PARMA — Colonel Crawford ran into an overwhelming force at Friday night’s Division VI state semifinal game at Byers Field in Parma.
The Eagles fell to perennial powerhouse Kirtland 49-22 in a Final Four shootout that ended the most successful season in C.C. history.
Meanwhile, the seven-time state champion Hornets (14-0) are headed to the finals for the 14th time in the last 15 years, the first time an Ohio high school has accomplished that feat. Coach Tiger LaVerde’s team will meet Hopewell-Loudon next Saturday at 3 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Colonel Crawford finished with a fine, 13-2 record. It included the school’s first regional championship and initial journey to the Final Four.
Coming into the state semifinals, the Eagles routed four straight playoff opponents by a combined score of 150-35, including a 35-7 regional title win against West Jefferson (11-2).
But the Hornets proved to be an entirely different animal.
Kirtland gained 443 yards on the ground while dominating the line of scrimmage. John Silvestro powered for 229 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries. Ty Bledsoe hammered away for 156 yards and a TD on 16 carries.
Playing amid snowy, windy conditions, Bledsoe swept end for an 8-yard scoring dash with 8:09 showing in the first quarter and a 7-0 lead.
The Eagles tried to respond, but missed a 28-yard field goal.
Kirtland then expanded the gap when quarterback Jake LaVerde, the coach’s son, got loose for a 5-yard score with 28 seconds to play in the first period for a 14-0 advantage.
Silvestro expanded the gap midway through the second quarter with his first scoring plunge, a 1-yard dive and it was 21-0. Silvestro’s 6-yard touchdown blast with 42 seconds remaining in the half pushed the margin to 27-0.
C.C. got on the board early in the third period via Connor McMichael’s 18-yard scoring sprint to slice the gap to 27-7.
But LaVerde’s 16-yard sweep around right end opened the spread to 34-7 with 6:31 left in the third quarter.
Again coach Jake Bruner’s bunch responded on McMichael’s 13-yard touchdown run to climb within 34-14 at the 3:45 mark.
But Silvestro struck right back with a 60-yard TD bolt and the two-point conversion made it 42-14 with 2:12 blinking on the third-period clock. Silvestro’s fourth touchdown came on the final play of the quarter, a 16-yard scamper, and goosed the lead to 49-14, starting a running clock.
The Eagles recorded their final touchdown of the season midway through the final period when Payton Baker raced 17 yards to paydirt. Dominic Dean added a two-point conversion to finish the scoring.
Colonel Crawford senior Brayden Holt completed 16-23 passes for 197 yards. Parker Weithman hauled in seven catches for 82 yards. McMichael ran for 110 yards on 20 carries.
The Eagles posted 360 yards of total offense, including 217 in the air. They just couldn’t stop Kirtland’s ground game.
The Hornets were appearing in their ninth straight Final Four, and won their most recent state crown in 2023. Hopewell-Loudon (13-1) upset Coldwater 20-18 in the other semifinal.
Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde has won seven state championships and is the fastest coach to reach 200 wins in the history of Ohio high school football.
(Photos by Diane Bemiller)
