PARMA — Tiger LaVerde teaches advanced math classes at Kirtland High School.
That numerical knowledge comes in handy when he measures the amazing success of the football team he also coaches at the Lake County school, about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland.
— Seven state titles.
— Appearances in 13 of the last 14 state championship games.
— 257 wins against just 21 losses, a winning percentage of .924.
— The fastest football coach to 200 wins in the history of Ohio high school football.
— 83 wins in their last 87 games.
That’s the perennial powerhouse Colonel Crawford (13-1) faces on Friday at 7 p.m. at nearly 12,000-seat Robert Boulton Stadium in Parma in a Division VI state semifinal game. The OHSAA officially announced game sites on Sunday.
The other Division VI state semifinal matches Coldwater (10-4) and Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (12-1) in a game at Wapakoneta.
The two winners advance to the state championship game Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
It’s a remarkable success story for a Kirtland team that had just one winning season in six years before LaVerde’s arrival and had never won a playoff game.
In fact, according to a 2025 preseason article published at www.explorevenango.com, before LaVerde arrived, Kirtland was “known more for being the early headquarters for the Latter Day Saints movement than for high school football.”
In that article, LaVerde remarked on how unusual his program’s success has been since that first playoff win, a 63-7 victory against South Range in 2008.
“We do not have open enrollment. We are not a private school, so we don’t get anybody,” LaVerde said.
“We don’t have any kids who don’t come from Kirtland Elementary. We don’t get kids who come here to play football, which is really probably one of the biggest things I’m proud of. We’ve been able to do this with just kids who live in our community.
“We have a good youth program and our weight room is pretty special. Our kids are in the weight room every day. That’s unusual and they don’t know that. They don’t realize that.”
He is also enjoying the final year of his youngest son, Jake, a four-year starter at quarterback.
A two-time All-Ohioan coming into this season, the younger LaVerde (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) has amassed more than 6,000 yards and 80 TDs, with the yardage evenly split between running and passing.
In a 21-7 regional final win against Garaway last Friday, LaVerde ran for all three TDs, the last one coming to cap a 96-yard, 14-play drive that put the game away with just 2:36 left to play.
“The 96-yard drive is exactly what we do and how we play Kirtland football,” LaVerde told OhioVarsity.com. “We dominated up front and the O-line did an amazing job.”
LaVerde rushed for 128 yards on 21 carries in the victory.
The Hornets will face a Colonel Crawford team that is rightfully gaining in confidence every week.
Colonel Crawford has routed four straight playoff opponents by a combined score of 150-35, including a 35-7 regional title win against West Jefferson (11-2).
In last Friday’s win, the Eagles were led by running back Connor McMichael. The 6-foot, 210-pound senior ran for 214 yards and four TDs on 27 carries to lead coach Jake Bruner’s team to its first ever Final Four appearance.
“It was my O-line. They blocked and paved the way all night. We executed the game plan, and I just followed them,” McMichael told Crawford County Now after the game.
“We knew their offense, coming into this game, was averaging a lot of points. So we came in here knowing we had to ground and pound, chew up the clock and not let their offense get hot.”
The Colonel Crawford defense shut down West Jefferson QB Austin Buescher, who came in passing for more than 300 yards per game. He was limited to 123 yards by the Eagles, completing 18 of 29 attempts.
OHSAA Football State Semifinal Playoff Pairings
All games on Friday, November 28, at 7 p.m.
Designated home team listed first.
Winner of first game listed in pairings will be designated home team in state championship game.
State championship games December 4-6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton
Division I
Middletown (11-2) vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier (10-2) at Dayton Welcome Stadium
Lakewood St. Edward (11-2) vs. Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (13-0) at Mansfield Arlin Field
State Championship: Friday, December 5, 7:30 p.m.
Division II
Avon (12-1) vs. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (11-1) at University of Akron InfoCision Stadium
Cincinnati Anderson (13-0) vs. Sunbury Big Walnut (12-1) at Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
State Championship: Thursday, December 4, 7 p.m.
Division III
Toledo Central Catholic (10-4) vs. Cuyahoga Falls CVCA (12-0) at Fostoria Memorial Stadium
Tipp City Tippecanoe (13-0) vs. Columbus Bishop Watterson (12-0) at Mason Tri-Health/Beacon Stadium
State Championship: Friday, December 5, 3 p.m.
Division IV
Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (12-0) vs. Cleveland Glenville (10-3) at Minerva High School
Shelby (13-0) vs. Cincinnati Indian Hill (13-0) at Sidney Memorial Stadium
State Championship: Friday, December 5, 10:30 a.m.
Division V
Wheelersburg (13-0) vs. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (10-2) at Westerville Central High School
Liberty Center (13-0) vs. Lewistown Indian Lake (11-2) at Lima Spartan Stadium
State Championship: Saturday, December 6, 7:30 p.m.
Division VI
North Robinson Colonel Crawford (13-1) vs. Kirtland (13-0) at Parma Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium
Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (12-1) vs. Coldwater (10-4) at Wapakoneta Mercy Health Wapak VFW Field
State Championship: Saturday, December 6, 3 p.m.
Division VII
Columbus Grove (10-3) vs. St. Henry (12-1) at Troy Memorial Stadium
McDonald (13-0) vs. Jeromesville Hillsdale (12-1) at New Philadelphia Quaker Stadium
State Championship: Saturday, December 6, 10:30 a.m.
