Top 25 high school football rankings A look at this week's Xcellent 25 high school football rankings presented by the Army National Guard.
Both contests were held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on the campus of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Colerain (14-1), looking for its second title and first since 2004, was denied by a St. Edward’s team that opened the season 0-2. The Eagles (11-3) beat
St. Ignatius (Cleveland),
Euclid,
Mentor,
Olentangy Liberty (Powell) and Colerain in the postseason en route to their fourth state championship (all since 2010).
With the score tied 10-10 in the third quarter, St. Edward took control with two second half touchdown passes from senior quarterback
Garrett Dzuro to senior receiver and Michigan recruit
Quintel Kent. The last hook-up, which covered 19-yards, gave the Eagles a 14-point lead with seven minutes to go.
Hoban's victory extended one of Ohio's greatest historical runs.
Hoban's Tyris Dickerson (Eastern Kentucky recruit) ran for 211 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in the D-II state final.
Photo by Jeff Harwell
Coupled with state titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017, Hoban became just the fifth school in Ohio history to win four straight state football championships.
Newark Catholic (1984-87),
Coldwater (2012-2015) and
Marion Local (2011-14) also won four. St. Ignatius owns the record with five (from 1991-95).
The Knights, 57-3 the last four years, have won 29 straight games (dating back to Week 1 in 2017) and 28 straight postseason games. It was the first 15-0 season in program history.
A crowd of 16,213 – the majority Massillon fans – watched Hoban open up a 34-7 halftime lead. The Tigers (14-1) closed the gap to within six (34-28) in the fourth quarter, but Hoban converted a fake punt on fourth-and-three near midfield on the ensuing possession. The drive led to a two-yard run by junior running back
Deamonte Trayanum that put the Knights up by the final margin.
The two teams combined for 847 yards of total offense, surpassing the existing OHSAA D-II championship game record by 29 yards.
Senior running back
Tyris Dickerson did the bulk of the work for Hoban rushing for 211 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. The Eastern Kentucky recruit also scored on a 35-yard pass from sophomore quarterback
Shane Hamm, who also ran for two touchdowns and threw another to junior tight end
Caden Clark (Alabama commit). Trayanum, whose suitors include Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame and Michigan, finished with 82 yards on 17 carries.
Kirtland's title was its fourth since 2011 and avenged a loss to Marion Local in last year's final. Marion Local (13-2), making its eighth straight trip to the state final, beat Kirtland in the 2015 championship game. The Flyers (10-time state champs) were trying to tie St. Ignatius for the most titles in state history with 11.
Marion Local's loss also denied the Midwest Athletic Conference – arguably the nation's premier small school affiliation – a state football title for the first time since 2003. The MAC owns 33 Ohio football titles and 132 state titles (all sports) overall.
Of note in Kenston's win was senior kicker
Anna Sanders becoming the first female in state history to score a point in a state football final. Sanders connected on six PATS and missed a field goal.
The Bombers finish 14-1, while Alter, which had a 13-game win streak snapped, closes 13-2.
Kenston junior quarterback
Jon Tomcufcik threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, while junior running back
Jack Porter carried the ball 20 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns. Senior receiver
Bransen Stanley caught two touchdown passes and also had an interception.
