MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Middletown High School named Kali Jones as its head football coach Thursday afternoon, pending board of education approval.
"We are tremendously excited to have Kali Jones come to Middletown to reinvigorate our football program and lead us to championships," Middletown athletic director JD Foust said in a statement.
Jones, a two-time Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference coach of the year, was the Withrow head coach for the past five seasons.
He led Withrow (12-2) to the Division II regional final this past season - the program's first regional final appearance in the 104-year history of the school.
Withrow, the No. 3 seed in Region 8, set a program for the most wins (12) in a season in school history. Withrow was twice a CMAC Red division (large school) champion under Jones, the coach of the year this past season.
"We were really able to build and develop a change in culture and put together a really special group of young athletes," Jones said. "That's my motto. I'm very proud of them. I love Withrow. It's a special time in my life and my career."
The Tigers were led by several players this season including 2026 wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who is verbally committed to Ohio State and is ranked the nation's No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 class by 247 Sports.
Henry, a Division II first-team all-state receiver, set a program record for most receiving yards in a season. 2024 quarterback Luke Dunn set the program mark for most passing touchdowns in a season in late October.
Withrow had two college signees on Wednesday including cornerback Terhyon Nicholas (University of Kentucky) and offensive lineman Blake Scriber (Morgan State). Jones said an additional 10 student-athletes from Withrow are expected to sign with college programs next spring.
Withrow named Anthony Berry as its interim head football coach, according to Withrow athletic director Regina Williams.
Berry, a Withrow graduate, has been the head assistant coach/defensive coordinator for the past three years at Withrow. Berry played high school football for former Withrow coach Doc Gamble.
"It's a bittersweet feeling for me right now but I'm happy for Coach Jones," Williams said. "He's a great coach who is going to do great things no matter whose field he's on. Withrow will forever be grateful for how Coach Jones and staff elevated and brought life back to our football program. He groomed our Withrow young men to be accountable, responsible and how to build a brotherhood! Middletown is very lucky to have Kali Jones as their head football coach!"
Jones acknowledged the returning talent that Withrow has entering next season. He said he is grateful to the administration and alumni at Withrow for all of the support he's received over the years. He said it was a very difficult decision to leave the program but he said it's for his family situation.
Jones succeeds former Middletown coach Don Simpson who stepped down in early November after leading the program for six years. Middletown (3-8 record in 2023) was the No. 15 seed in Division I, Region 4 this past season.
Middletown, a member of the Greater Miami Conference program, has nine postseason appearances.
"They have a rich tradition and history in athletics," Jones said. "I am excited to have the opportunity to build it back and beyond."
Jones compared the GMC to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) where coaches and players have to bring their 'A' game every Friday.
"I'm ready and excited," Jones said.
In addition to being the Middletown head coach, Jones will be the Linkage Coordinator in the school building, pending board approval. A Linkage Coordinator monitors students' attendance, behavior and academics and intervenes when necessary in order to keep students on track for graduation.
"Coach Jones has a unique ability to teach the game of football effectively to his players and to inspire them with his passion," Foust said. "We conducted a comprehensive search with an impressive array of candidates but in the end, Kali is exactly what our program needs right now and I cannot wait to partner with him to bring the Middie Magic back!"
Prior to Withrow, Jones was the Woodward head coach from 2016-19. He was a Dayton Christian assistant head football coach from 2015-16. He's also coached at Huber Heights Wayne where he was the assistant offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2011-14.
Jones is a 2005 Wright State University graduate who served as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps before pursuing a career as a financial advisor and then in education and coaching.
Jones has 25 years of leadership and 16 years of coaching experience. In four seasons at Withrow, he helped 38 student-athletes earned post-secondary opportunities.
He established a reputable high school football program with a solid infrastructure that includes fundraising, student food assistance, academic monitoring and tutoring, community engagement and post-secondary planning.
