It all came down to this. The Division 6 Championship game between two teams who have a lot of history on the biggest stage of them all when it comes to Ohio high school football. The Kirtland Hornets took on the Coldwater Cavaliers, do or die. These two teams have met seven previous times in the Division 6 state championship game so they are no strangers to each other when it comes to the big stage. Kirtland rolled into this game undefeated and with a perfect record of 15-0 and we’re looking to continue their dominance to win their 8th state championship. Coldwater would come into this one only dropping one game on the season with a 14-1 record. Coldwater would be led by head coach Chip Otten who has been the Cavaliers head coach for the last 15 years and has a career record with the Cavaliers of 176-31. On the other side of the turf was Kirtland head coach Tiger LaVerde. The 19 year Hornets head coach came into this game with a 238-20 record and rarely finds himself in the loss column. The quarterback matchup would be a big story to watch in the championship game. A big battle between Kirtland's Jake LaVerde and Colwater's Baylen Blockberger. The Stage was set both teams were ready to roll and so were each teams roaring fan bases here in Canton, Ohio.
Each team would only get one drive in the first quarter with Kirtland starting with the ball and turning it over on downs going for it in Coldwater territory on the 27 yard line. Kirtland's 1st quarter consisted of running the ball with the Hornets amounting for 64 total yards on the ground, lead by Jack Lessick who had 26 yards. Coldwater would take over at their 27 yard line and put together a great drive that would put them into the end zone and up in this game 7-0 lead with 2:03 left to go on a pitch out to Miles Pottkotter. Baylen Blockberger was the man of the drive as he amounted for 69 Yards in the first quarter.
The momentum really started to shift in the second quarter. Each team in the first five and a half minutes could not even reach field goal range as the defenses were rolling. With 6:19 left in the quarter Baylen Blockberger found Mason Welsch in the end zone for another 6 points and the Cavaliers were back on the board this time with a two possession game leading 14-0. The Hornets were not able to get anything going on offense and it was a struggle to even pick up a first down. Hornets Quarterback Jake LaVerde went 0-4 in the half and had 12 receiving yards thanks to Max Paul. Coldwater would take the ball back and score with just 39 seconds left in the half as the dynamite duo of Baylen Blockberger and Mason Welsch connected in the end zone again for a 17 yard touchdown. This would give the Cavaliers a 21-0 lead heading into halftime and a complete show of dominance in the first half.
The 3rd quarter may have been the dagger for the Hornets. Kirtland's defense put up a solid fight in the early going of the second half but their offense continued to struggle. With 6:03 left in the 3rd, Kirtland had the ball at their own 5 after a great Coldwater punt. On the first play of the drive the Hornets had some miscommunication which would result in a fumble in their own end zone that the Cavaliers recovered for the touchdown. This extended the lead for Coldwater to 28-0. The Hornets struggles continued going scoreless in the 3rd. The Cavaliers would end the 3rd quarter with a field goal and would start a running clock for the 4th as they had a 31 point lead going into the final quarter of play.
Kirtland would get on the board with an 11 yard touchdown run by Jake Laverde with 7:42 to play but it was too little, too late for the Hornets. The clock would hit zero here in Canton and for the 8th time in school history the Coldwater Cavaliers were the State Champions of Division 6!
Game State courtesy of the OHSAA
Comments