Knights and Irish fall short, diverting McKinley Bulldog connections from state championships
By Keno Sultan
Stark County Prep Press special report
AKRON--Four times since the 2017 season, the Avon Eagles were the team always having to shake Akron Hoban's hand and wish them well in the state championship.
Tonight, it was Akron Hoban's turn to shake hands with Avon and wish them well.
The undefeated Eagles after having multiple seasons short circuited by the Knights finally obtained their first ever win over the five-time state champions as Avon needed one possession to set the tone in the form of an 11-play drive ending with a Tyler Kauffman one-yard touchdown run and it was a possession that set the Knights back on their heels the rest of the evening as the Eagles posted a commanding 35-10 victory over Hoban to advance to next Thursday's Division II state championship game against undefeated Cincinnati Anderson, a 28-24 victor over Sunbury Big Walnut in the other semifinal. Both teams will enter with identical 15-0 records for the 7 p.m. kickoff at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Former Canton McKinley running back and 1996 graduate Adrian Brown was hoping to be part of a state championship with the Knights.His son, defensive end Ace Brown finished with two tackles, both for loss in a losing cause for the 12-3 Knights.
This will be Avon's first state championship game since the 2011 season, a 42-28 loss to Trotwood-Madison at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
18th-year Avon head coach Mike Elder likes the direction where his team is headed going into Thursday's tilt against the Raptors.
"Those guys really stepped up tonight in a big-time game in a big-time moment. Our offensive line dominated up front and won the line of scrimmage and our running backs ran hard and protected the football and that was huge for us, we had a great game tonight," Elder said. "We're going to enjoy the bus ride home and get ready for Cincinnati Anderson."
When asked if Avon's tone-setting drive was a costly portent of things to come, veteran Hoban general Tim Tyrrell, a former head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas didn't see it that way.
"I don't think it was as much on the first series as much as it was playing to our youth a little bit. We were at the point where we did some panicking on both sides of the ball. And that is not us but it's a part of high school football. We just have to give our honor and respect to our seniors and when the time comes to get back to work," Tyrrell said. "I am going to watch Avon next week, be an Avon fan and I have always had a ton of respect for Coach Elder. I hope they go and win the state championship next week."
Division III state semifinal: Toledo Central Catholic 7, Youngstown Ursuline 6
ELYRIA--A missed 44-yard field goal on the final play of regulation in a battle of 13-1 teams spelled the end of Youngstown Ursuline's season.
After being bogged down for three quarters, Toledo Central Catholic was able to mount a winning drive and capped it off with a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining for the lone touchdown.
Former McKinley head coach Dan Reardon was attempting to return to the state championship for a second time since returning to Ursuline after a four-year run as Bulldogs head football coach.
Toledo Central Catholic will defend their state title in a rematch of last year's contest against Columbus Bishop Watterson, a 27-7 Irish victory. Toledo Central Catholic will look to win their third straight title against the Eagles, a kickoff time slated for 3 p.m. at Benson Stadium in Canton.
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