CANTON — Hillsdale’s flight to the Division VII state championship football game will reach a majestic perch on Friday.
The Falcons meet No. 1-ranked Maria Stein Marion Local (15-0) in the storied venue of Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for a 10:30 a.m. kickoff.
For a resume of each team, the Ohio High School Athletic Association released an overview of their respective seasons.
Division VII
HILLSDALE
By Zack Holden, Mansfield News Journal
The Hillsdale Falcons (14-1) are making their state championship debut having won the program’s first regional championship en route to Canton.
After an undefeated start to the season in which they outscored opponents 336-92, the Falcons suffered their only loss in Week 10 against Division V Norwayne, with the Wayne County Athletic League title on the line.
Sophomore quarterback Kael Lewis has exploded on the scene, while running back Owen Sloan offers a strong ground presence and maintains a lofty family tradition by following in the football footsteps of his father Justin.
Opening the postseason with a pair of wins against Fairport Harbor Harding (55-12) and Windham (43-14).
That set up a game they’ll talk about in Jeromesville for the next century or so. Hillsdale outlasted Malvern in an epic thriller, 50-48. That Sweet 16 contest drew national attention because of the way the Falcons won it.
Lewis tossed a 36-yard Hail Mary that was tipped and collected by Brock Bower just inside the front corner of the end zone as the half ended, giving the Falcons a 23-20 edge.
Then, to conclude a furious fourth-quarter scoring barrage, Lewis struck again.
He lofted a 36-yard Hail Mary that was tipped and plucked out of the air by junior Hayden McFadden in the back of the end zone as time expired. That clinched an incredible, 50-48 win over third-seeded Malvern in a Division VII, Region 25 shootout at Massillon Perry High School.
It led to Hillsdale’s third regional championship appearance after previously losing to Lima Central Catholic (28-19) in 2010 when current head coach Trevor Cline was the starting quarterback, and again in 2017 to Liberty-Benton (37-17) with Cline on the staff as an assistant.
No concerns this time. Hillsdale rolled over Cuyahoga Heights 44-14 for a regional championship.
In the state semifinal at Shelby, the Falcons trailed Danville 22-6 in the first half, but rallied with a brilliant defensive performance in the second half to earn a 25-22 victory.
The program has qualified for the postseason 13 times and each of the last nine seasons with Cline at the helm since 2018.
MARION LOCAL
By Gary R. Rasberry, The (Celina) Daily Standard
A banner in a corner of Booster Stadium in Maria Stein this season read “Chasing Perfection,” and Marion Local has taken that motto to heart.
The Flyers enter the state title having won a state record 63 consecutive games and will look to make it 64 — four full 16-game seasons — against Hillsdale.
Tim Goodwin, now standing at 324-48 in his 26th season and 14 state titles since 2000 as head coach, has stressed that his squad loves to work on mistakes made in practices and games, and every correction has made the team stronger.
Only twice this season has Marion scored fewer than 35 points — both times coming against Midwest Athletic Conference rival Minster. The defense has eight shutouts this season with no team scoring more than 14 points.
The Flyers play a tough schedule in the MAC, where eight other teams earned berths in the playoffs and Marion’s Week One opponent, Linton-Stockton, advanced to the Indiana Class 2A state championship game.
The Flyers’ key is their depth.
Parker Hess, Ethan Heitkamp and Drew Lause provide the majority of the running yards while quarterback Justin Knouff became the seventh quarterback to pass for over 2,000 yards in last week’s state semifinal win over Columbus Grove.
Favorite receiver Victor Hoelscher became the season record holder for receiving yards last week in reaching 1,271 yards with 19 touchdown catches this season. The offensive line is led by Northwest District Lineman of the Year Kyle Ungruhn.
The defense has allowed just 49 points this season, tied for fifth-fewest allowed in a season and opponents are averaging just 136.6 yards of total offense and has recorded 16 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries.
Lause was named the MAC and Northwest District Defensive Player of the Year at one linebacker spot while Drew Lause has 105 tackles. Defensive end Adam Winner has seven sacks on a team that has recorded 29 this season
