It was quite the record-setting day for Marion Local, as the Flyers captured the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division VII football state championship, beating Newark Catholic 42-7.

What You Need To Know

  • Marion Local beat Newark Catholic 42-7

  • The football team set a record, winning the title for the 12th time

  • Senior quarterback Peyton Otte completed 13 of 18 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns

For the 12th time, more than any other school in OHSAA football history, Marion Local is bringing a title back to Mercer County.

Senior quarterback Peyton Otte helped the Flyers soar to a 21-0 first-quarter lead with two touchdown passes. The Green Wave pulled to within 21-7, before Marion Local closed with a 21-0 run.

Otte wrapped up his career in style, completing a remarkable season in which he was moved to quarterback, after being named all-Ohio as a wide receiver in 2020. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 65 (on 13 carries) and two scores on the ground.

Wide receiver Brady Ronnebaum hauled in six catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

The Flyers defense also deserves credit, for limiting Newark Catholic to 148 yards of total offense.

Back to the records, Marion Local’s 42 points is the most ever in a Division VII title game, breaking its own mark of 41 against Norwalk St. Paul in 2014. Similarly, the 49 combined points is a new Division VII championship game mark. The previous high total was 47 in Fort Recovery’s 33-14 win over Magodore in 2015. 

This also adds to the rich tradition of Midwest Athletic Conference football state titles. The mighty MAC now can claim 38 (with the possibility of two more today in Coldwater (Division VI) and Versailles (Division V) since 1989, an average of more than one per year.

Football Titles (38 total)

12 – Marion Local

7 –Coldwater*

6 –Delphos St. John’s, St. Henry

3 – Minster

1 – New Bremen, Fort Recovery, Anna, Versailles* (only 1 in MAC, 6 total)

*Still to plays for a state title on Saturday.

It’s the 143rd championship for all sports among Midwest Athletic Conference members including 2021-22 state titles in volleyball (New Knoxville beat St. Henry in Division IV) and cross country (Minster girls in Division III).

Stay with Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app for the remaining two games. Coldwater plays Carey at 3 p.m. for the Division VI championship, followed by Versailles and Kirtland in the Division V final.