and play football for the Yellow Jackets next season. Seated with Tucker are his grandparents Randy and Gail Smith. Standing are Celina football coach Brennen Bader and athletic director Derek Wenning.
Ackley likes being close to home, with Defiance just over an hour from Celina, to go to school and play football.
"I love the campus," said Ackley. "It felt right, being close to home.
"I'm ready to compete and get to work (at Defiance). Ready for new competition."
Having Caleb Gabes join him on the Yellow Jackets was also a plus.
"Definitely made it easier to go up there," said Ackley.
Ackley was a stalwart at linebacker for the Bulldogs, recording 97 tackles with four sacks, four quarterback pressures and an interception to earn first-team All-WBL and All-Northwest District honors and an All-Ohio honorable mention.
"Just (knowing) you can do better no matter what," said Ackley when asked what he will take with him from Celina to Defiance. "Going from a two-win season to a 12-win season, knowing there's always room for improvement,"
