The Korah Colts enter the 2026 senior football season with high expectations following one of the most successful seasons in program history.
In 2025, Korah put together a perfect 10-0 regular-season record, capturing the League, City, NOSSA and OFSAA Golden Horseshoe Bowl championships. The Colts continued their dominance in the postseason, finishing with a 4-0 record and completing the year undefeated.
Their remarkable season also earned Korah a number two ranking in Ontario and number six ranking nationally in Canada, the highest rankings ever achieved by a Northern Ontario football team.
After 13 years at the helm of the Korah Colts, head coach Tom Annett has built a program that has become synonymous with player development, championship football and a strong team culture. Annett enters the 2026 season with an impressive 101-28 career record as the Colts’ senior head coach.
Resiliency Was the Biggest Lesson From 2025
Looking back on last season, Annett believes the biggest lesson his players learned was resiliency.
From the second week of the season, Korah found itself facing difficult in-game situations, but strong leadership allowed the team to respond. That resiliency was on full display in the NOSSA championship game when the Colts found themselves down by three scores in the second quarter before mounting a comeback and winning convincingly.
For Annett, the 2025 season reinforced the three pillars that have helped establish the Korah football program as one of the strongest in Northern Ontario:
- Weight Room
- Team Culture
- Leadership
Those same principles will remain at the centre of the program in 2026.
Replacing Three All-Ontario Players
As is the case every season, Korah will have to replace several important players who have graduated and moved on to the next level.
Among the biggest losses are Aiden Wonch, who earned First Team All-Ontario honours at defensive end and will continue his football career at the University of Windsor to play for the Lancers in the OUA; JJ DiMichele, an Ontario High School Football All-Ontario Honorable Mention defensive tackle who will play at Sault College for the Cougars in the CJFL; and Koen Manchulenko, a First Team All-Ontario linebacker who will continue his athletic career playing hockey for the Sault College Cougars in DII of the ACHA.
Despite those departures, Korah returns a tremendous amount of experience.
At defensive end, Evan Boville is expected to be among the best defensive ends in the nation in 2026. Emerson Grimard and Ryker Leonard also return with experience, while junior athletes Nolan Coudert, Amedeo Filice and Che Grengs will compete for playing time. Devon Clarida and Grayson Turco will also be in the mix.
At linebacker, the Colts have plenty of depth with Logan Lajunen, Gabe Phillips, Max Fuselli, AJ Coccimiglio, Michael Marshall, Jake Orr, Jaiden Kaldma and Max Vomaro all having played key roles in 2025. Juniors Nico Matilla, Jairren Kaldma and Kaleb Laitinen will add even more competition to the group.
Replacing DiMichele at defensive tackle will be a major challenge, but Korah has several players ready to compete for the position, including Connell Smith, Ilidio Braganca, Wyatt Jaeger, Colton MacLeod, Logan Frost, Emmett Kreps, Jojo Spina and Bryce Lappalainen. Newcomers Marc Massicotte, Zack Khatava and Logan Hansen will also compete at DT.
Leadership Could Be a Major Strength
While every football season brings a new group of players together, Korah enters 2026 with something that is rarely seen at the high school level: five returning team captains from the previous season.
Annett believes that experience will be one of the team’s greatest advantages.
“We expect experience and Leadership to be major strengths in 2026,” the coach said, noting that several additional athletes have already begun stepping into leadership roles during the team’s offseason TPW Workout Program.
The Colts also return nine starters on offense and ten starters on defense, giving the team an experienced foundation heading into the season.
The Chain Gang Returns
Korah has developed a reputation nationally for one of the best rushing attacks in Canada, and the foundation of that ground game remains intact.
The Colts’ offensive line, affectionately known as “The Chain Gang,” returns a wealth of experience, including Connell Smith, Jojo Spina, Logan Frost, Colton MacLeod, Evan Boville, Jake Orr and Emmett Kreps.
Korah will continue to emphasize the running game, but there is reason to believe the passing attack could take a major step forward in 2026.
Quarterback Brett Koski returns, as do all of the team’s starting receivers from 2025, including Greyson Avery, Drew Albury, Cam Williamson, Yehya Abbasy, Ryder Strachan, Marciano Cranston and Jacob Maville.
The Colts will also add several talented receivers moving up from the junior ranks, including James Yule, Martino Coccimiglio and Enzo Gonzales.
