Ohio high school football state finals preview: Thursday D-II primer

MaxPreps Ohio-Minute
60 seconds of high school sports highlights from around the Buckeye State.

Division II: Perry (Massillon) (12-2/NR MaxPreps JJHuddle/No. 10 AP) vs. La Salle (Cincinnati) (12-2/No. 3 MaxPreps JJHuddle/No. 5 AP)
Thurs., Dec. 1, 7:30 PM at Ohio Stadium

KEYS & NOTES

Rematch of last year's final that LaSalle won 42-0.

Massillon Perry

* Started 2-2 with close losses to Canton Central Catholic (D-V state finalist) and Massillon Jackson.

* Fourth Stark County team to make back-to-back state finals.

* Head coach Keith Wakefield is in the fourth year of his second stint as the head coach at Perry. In those four years, Perry has gone from 0-10 to 6-5 to 12-3 to now 12-2 and back to the state championship game. In his first stint, from 1982-2003, Perry went 157-42 with 11 Federal League championships, four playoff appearances and a regional title.

Ohio High School Football Playoff Brackets: Printable One-Page

LaSalle

* Lancers have won 14 straight playoff games and scored at least 30 points in 11 of them.

* Looking to win third straight state title. Have played in 45 games in three years.

* Won first outright GCL South title this season.

* Have 30 seniors - 28 have won two state titles and 14 will be starting their third state final.

TOP PLAYERS

Matt Carrick, Massillon Perry, sr., OL
Michigan State recruit is one of state’s top prospects. First team AP All-Northeast Inland district.

Tevion Cleveland, Massillon Perry, sr., DB
First team AP All-Northeast Inland district.

Tresean Smith, LaSalle, sr., DB
Louisville commit was first team GCL South and AP Southwest district.

Jarell White, LaSalle, sr., LB
First team GCL South and AP Southwest district.

Christian Turner, LaSalle, sr., RB
GCL South player of the year and first team AP Southwest district.

TOP QUOTES

Massillon Perry head coach Keith Wakefield

“We were probably a better team going in last year than we are this year. I don’t know about their situation. They look the same to me. Very stout. We have to keep their offense off the field. That’s the key for us really. Matching up with their personnel will be a little difficult.”

“We don’t throw the ball much. People that play us know what we are going to do.”

“They have all the tools offensively. We have to make them earn it.”

LIVE Division II State Championship Game Scoreboard & Alerts

LaSalle head coach Jim Hilvert

On two schools from the GCL South located on the same street (St. Xavier the other) making state finals: “It really says a lot about the GCL South and the level you play week in and week out. Everybody has high expectations in the GCL to win the league championship and state championship. It also says a lot about North Bend Road."

“We’re not a real rah-rah type of team. Kids are very business-like.”

“No game is too much for our kids.”