OHIO — You could make a case that since the Ohio High School Athletic Association expanded to seven divisions for the 2013 season, this year’s crop of state finalists is the best in those 12 years.
Consider the combined record of 202-8, good for a winning percentage of 96.2%. The second fewest losses were 10 just two years ago, while the second-highest winning percentage was 95.1%, also in 2022.
The 11 number-one seeds to reach the final are also the most in that span, bettering last year’s total of ten.
There’s no school here that was seeded lower than two, and when you add up the cumulative seeding, it totals 17, the smallest number with the next closest (24) back in 2015.
It all adds up to an exciting weekend, with Toledo Central Catholic (Division III), Kirtland (Division VI) and Marion Local (Division VII) looking to defend championships from a year ago.
The action begins Thursday night with Division II, and a battle of undefeated teams.
Thursday 7 p.m.: Division II – Avon (15-0) vs. Anderson (15-0)
Both Avon and Anderson lost in Division II state semifinals a year ago, with the Eagles falling to Hoban, while the Raptors were eliminated by eventual champion Massillon.
Both have taken it out on scoreboards in 2024 and haven’t lost since then. Avon averages 39.5 points a game, while Anderson is at 47.5 per outing.
This trip is especially sweet for the Eagles, who have been stuck at the state semifinal level, losing six of the past seven years there, including five times to Hoban. Avon’s only other appearance a state championship game came back in 2011 but is still seeking its first title.
The Eagles are led by quarterback Nolan Good, a finalist for Ohio’s Mr. Football award. The Kent State commit has thrown for 3,136 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, adding another 701 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
His favorite target is Max Maxey, the school’s career leader in receiving yards, 1,267 of which have come this season, to go with 12 touchdowns.
Both sides of the ball for Anderson are impressive. The Raptors quarterback, senior Justice Burnham, needs just 14 yards to hit the 4,000-mark this year and has tossed 41 touchdowns. He’s added 15 more running the ball, and 725 yards.
Wideout Trace Jallick has 101 catches—20 of which wound up in the end zone—for 1,882 yards, while running back Durrell Turner contributes 1,208 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns.
On defense, Anderson has held eight opponents to single digits, three of whom did not register a point.
The Raptors were Division II state champions in 2007, and reached the title game again the following year, losing to Sylvania Southview.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Friday 10:30 a.m.: Division VII – Marion Local (15-0) vs. Hillsdale (14-1)
Friday morning begins with Marion Local trying to win its 64th consecutive football game, already an OHSAA record. With a win in the Division VII championship against Hillsdale,
The Flyers would establish another state mark with a 25th straight playoff victory.
Marion Local already holds the Ohio records for most football championships (14) and playoff wins (107).
Pretty remarkable accomplishments, and the Flyers could become the 7th team in OHSAA history to win four straight state championships, joining Hoban (2015-18), Coldwater (2012-15) and earlier Marion Local team (2011-14), two from St. Ignatius (1992-95 and 1991-94) and Newark Catholic (1984-87).
The 2024 Flyers have flown past opponents by a combined 710-49 score this season, allowing only 22 total points in ten regular season games.
Hillsdale, from Jeromesville in Ashland County, is the opponent. The Falcons won a regional championship for the first time in school history, thanks in part to a remarkable feat in a regional semifinal against Malvern, completing not one, but two “Hail Mary” passes at the end of each half, including the game winner as time expired for a 50-48 triumph.
It's a small senior class, with just six members, but head coach Trevor Cline relies on a veteran coaching staff. Cline was the school’s quarterback in 2010 when Hillsdale made its first-ever appearance in a regional championship game.
His quarterback, Kael Lewis, has thrown for school records in yards, touchdown passes, single-game yards and single-game touchdown passes this year.
These programs have also never met on the gridiron.
Friday 3 p.m.: Division III – Toledo Central Catholic (14-1) vs. Watterson (15-0)
The only game featuring a rematch from 2023 can be found in Division III, where Toledo Central Catholic goes for three straight titles (won in Division II in 2022).
The Fighting Irish got some luck against another Fighting Irish (Ursuline) in the state semifinals, tossing the winning touchdown pass with 33 seconds left, to go ahead 7-6. However, Ursuline missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired, sending Central Catholic back to the state championship game.
That was one of eight games this year which the Fighting Irish defense didn’t permit an opponent to get to double-digits and have only surrendered a total of 34 points in the postseason.
