CANTON — Hoban’s seniors went out in style.
Tyris Dickerson rushed for 211 yards and a touchdown and caught a 35 yard TD pass and the Knights won their fourth straight state title with a 42-28 win over Massillon in the Division II championship game Thursday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dickerson said. “I’ve got to give it to the (offensive) line and the fullbacks. They make our job very easy.”
Hoban’s fourth championship trophy — the Knights won Division III crowns in 2015 and 2016 and claimed the the Division II title in 2017 — didn’t come easy. Hoban (15-0) led 34-7 at the half only to see Massillon (14-1) score 21 unanswered points. A 67 yard touchdown pass from Massillon quarterback Aidan Longwell to Aydrik Ford cut the Hoban lead to 34-28 with 9:13 remaining in the fourth.
“It was a tale of two halves,” Hoban coach Tim Tyrell said. “We got caught in a situation where they got the momentum. We had to battle through adversity but the biggest thing was … the seniors kept saying to the younger guys, ‘It’s OK.’ The younger kids really fed off the older guys.”
Needing a sustained drive, Hoban reached into its bag of tricks and came up with a crucial fourth down conversion on a fake punt when. The drive ended with a Deamonte Trayanum 2 yard touchdown run.
“It took a fake punt and some great runs and some great blocks,” Tyrrell said. “My hat goes off to the seniors. Players win big games. Coaches are just there not to screw it up.”
Nothing went right for the Tigers early as Hoban built a 27-0 lead early in the second quarter. Massillon finally got onto the board with a 1 yard Zion Phifer run.
“As bad as we played in the first half, a lot of teams wouldn’t have what it takes to come and play the type of second half that we did,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said. “We came out and played like Tigers. We came up short in the end, but we had a chance to win in the fourth quarter which was the goal coming out of halftime.
“They made that happen and I’m really proud of these guys.”
Trayanum backed Dickerson with 82 yards rushing for the Knights. Quarterback Shane Hamm added 67 yards on nine carries and completed 4 of 9 passes for 118 yards and two TDs.
Longwell completed 9 of 21 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. Phifer rushed for 82 yards.
Hoban’s 21 man senior class was a combined 57-3 win four state championships.
“I love every single one of them, that’s what I told them before the game,” Tyrrell said of his seniors. “I believe in them so much. It’s a special thing when you have these kind of guys.
“I’ve just seen so many of these guys grow. That’s what sets Hoban apart right now. There is that bond. It’s not about just winning.”
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