With that combination of returning experience and new talent, Korah expects its offense to be capable of attacking opponents in multiple ways.
Defense Expected to Be a Strength
With so many experienced players returning, team defense could be one of Korah’s biggest strengths.
he defensive backfield features a long list of returning players, including Cam Williamson, an Ontario High School Football All-Ontario Honorable Mention selection, along with Logan Strachan, Jaxton Kinnunen, Nolan Deluca, Braydyn Lemaire, Yehya Abbasy, Logan Vert and Colton DeRosario.
The Colts will also have several newcomers competing for spots in the secondary, including Reid Gordon, Martino Coccimiglio, James Yule, Ethan Brewer, Jaxon McLeod, Jace Albury and Robert Zagorc.
Korah also believes its overall team speed could make a major difference on special teams.
AJ Coccimiglio returns as the team’s kicker, while junior standout Nolan Coudert, who was the top punter in the junior loop last season, joins the senior squad.
Four Veterans to Watch in 2026
Annett identified four returning players who could play major roles for the Colts this season.
Payton Melchiorre — RB/LS
Melchiorre earned First Team All-Ontario honours at running back in 2025 and was also one of the top long snappers in the country.
Beyond his ability on the field, his leadership and work ethic make him an important piece of the Colts’ culture.
After a strong offseason, Korah expects Melchiorre to take another step forward in 2026.
AJ Coccimiglio — FB/K/LB
Coccimiglio earned First Team All-Ontario honours as an Athlete in 2025, recognizing his ability to excel at multiple positions.
His versatility, athleticism and leadership make him one of the most valuable players on the roster. He can contribute as a fullback, linebacker and kicker while providing an important leadership presence.
Connell Smith — G/DT
Smith earned First Team All-Ontario honours as an offensive lineman and enters 2026 as one of the strongest athletes in the province.
His combination of size, strength and speed will make him a key player on both sides of the line.
Korah is also expecting Smith to take on an even larger leadership role this season.
Evan Boville — DE/TE/G
Boville earned Second Team All-Ontario honours at defensive end as a Grade 11 player in 2025.
After another offseason of training, Boville returns bigger, stronger and faster. Korah expects him to step into a significant leadership role while contributing on both sides of the football.
Juniors Ready to Make an Immediate Impact
Every successful program eventually relies on its next generation, and Korah has several junior athletes ready to make the jump to senior football.
Three players Annett specifically highlighted are Nolan Coudert, Martino Coccimiglio and Amedeo Filice.
Coudert is considered one of the top athletes in the city and excels in multiple sports, including football, basketball, soccer and track. He is expected to contribute on offense, defense and special teams.
Coccimiglio was a standout in the junior league and with the JV Sault Sabercats. His versatility at linebacker, defensive back and running back should allow him to contribute in all three phases.
Filice has put together what Annett described as one of the best offseasons the program has ever witnessed. His strength and speed numbers have improved dramatically, and he is expected to play multiple positions while becoming an important special teams contributor.
Other juniors expected to make an immediate impact include Kaleb Laitinen, Jairren Kaldma, Reid Gordon, Ethan Brewer, Nico Matilla, Cruz Moreno and James Yule.
Laitinen enters senior football after being named the junior league’s Most Valuable Offensive Player.
Success Goes Beyond Championships
Despite Korah’s impressive collection of championships, Annett says winning trophies is not the primary focus of the program.
Instead, the Colts measure success by whether they can develop what they call a “Championship Culture.”
That culture is built around the program’s core values:
Commitment. Compete. Toughness. Teamwork. F.A.M.I.L.Y.
The team also lives by a simple credo:
“Tough People Win.”
For Annett, the ultimate goal is developing players to their full potential and helping them become better every day.
The true measure of the program’s success, he says, comes years later when former players return as successful adults, parents, spouses and community leaders.
Football, after all, is about much more than wins and losses.
It is about life lessons, memories and friendships.
And as the Korah Colts prepare to defend their championships and build on one of the greatest seasons in Northern Ontario football history, that philosophy remains at the heart of the program.
With a 101-28 record under Annett, five returning captains, nine returning offensive starters, ten returning defensive starters and a talented group of newcomers ready to make their mark, the Colts appear well positioned for another memorable season.
The championships may not be the stated goal—but if Korah’s culture continues to develop the way it has over the past decade, the opportunity to compete for more hardware will certainly follow.
