Former McKinley standout tailback poised for first high school ring with state power Knights
By Keno Sultan
Stark County Prep Press writer
www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com
AKRON--30 years ago, Adrian Brown was a game away from realizing his dream of becoming a state champion with the Canton McKinley Bulldogs.
All that stood between them and a second return to Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium were the defending three-time Division I state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius Wildcats.
After a close first half, the Wildcats massive offensive line eventually wore down McKinley and concluded the Bulldogs season with a 41-19 triumph in a Division I state semifinal. Like his teammates, Brown exited the cold confines of the Akron Rubber Bowl in tears after a second loss to Ignatius, who went on to capture a fourth consecutive title in the same stadium Brown yearned to win a title in.
30 years later, that dream is alive again and burning with a Division II state power.
In his third year as running backs coach with Akron Hoban, Brown is close to realizing his dream of being a state champion. And under the tutelage of current Knights head coach and former Youngstown State teammate Tim Tyrrell (who Brown also coached with at St. Thomas Aquinas), Brown is also poised to make sure Hoban's three-year slide in state championship games come to an end. But to do that and take that final step, the Knights will have to once again oppose Avon in a Division II state semifinal at InfoCision Stadium with a kickoff time of 7 p.m.
Winning was expected for Brown, a 1996 McKinley graduate when he competed under the tutelage of longtime field general Thom McDaniels. It was even more when he competed under Jim Tressel at YSU, where he was a starting running back on their 1997 national championship team. And it has continued at Hoban where they are thirsting to add a sixth championship to their trophy case. Brown knows about that expectation having been immersed in it at McKinley, where he was 25-7 in his Bulldogs career.
"Being at Hoban is similar to McKinley where you are accustomed to success and is a well-rounded organization of high school success. You strive for greatness and winning is expected where I came from and where I am now, you have to go out and do your part," he said.
Currently, Hoban is 12-2 on the season and they are the same Knights from past teams with a high-scoring offense and a punishing defense that makes opponents regret the day they faced them. Offensively, Hoban is averaging 33.8 points out of a total of 474 scored and defensively, they are yielding 11. on defense out of 155 points allowed.
Brown rejoined Tyrrell two years ago. Hoban was on the doorstep of obtaining a sixth title after a 21-13 loss to Cincinnati Winton Woods in the 2021 state final. Brown felt the pain of the other two losses, a 28-21 loss to Toledo Central Catholic and most recently, a 7-2 setback to a mammoth Massillon team that set numerous Division II records last season.
Dorian Pringle's knockdown of a game-winning pass to Jackson Callaway in the end zone extended that wait further. Brown admitted it didn't take long for the Knights to board the team bus leaving Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and get back into the weight room to try again.
"They have put in a lot of hard work in the offseason and they know what it takes to be a part of something special and that shows as well as we have a great locker room," Brown said.
Speaking of Massillon, last season's setback to the Tigers opened up a laceration dating back to November 5, 1994. It was the 100th game and senior kicker Nick Pribich converted an extra-point attempt that netted the host Tigers a 42-41 victory over the Bulldogs in front of a crowd spanning 19,000 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Brown and Kinta Mitchell accounted for the Bulldogs scores in what was a monumental classic between the rivals.
Brown cried tears of sadness. Willie Spencer Jr., Massillon's revered signal-caller shared a long hug with him and walked him to the post-game handshake line amid words of respect and dignity. At that point, Brown swore to himself that McKinley would obtain revenge and two weeks later, he put McKinley on his back and rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs claimed a 27-20 win in a regional final. A year later, Brown rushed for three touchdowns as a senior and ended his Fawcett Stadium career with a 24-21 win over the Tigers.
What drove Brown to dominate Massillon and end his prep career 3-1 against them with five touchdowns? Leave it up to the 1994 loss and he makes sure every Hoban player takes his approach. Especially from that day forward, every practice at McKinley was like the 10th week afterward. Players had to be on board with Brown, or they were excluded without a debate, discussion, or negotiation.
"1994 was a heartbreaking loss. Man, it was tough to lose a game like that. We all wanted revenge in the playoffs," he said. "I had a willingness that we were not going to be denied. Everyone had to be on board with that. I had that mindset and everyone else had to have that mindset going forward."
Avon is a team that is no stranger to success under Warren JFK graduate and former Mount Union alum Mike Elder. Save for the 2022 season, the Eagles have been to the state semifinals six of the last seven seasons. A nagging chore for the Eagles has been trying to defeat the Knights. Four times, Hoban has been that roadblock that has spelled the end of Avon's season a game before the coveted state final, three of those have terminated undefeated seasons and like the 2017, 2020 and 2023 squads, this year's Eagles team is undefeated and they believe they finally have the team to stop Hoban's path.
With the Eagles averaging 36.7 points on offense out of 515 scored on the season while only yielding 13.5 out of 189 allowed, this looks like it may be a breakthrough for them.
Being a running back himself, Brown relished the fact when there was a tired defense in front of him, he knew he would obtain the ball. Keeping the ball away from Avon's offense will have a lot to do with that in order for the Knights to advance to what will be their ninth state final in 10 years.
"We will have to protect the ball and have no turnovers and whoever makes the least mistakes will be the one that wins Friday night," he said.
The approaches that Tyrrell and McDaniels have had on Brown are a major reason why he is able to relate to players. Whereas McDaniels according to Brown is laid back, Tyrrell is fiercely intense as both demand flawlessness. Also benefitting from that is Ace Brown, Hoban's 6'4'', 225 lb. defensive end who takes the same approach as his father.
One thing is for sure. Adrian would love nothing more to add two more state title rings to the Brown kingdom. Beating Avon will make them one step closer to that goal, in which not only will Ace have a ring too, Adrian will get to share a potential high school state championship ring at the table with his younger brother, Shaun, who was a part of the 1997 and 1998 McKinley Division I title winning teams as a defensive back.
That would make four rings, five overall if you count Adrian's YSU national championship ring. But to realize that, they must once again traverse past Avon and then look to end a three-year losing streak in state championship games. And Adrian will do everything in his power to make sure that happens.
"I have lost the last two title games and we know that Tim will have us prepared and ready to go. It is not going to be easy but we are going to play hard and play every play like it's our last," he said.
30 years ago, Adrian Brown was a game away from realizing his dream of being a high school state football champion. 30 years later, he is once again on the doorstep and hopes that quest will not only end with success in the state semifinal against Avon but also the next week in his hometown of Canton.
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