This is a program that has gone 45-2 since the start of the 2022 season, losing the first game that year to St. Edward, and then to Novi (Michigan) Central Catholic earlier this season. Head coach Greg Dempsey, who went into the Toledo City League Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year, has a 266-54 career record with five state titles.
That defense will have its hand full with a Watterson squad that hasn’t lost since that state championship game a year ago (Toledo Central Catholic won 27-7, the only previous meeting between schools). The Eagles have inflicted running clocks (up 30 or more points in the second half) in 13 of their 15 games this season.
Watterson’s combined score for 2024 is 620-97 and are at 15-0 for the first time in school history, a proud program that includes two state championships (2010, 2002).
It’s a family affair on Columbus’ North Side, as quarterback Drew Bellisari (2,687 combined yards passing and rushing, 42 touchdowns accounted for) is the son of former Ohio State linebacker Greg Bellisari. Drew’s cousin, Carter, plays cornerback and is the son of former Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari. Finally, the Uhlenhake brothers (senior Jake and sophomore Ben) are the sons of former OSU offensive lineman Jeff Uhlenhake. All three dads are assistant coaches on the team.
Friday 7:30 p.m.: Division I – Moeller (14-1) vs. Olentangy Liberty (13-2)
Like Avon in Division II, Moeller had found itself stuck in the state semifinals the past three years, losing to Springfield each time. The Crusaders broke through in a big way, downing Centerville 49-10 behind a record-setting performance by quarterback Matt Ponatoski, who threw for six touchdowns, more than any other signal caller in a single game at the school.
Moeller has won nine state titles all-time, trailing only Marion Local (14) and St. Ignatius (11), but has not lifted that championship trophy since back-to-back triumphs in 2012-13.
Behind Ponatoski, a rising junior that is an Ohio Mr. Football finalist, the Crusaders have averaged 41 points a game, winning by an average of 26 each time out. The scoring output has elevated to 44.6 a game in the five postseason wins. The only loss was to Mallard Creek, out of Charlotte, North Carolina, in week four.
Ponatoski, who entered the starting lineup as a freshman during Moeller’s playoff run in 2022, has thrown for 4,107 yards, completing over 70% of his passes, with 56 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
The Crusaders will play Olentangy Liberty for the first time ever, and it’s also the inaugural appearance in a state championship game for the Patriots.
However, that school—and several players on this year’s football team—have experience winning OHSAA state titles. Liberty became the first school from Central Ohio to win an ice hockey state championship in 2023, and just this past June, the Patriots lacrosse team won the state. Running back Jake Struck can be found on all three rosters.
His hockey teammate, quarterback Andrew Leonard, is another Ohio Mr. Football finalist. He’s thrown for 2,915 yards and 36 touchdowns on the year, running for another 678 and five scores on the ground.
The Patriots also feature a 1,000-yard receiver, as Christian Moulton has 1,216 and 17 touchdowns.
Struck takes snaps at both running back and wideout and has totaled 1,666 yards combined (rushing and receiving), with 27 touchdowns.
It’s not just a powerful offense that has been the key to success this year. The Liberty defense has permitted just 43 postseason points, with only one opponent topping double-digits in those five games.
Saturday 10:30 a.m.: Division VI – Kirtland (15-0) vs. Coldwater (14-1)
Saturday kicks off with two teams very familiar with this stage. Kirtland and Coldwater are acquainted with each other, too, splitting back-to-back state championship games in 2011 (Kirtland) and 2012 (Coldwater).
In the shadows of Marion Local’s 63-game winning streak, the Hornets have won 28-straight and dating back to 2018 have been victorious in 100 of their last 103 games.
Remarkably, Kirtland has been in the state championship game 13 times in the last 14 years, winning seven titles in that span, including last year over Versailles.
Head coach Tiger LaVerde has an incomprehensible 244-20 record in 19 years at the school and is 264-30 for his career.
His proudest accomplishment, though, would be coaching all four of his children, son Phillip in football and lacrosse, daughters Leah and Sophia in flag football, and now son Jake.
The junior has a 38-2 career record as the starting quarterback but missed several games with an injury. He spearheads a ground attack responsible for over 5,000 yards rushing this year, averaging 8.2 yards per carry.
In the state semifinal win over Northmor, Kirtland ran 465 yards without attempting a single pass. The Hornets have outscored playoff opponents 224-20 and have hit 41 points in each of the past three contests.
