CANTON, Ohio — For the first time in 28 years, a team won an Ohio High School Athletic Association football state championship by scoring less than 10 points. 

What You Need To Know

  • Massillon's defense led the way in a 7-2 win over Hoban in the OHSAA Division II state championship game

  • It's the first playoff championship for the Tigers, after winning 24 state titles in the poll era, pre-1972
  • The game was the lowest scoring championship game in the OHSAA since 1995

Massillon, as it had all season on the way to a perfect 16-0 record, relied on its defense to defeat Hoban 7-2 in the Division II state championship.

After claiming 24 state titles during the poll era, pre-1972, the Tigers finally captured a playoff state crown, in their seventh appearance in the final game. 

Massillon’s defense forced two turnovers and limited to Hoban to two of 11 on third down conversions. Senior Dorian Pringle, who was uncertain to play because of an injury, led the team with 14 tackles. 

The game’s only touchdown came in the second quarter, when Mylen Lenix scored from six yards out. After a Hoban punt was downed at the one-yard line, quarterback DaOne Owens was tackled in the end zone for a safety for the Knights.

Hoban controlled time of possession 26:29 to 21:01 and led in total offense 179 to 120. The Tigers’ total was tied for fourth-fewest offensive yards by a winning team in a championship game.  

The 7-2 score was the first state championship winner with less than 10 points since Clyde beat Kenston 3-0 in the 1995 Division III championship. It was the lowest scoring Division II final since Galion topped Cardinal Mooney 6-0 in 1995.

Mistakes did in Hoban, who committed eight penalties, several at critical times, and had a punt block besides the two turnovers.

It’s also a nice payback for Massillon, which evens its all-time series at three games apiece with Hoban. The Knights beat the Tigers twice in state championship games, 2018 and 2020, and the teams have met now five times in the past six playoffs. 

Nate Moore, who also won a state championship with La Salle in 2014, joins Tom Lombardo (St. Edward & Lake Catholic) as the only coaches in OHSAA history to win state titles at two different schools. 

The Tigers also completed the first undefeated, untied season in program history since 1970. 

There were 14,846 in attendance, the fourth-largest crowd in OHSAA Division II championship game history. 

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