OHIO — The Ohio High School Athletic Association celebrated a milestone this weekend in Canton as the 50th state football tournament saw seven state champions crowned.
Versailles wins Division V title, ends Kirtland's 55-game winstreak
Versailles won its seventh football state championship by snapping Kirtland’s 55-game win streak, the longest in the country, as the Tigers won, 20-16.
Kirtland made a push late in the game, outscoring Versailles 13-0 in the fourth quarter, but key defensive and special team plays for the Tigers secured the title for Versailles.
Versailles made two interceptions in the fourth quarter on two attempted halfback passes by Kirtland, and blocked an extra point with 37 seconds left in the game to limit the comeback.
The Tigers used a balanced offensive attack. Quarterback Carson Bey finished with 129 yards passing with 1 touchdown on 8 completions. Bey also led the team in rushing with 86 yards and 1 touchdown on 27 attempts.
Jack Osborne finished with 45 rushing yards and 1 touchdown, and Michael Osborne scored a 24-yard touchdown on his only catch of the game.
The Tigers’ lone blemish this year was a Week 3 loss to Marion Local, who won the D-VII title this weekend.
Carey wins Division VI for first title since 1975
Carey defeated 2020 state champion Coldwater on Saturday, 26-14. It's the Blue Devils' second football state title in school history, and the school's first since 1975. Coldwater was seeking its eighth title since 2005.
Carey's defense shone by forcing two turnovers, a fumble and interception. The Blue Devils scored 15 points off the takeaways.
Carey running back Jordan Vallejo led the offensive attack finshing with 95 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 rushes. Quarterback Derek Lonsway finished with 81 yards and 1 touchdown on 21 rushes.
Anthony Bell kicked a 41-yard field goal for the Blue Devils, a season long, and the only score of the second half for either team.
After dropping the season opener to Hopewell-Loudon (a Division VII state semifinalist), Carey won 15-straight games.
Winton Woods claimed its second-ever state title, joining the 2019 squad.
The Warriors were 21-10 winners over defending state champion Hoban. It was sweet revenge, as those two also met in the 2017 Division II final, with the Knights 42-14 winners. Hoban had been 5-0 in state championship games (winning five titles in the previous six years).
Winton Woods is the first Division II public school champion since fellow Eastern Cincinnati Conference member Loveland won it all in 2013.
In the Division IV championship, Clinton-Massie topped Ursuline by a 29-28 margin to win a state title.
Clinton-Massie gained all but one yard of its total offense (347) on the ground, with Colton Trampler’s 117 leading the way. Carson Van Hoose added 102, while Kody Zantene gained 85 to go with his two scores.
Also of note, Carter Frank’s 42 rushing yards. That put him over the 1,000-yard mark on the year, joining teammates Van Hoose and Trampler in that club.
The Falcons last won an OHSAA football state championship in back-to-back seasons in 2012-13.
The only match-up of undefeated teams this weekend was Chardon and Badin in Division III. The Chardon Hilltoppers became the first OHSAA program to complete a 16-0 season, a feat that Marion Local could match on Saturday. They defeated Badin 21-14.
Mitch Hewitt’s Chardon team returned just five starters from his 2020 Division III state champions, but the program has kept rolling, finishing Friday with a 28-game winning streak.
St. Edward won its fifth state on Friday, defeating Springfield 23-13. Springfield had never made a state final before.
Both schools in Division I had common opponents in 2021, as St. Edward’s only defeat was to Moeller in week nine (28-21 in overtime). The Crusaders fell to the Wildcats last week (22-21) in the state semifinals. They also both beat St. Ignatius (Springfield 24-20 in the opener, St. Edward 19-14 on Oct. 2).
For St. Edward, that Moeller game was the first time the Eagles trailed all season, something that’s only happened in four games the entire season.
St. Edward never trailed in Friday's game against Springfield.