Peebles High senior Grady Knechtly excels in athletics and academics

Grady Knechtly, a senior at Peebles High School and member of the class of 2026, competes across three sports while keeping academics and community ties front and center. Knechtly participates in Basketball, Football, Track and is listed on the Peebles Varsity Basketball roster as number 10, a role documented on MaxPreps alongside game and photo entries that trace his recent seasons.

Knechtly, son of Danny and Mandy Knechtly, said his favorite sport is Basketball and that his favorite thing about high school sports is "Laughing with the team." He identified "Practice" as his least favorite part of athletics and called his top moment "Laughing with Paxton and Colyn on the bench when coach gets mad." Those responses come from a People’s Defender senior profile that the newspaper runs to highlight Adams County student-athletes and their academic interests.

MaxPreps corroborates Knechtly’s role on the court. The site lists him under Plays | Basketball, Class Year | Senior • 2026, and Teams | Peebles Varsity Basketball #10. MaxPreps records a March 2, 2025 game, Peebles vs North Adams at Peebles High School, as his last listed game, and a photo tag on Monday, Jan 5, 2026 in the Athens vs. Peebles gallery captures the season’s visual record. Roster entries on MaxPreps show additions on Thursday, Nov 30, 2023; Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024; and Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025, indicating Knechtly’s continued presence on the program across multiple seasons.

Off the field and court, Knechtly’s profile paints a picture of local youth balancing community, culture and college-career plans. Favorite cultural touchstones include Pearl Jam for music, the movie "Tombstone," and the TV show Love On The Spectrum. Language Arts ranks as his favorite school subject, and his spare time is spent "Working out." He lists Jack’s Black Diamond as his favorite restaurant and says he would like to travel to japan. Knechtly also said he would love to trade places for a day with Paxton "Nighthawk" Ryan, and that his future plan is to "Be a lineman like my father."

For Adams County readers, Knechtly’s profile underscores how multi-sport seniors contribute to local school identity and weekend attendance at Peebles High School events. Student-athletes like Knechtly sustain rivalries, bring families to games and feed local businesses that serve fans and teams. The People’s Defender runs these Q&A profiles weekly under the paper’s SPORTS EDITOR’S NOTE: "Each week, The People’s Defender will profile an Adams County senior student/athlete so our community and readers can get to know better these outstanding young people who participate both in athletics and academics in their high school."

Those seeking more information or wanting to follow Peebles senior seasons can contact the People’s Defender office at Location:206 N. Pleasant Street West Union, Ohio 45693, Call:937-544-2391, Fax:937-544-2298, or consult MaxPreps for game schedules and photo galleries. As Knechtly finishes his senior year, Peebles fans can look for his final contributions on the basketball court and in the community while he prepares to pursue his goal to "Be a lineman like my father.