OLIVESBURG — High school football royalty will pay a visit to north central Ohio on Thursday.
All eyes will be on Crestview’s Scott Bailey Memorial Field when defending Division VI state champ and small-school juggernaut Kirtland will tangle with the Cougars.
Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde has built a powerhouse in Lake County, fashioning an impossible 230-20 record since taking over nearly two decades ago. Last week’s 55-34 win over Dalton was his 250th career victory — he was 20-10 in three seasons as a head coach in Pennsylvania before landing at Kirtland in 2006.
LaVerde’s teams have won seven state championships and been runner-up five times — all since 2011. The Hornets have played in seven straight state finals dating to 2017 and won four state crowns, including three in a row from 2018 to 2020.
Crestview coach Steve Haverdill coached alongside LaVerde in the 2023 North South All-Star Classic.
“We coached together and we got to know each other,” Haverdill said over the summer. “Kirtland is as good as it gets.”
Just how good?
Since winning its first state title in 2011, Kirtland is 182-9 (.953 winning percentage). The Hornets have averaged 14 wins and less than one loss per season during that stretch.
Kirtland has only lost one regular season game since 2017 and that was to eventual Division V state champ Perry in Week 3 last season. The Hornets won 55 straight games before falling to Versailles in the 2021 Division V state final.
Kirtland at Crestview, Thursday
The Hornets did all their damage on the ground in last week’s 55-34 win over 2023 Division VII state runner-up Dalton, piling up 506 rushing yards on 50 attempts.
Quarterback Jake LaVerde ran for 341 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries, averaging 21.3 yards per carry. Danny Alfieri rumbled for 54 yards and four scores on 10 carries. The Hornets gave up 294 passing yards, but intercepted three passes.
The Cougars led 7-0 less than a minute into last week’s opener against Seneca East thanks to Ayden Reymer’s 58-yard touchdown run, but surrendered 35 straight points in a 35-20 loss.
Reymer rushed for 138 yards, while quarterback Liam Kuhn threw for 49 yards and a touchdown to Tyson Ringler.
Shelby at Lexington
The Whippets stumbled out of the gate before hitting their stride in the second half of last week’s 40-14 win over Madison.
Quarterback Brayden DeVito led the charge, completing 21-of-32 passes for 405 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 75 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Bradley Bowman caught 7 passes for 119 yards and a TD, while Marcus Gumbert rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Linebacker Dennis LaFon led the way with 15 tackles. Mav Noel picked off a pass and Brice Sampsel recorded a sack.
Lexington led Ontario 14-0 last week before surrendering 31 unanswered points in a 31-14 loss.
Seven Allen accounted for both of Lexington’s touchdowns, returning an interception 82 yards for a touchdown and hauling in a 37-yard scoring strike from quarterback Joe Caudill.
Allen had five catches for 98 yards, while Caudill completed 14-of-30 passes for 187 yards. Lexington managed just 38 rushing yards.
Centerburg at Ontario
The Trojans opened the season with a 21-6 win over Utica thanks in part to a sticky-fingered secondary that picked off three passes. Trevin Harris returned one of the interceptions 46 yards for a touchdown.
Quarterback Blane Ball overcame a pair of first-half interceptions of his own. The junior tossed a 23-yard TD pass to Isaiah Sule to give Centerburg a 7-6 lead. Mile Marshall added a 25-yard scoring run.
Ontario scored 31 unanswered points in a come-from-behing 31-14 win over Lexington. Ohio State-bound quarterback Bodpegn Miller rushed for 96 yards and fired a pair of touchdown passes to Noah Poole.
Running back Mason Vantilburg rushed for 105 yards and a pair of TDs on 17 carries. Linebacker Landon Sowards made 14 tackles, while fellow linebacker Alan O’Blisk registered a sack.
Hillsdale at Lucas
The Falcons opened with a resounding 44-12 win over Black River as sophomore quarterback Kael Lewis completed 9-of-16 passes for 238 yards and a school-record six touchdowns.
Three of Brock Bower’s four receptions went for scores, while Holland Young had three catches for 102 and two TDs. Hayden McFadden caught three passes for 90 yards and a score.
Aiden Hoffman and Brady Heller each had 10 tackles, while Jesse Trevathan made nine stops and picked off a pass.
Lucas rumbled to a 48-12 win over Smethport (Pa.), making a winner of Jim Sweat in his head coaching debut.
The Cubs piled up 453 yards on the ground, while quarterback Bobby Grover completed 4-of-5 passes for 115 yards. Zac Winters had three catches for 81 yards.
The Cubs fumbled the opening kickoff, but Buck Arnold returned an interception 75 yards for a TD. Dan Hockensmith rushed for 68 yards and three TDs.