By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
What a difference a day makes. On Friday the OHSAA hosted three state title games, Divisions II, IV and VI, and each one was a defensive struggle. Saturday Divisions I, III and V took their turn and two of the three were shootouts.
Youngstown Mooney opened championship weekend by capturing the schools' sixth state title with a 26-12 win over Plain City Jonathan Alder in Division IV. Facing a wind consistently howling at 30 miles per hour-plus, the two squads were the first to find out that scoring was going to be an extremely difficult activity.
In the early going, the Pioneers of Jonathan Alder had dreams of the unthinkable racing through their heads. After falling behind 7-0 Alder struck twice before the half on two touchdown runs by Luke Bates. Just maybe the Mooney train would be thrown off the track.
That all changed in the second half thanks to the legs of Youngstown's Dan McCarthy. The Cardinal signal caller tore through the Pioneers for 164 yards rushing. His backfield mates Michael Zordich and Brandon Beachum combined for 96 yards and three touchdowns as Mooney outscored Alder 19-0 in the second half, taking its second state title in three years.
The day's second game paired the Marion Local Flyers, a playoff-seasoned veteran against the Shadyside Tigers, making their first championship game appearance. In the end the pure power of the Flyers was too much for the Tigers to withstand as Local took its third title in six years, 17-0. It marked the 89th career win in nine years for Marion coach Tim Goodwin and his third state title.
In the nightcap, Piqua's Brandon Saine demonstrated to the state why he is Ohio's Mr. Football 2006, and that Ohio State will just be reloading in 2007. The soon-to-be Buckeye running back sliced up Pickerington Central for 241 yards and three scores, leading his team to a 26-7 victory in the Division II title game. Saine hit on runs of 80, 52, and 21 yards. The victory gave Piqua its first football state title in school history.
When the second game of the day opened up fans and players alike welcomed the sunshine and the calm winds. The nearly perfect conditions set the stage for two fantastic football games.
The day's first game was not one of these. As expected, the St. Henry Redskins rolled over Warren John F. Kennedy, 28-7, for its sixth state title in Division V.
St. Henry's Andy Puthoff rumbled over JFK for 209 yards rushing and three touchdowns, leading the Skins' attack. Defensively, St. Henry was nearly as dominant. The Skins held Warren to 108 yards passing and just 68 yards rushing.
Up next was the much-anticipated Division III showdown between Steubenville and Kettering Bishop Alter. Both teams came into the game sitting at 14-0. The Big Red of Steubenville were owners of a 29-game winning streak, hoping to make it 30.
In the early going it appeared that the game would be nothing more than a blowout. Steubenville struck early and often, leaving Alter and their option offense in a 34-13 deficit late in the first half.
Big Red's Zach Colloras hit for three first half touchdown passes as the Steubenville built the commanding advantage.
However, Alter's Alex Place intercepted a Colloras pass, setting up a late first half score, cutting the deficit to 34-20.
In the second half the Knights defense swallowed up the Big Red. Meanwhile, the offense was able to strike twice and closed the deficit to 34-33. But, on their second score of the half, Alters' point after was blocked, leaving them one point shy of Steubenville. It turned out to be the difference in the game as the Big Red pulled off the back-to-back titles with the one-point win.
Nobody would have ever dreamed that the final game of the weekend in Division I would involve Mentor and Hilliard Davidson. But it did, and what a show the two teams provided.
When the final gun sounded, Hilliard Davidson completed its run to the school's first state title in football with a 36-35, double-overtime win. All season people had overlooked the Wildcats, but thanks to a record-setting performance by Davidson's Bo Delande, they can be overlooked no longer.
Delande tallied 247 yards rushing and a championship record five touchdowns.
After playing to 21-21 tie in regulation, Delande scored the first points in overtime with a one-yard run. The point after made it 28-21. Mentor answered the challenge on Bart Tanksi's 16-yard pass, and the point-after kick knotted the game at 28-28. Off to a second overtime.
This time Mentor had the first shot and converted on Bill Deitman's one-yard run. Again the extra point was good making it 35-28 Mentor.
Fittingly, Delande tallied his fifth and most important touchdown run of the night to bring the Wildcats within one. Needing just one point to extend the game, the decision was made to finish it one way or another. In a story book fashion, Delande crossed the goal line untouched for two points, a 36-35 win, and a state title.