In Kirtland’s 13 state championship game appearances, 10 of them have come from schools from the Midwest Athletic Conference, including Marion Local four times, Coldwater three, Versailles twice and Minster once.
Just like its opponent, Coldwater also has won seven state championships, the most recent in 2020.
The Cavaliers only loss this season was to Marion Local in the regular season finale, a game in which the Flyers set the new OHSAA all-time winning streak record at 58 games.
Since then, Coldwater’s offense has run hot, averaging just under 49 points a game in the postseason.
Quarterback Baylen Blockberger has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, while a balanced rushing attack has totaled just over 3,000 yards on the season.
The Cavaliers have dedicated their season to Cale Wenning, a player who died in August from injuries suffered in an electric bicycle accident.
Saturday 3 p.m.: Division V – Ironton (14-1) vs. Liberty Center (15-0)
Either Ironton or Liberty Center has played in the Division V championship game five of the past six years, but Saturday’s matchup will be the first time against one another.
The Fighting Tigers are trying to capture the school’s first state title since 1989, and have had this same opportunity in 2022, 2020 and 2019. It’s their 12th all-time appearance in the championship game, tied for seventh most among all schools.
Ironton has had a running clock in 13 of its 15 games this year, and have outscored
Its opponents 271-48 in the postseason, including two shutouts.
Wide receiver Shaun Terry is a special player, with 80 receptions for 1,451 yards and 21 touchdown catches (25 total) on the year. He signed to play at Missouri next year.
Head coach Trevon Pendleton is an Ironton graduate who played in college at Michigan State, scoring a touchdown in Ohio Stadium to help upset then-number one Ohio State in 2015.
There’s plenty of fight in the Tigers of Liberty Center, too. The program has advanced one step further each postseason since 2021, when LC lost in the regional final. In 2022 it ended in the state semifinals, and last year the state championship game. If that trend continues, the Tigers will be state champs.
The seniors for Liberty Center bring a 55-5 record into this game and have been dominant on both sides of the ball. The offense averages over 42 points a contest, while the defense only yields 5.5 points and 174.9 yards. They’ve pitched seven shutouts, and 12 opponents were limited to single digits.
The Tigers last won a state title in 1997, also a Division V championship.
Saturday 7:30 p.m.: Division IV – Perkins (14-1) vs. Indian Valley (15-0)
One of the best records in Ohio over the past three seasons belongs to Perkins, at 36-4, including nine playoff wins, which has finally arrived on the biggest stage.
It’s been a special year for the Pirates dating back to the opening game on August 23rd. While Perkins won 55-0, the highlight of the night was a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the school’s state football title in 1999.
This current team is poised to join that group. On defense, six of the first nine opponents this year were shutout, and no foe has scored more than 22 points.
On the other side of the ball, Isaac Bunts has run for 2,316 yards and 32 touchdowns, while quarterback Sam Schweinfurth has thrown for 2,332 yards and 35 scores. His main target is a Michigan State signee, Braylon Coller, who has 76 catches for 1,216 yards and 22 touchdowns.
This trip was earned with a hard-fought win over Glenville in the state semifinals, ending the Tarblooders two-year reign as Division IV state champions.
Another Ohio Mr. Football finalist can be found at Indian Valley, as junior running back Grady Kinsey became the 11th player in OHSAA history to go over the 3,000-yard mark (3,031) in single-season rushing.
The Braves have been consistent on offense with 12 straight games scoring in the 40’s earlier this year. Sophomore quarterback Ryker Williams has been a big reason for that, running (1,322) and passing (1,004) for over 1,000 yards each.
He’s also produced in a limited role on defense, registering 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
There are a lot of football first in Gnadenhutten, winning a regional title for the first time, appearing in the state championship for the first time, and becoming the first school from Tuscarawas County to win a state semifinal.
This is a school (actually Indian Valley South which consolidated with North in 1988) that is well-known for basketball, and the Huggins family. Charlie coached the school to two state championships in the 1970’s, while sons Bob, Harry & Larry played for him.
As always, history will be made and memories preserved in Canton, and Spectrum News 1 will be there to show all of it to you.
OHSAA Championship Gameday coverage begins 15 minutes before each game and returns afterwards for analysis and postgame reaction. It’s all on Spectrum News 1, and the Spectrum News App.