CANTON, Ohio — For the first time since 1975, Carey is an Ohio High School Athletic Association state football champion. To celebrate the 2021 winners though, the town might want to change the spelling from Carey to Carry.
That would be an appropriate honor for a team that ran it 64 times in the 26-14 win against Coldwater in the Division VI championship game.
Your new Division VI @OHSAASports State Champs..congrats to the Carey Blue Devils @devils_fb, first title since 1975. 🏆📰🏈 @SpectrumNews1OH @SpecSportsOH pic.twitter.com/Zj4Mtnkt2t
— MaryLee Melendez (@mleemelendez) December 4, 2021
Carey dominated the time of possession, keeping the ball for 34 minutes and 34 seconds, compared to just 13:26 for Coldwater.
The Blue Devils leaned heavily on a size advantage that wasn’t limited to the offensive line. Running back Jordan Vallejo is 6’2”, 265 pounds, and was a load for the Cavaliers defense to try and bring down.
Vallejo had 25 carries for 95 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a pair of two-point conversions for good measure.
Quarterback Derek Lonsway contributed 81 yards and a touchdown on 21 rushes as Carey had 243 yards total on the ground.
🏈#OHSAA D6 STATE FOOTBALL: FINAL
— OHSAASports (@OHSAASports) December 4, 2021
Carey 2️⃣6️⃣
Coldwater 1️⃣4️⃣
The Carey Blue Devils have won their second state football title in school history and for the first time since 1975! pic.twitter.com/pHrbrM0fb2
The defense matched the physicality of the offense, holding a Coldwater team that had scored 35 or more points in all five playoff games to just 14 on Saturday.
Six champions have been crowned, with just one left to go. Kirtland puts its 55-game winning streak on the line—as well as three straight state titles—when it plays Versailles on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Join Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App for OHSAA Championship Gameday at 7:15 p.m.