Next-Gen Buckeyes
4 • The Beacon February 13 , 2025
RHS graduate and OSU athlete visits students
By Marianne Austin For The Beacon
Ridgewood High School graduate Bryce Prater , who played on the Ohio State National Championship football team , visited students from kindergarten through third grade in the gymnasium at Ridgewood Elementary School on Feb . 7 .
Each elementary class had a photo taken with Prater , and each student will receive an autographed copy of the picture . They were invited to have a Q- and-A session with Prater and bring OSU paraphernalia for him to autograph .
Prater played football for Ridgewood , is a fourth-year student at Ohio State and played football there as well .
“ I went to Ridgewood Elementary , Ridgewood High School , and played junior high and high school football at Ridgewood for six years ,” Prater said . “ After that , I continued my career at Ohio State . My freshman year we went to the Rose Bowl , played Utah and we won . Sophomore year was the Peach Bowl , and we lost to Georgia in Atlanta . Junior year we played Missouri in the Dallas Cowboy Stadium for the Cotton Bowl , and we lost that game . But this year , my fourth and final year , we beat Tennessee in the Horseshoe . Then we beat Oregon back at the Rose Bowl . Then back to the Cotton Bowl , and we beat Texas . After Texas we went back to the Peach Bowl . It was the National Championship in Atlanta , where we beat Notre Dame to win .
“ My senior year in high school , I didn ’ t know if I wanted to go to college . I had an idea that I wanted to play a sport , but I wasn ’ t sure . I was thinking about job careers , but at my last football game , a recruiter from Ohio State was there and reached out to my brother . We started training , and that is when my career took off .”
Ridgewood Superintendent Mike Masloski said , “ We are very proud of Bryce Prater and all of his accomplishments , his determination and his resilience as an Ohio State athlete participating in a National Championship team . He really devoted four years to putting it all in to get this accomplishment . We are also proud that in those four years of his academics , he was All-Big Ten selection all four years . So he has been able to balance his academics as well as being a Division I athlete . He is a great model to our students here at Ridgewood ,
Next-Gen Buckeyes
Children in kindergarten through third grade had an opportunity to meet Bryce Prater and ask him questions .
Marianne Austin with a determination and work ethic in doing the right thing and what you are able to accomplish .”
Masloski is proud of the whole Prater family .
“ Jason is a teacher and a coach . He teaches at the career center and has worked with our student-athletes . His mom Maria is a teacher for us and helps coach track . His sister Lexi was a Div . I athlete at Youngstown State and recently got her master ’ s . His twin brother Zach played for two years at Ohio State . During those two years , he was also academic All-Big Ten . We are really proud of the Prater family . They really demonstrate the strong work ethic and family values that they have to accomplish the goals they want ,” Masloski said .
Bryce Prater said , “ Mike Masloski got ahold of me and my family . My mom teaches at the middle school , and we thought it would be kind of cool to set this up so I could come back and see the kids where I used to go to school and share where I used to be to inspire them . I am really glad that what happened happened , experiencing the national championship , and now I get to come back and share it with the community that loves the sport as much as I do .”
Marianne Austin Bryce Prater autographed Ohio State paraphernalia for students .
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I am really glad that what happened happened , experiencing the national championship , and now I get to come back and share it with the community that loves the sport as much as I do .”
Bryce Prater