Ohio high school football: 5 things we learned in the OHSAA state semifinals
The Central District will have at least one team competing in a state championship game for the eighth consecutive season.
The fact that only one area team has a shot at a title for the sixth time during that span — two teams reached state finals in 2019 and 2020 — is proof of how tough it is to make it this far.
There won’t be a central Ohio team in the Division I state final for the second year in a row, and an area team hasn't made the Division II state championship game since 2006.
Bloom-Carroll is the area’s last hope after cruising past Tipp City Tippecanoe 35-12 in a Division III state semifinal Nov. 25.
If last year’s finals, which featured six matchups decided by 12 points or fewer, are an accurate indicator, there should be plenty of exciting football to watch at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton this week — even if central Ohio will mostly miss out on the action.
Here are five things we learned in the state semifinals:
1. Gahanna Lincoln should benefit for years to come from its long playoff run.
During a Division I state semifinal Nov. 25 at Arlin Field in Mansfield, the Lions committed a pair of first-half turnovers and found themselves in an early hole that ultimately doomed them in a 31-7 loss to defending state champion Lakewood St. Edward.
One thing to remember, though, is that just getting to this game often sets up programs for big things to come in the years that follow.
Gahanna loses a pair of defensive standouts in Jaden Yates and Kamari Burns from a strong senior class, but going 13-2 means it experienced five weeks of games and numerous extra practices beyond the regular season.
Pickerington Central won state championships in 2017 and 2019, but it first had to grow from a 29-27 loss to Cincinnati St. Xavier in a 2016 state semifinal. The pain from that loss helped set up a five-year run in which Central won regional titles every season.
Gahanna should return a cast led by junior running back Diore Hubbard, sophomore quarterback Brennen Ward and junior defensive lineman Elijah King.
St. Edward will face Springfield at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in a rematch of last year’s final, which the Eagles won 23-13.
2. Bloom-Carroll put together one of its most complete games of the season in its state semifinal win.
After needing to rally to beat Watterson 33-28 for the Region 11 title, the Bulldogs were impressive against Tippecanoe.
Bloom-Carroll gained all 432 of its yards on the ground, attempting just one pass, as junior running back Dylan Armentrout rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and added a fumble recovery and an interception.
Senior Andrew Marshall, a Kent State recruit who was the district’s Defensive Player of the Year, added 129 yards rushing on 19 carries.
The Bulldogs are 14-1 and get a shot at their first title when they play at 3 p.m. Dec. 2 against Canfield, a 13-1 team that lost the 2005 Division II final in its only previous title game appearance.
3. Newark Catholic ran out of answers in its pursuit of a second consecutive state final appearance.
After edging Warren John F. Kennedy in a state semifinal before falling in the Division VII title game last fall, the Green Wave wound up matched up against the same opponent in a state semifinal Nov. 26.
This time, Newark Catholic committed a pair of late turnovers and lost 21-7 to JFK to finish 11-2.
The Green Wave had two games canceled during the regular season but still managed to earn the No. 1 seed in Region 27.
In the postseason, the abilities of senior running back Mason Hackett and a strong defense led Newark Catholic to its 28th appearance in a state semifinal.
JFK will face New Bremen for the title at 3 p.m. Dec. 3.
4. Akron Hoban's Lamar Sperling and Cincinnati Wyoming’s C.J. Hester get one more chance to shine at the prep level.
Gahanna's Hubbard is one of seven finalists for Mr. Football, which is set to be announced Dec. 1.
The most likely to win the honor is either Sperling or Hester, who are seniors with sparkling resumes and one more prep game remaining.
Sperling rushed for 278 yards and four touchdowns on 38 carries as Hoban beat Massillon Washington 41-20 in a Division II state semifinal. He is a Buffalo recruit who has rushed 377 times for 3,626 yards and 55 touchdowns heading into his team’s state final at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 against Toledo Central Catholic.
Hester is a Western Michigan commit who had 94 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-20 win over Steubenville that advanced Wyoming to the Division IV title game against Cleveland Glenville at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3. He has rushed for 3,061 yards and 48 touchdowns and for more than 7,000 career yards.
5. The champions in both Division V and Division VI will finish undefeated.
These two state finals both will include historically great programs, and all four teams are 15-0.
At 10:30 a.m. Dec. 2, Ironton will take on Canfield South Range for the Division V championship.
Ironton beat Germantown Valley View 35-21 on Nov. 25 and will be in its 11th state final, but the only previous titles it earned were in 1979 and 1989. South Range defeated Liberty Center 35-0 on Nov. 25 to reach a title game for the first time.
In Division VI, Maria Stein Marion Local takes on Kirtland at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 3.
Marion Local defeated Columbus Grove 27-0 on Nov. 26 and has given up 33 points all season as it looks for its 13th state title.
Kirtland, which has given up just 75 points this season, defeated Beverly Fort Frye 41-6 on Nov. 26 and has won six state titles.
Marion Local beat Newark Catholic 42-7 for the Division VII title and Kirtland lost to Versailles 20-16 in the Division V final last season. They also met in state finals in 2015, 2017 and 2018, with Kirtland winning in 2015 and 2018 and Marion Local winning in 2017.
Marion Local has won 31 consecutive games and Kirtland has won 70 of its last 71.
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Ohio high school football: 5 things we learned in state semis
