STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW | Friday's game

DIVISION II
TOLEDO CENTRAL CATHOLIC vs. CANFIELD
Game time: 7 p.m.
Where: Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
TV/Radio: ONN; WSOM-AM 600, WNIO-AM 1390.
If you go: Take U.S. 224 west 18 miles then turn left on U.S. 225 south. Proceed seven miles to U.S. 62 and proceed 17 miles to Canton. Take state Route 687 Fulton Road exit and then enter I-77 south. Proceed three miles then take U.S. 30 west. Travel five miles then take state Route 627/Richville Drive exit. Turn right onto Richville Drive. Two miles later, Richville becomes Walnut Road SE. Turn right onto 16th Street SE then right onto Harsh Avenue SE then left onto Russell Boulevard SE.
CANFIELD (14-0)
17Rayen1321Canton South037Alliance049Chaney3533Marcus Whitman (N.Y.)035Howland1438Salem938Niles763Struthers1427Poland7
Playoffs
28Columbus Beechcroft07Columbus Watterson37Louisville017Tallmadge14
Cardinals scouting report: Canfield is making its first state final appearance. The Cardinals are 7-4 all-time in the postseason. Canfield's defense has been the big story in the postseason, holding its first three opponents to three points. The Cardinals held Tallmadge to season-lows in points and yardage in last Friday's 17-14 win in the state semifinals. The Cardinals are surrendering 8.3 points per game this year with five shutouts. "I think everything we've seen and read on Canfield is that their defense is phenomenal," said Toledo Central Catholic coach Greg Dempsey. "It's the best we've faced this year." Senior linebackers Kyle Banna (99 tackles, 10 for loss; 4 interceptions) and Joe Rosko (82 tackles) and senior defensive end Ryan Pitzer (55 tackles, 12 for loss) lead the front seven. Banna was a first-team all-Ohioan and Rosko was special mention. All are first-team all-district players. Senior cornerback Damon Buente has a team-high five interceptions. "It's a very diverse defense," Dempsey said. "They have a lot of stunts and blitzes. They also do a great job in pass coverage. They have the best secondary we've faced all year." That's no accident. "Our defense does a great job in the film room picking up tendencies on the other team," said Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky, who is 41-16 in five years with the Cards. On offense, senior running back Angelo Babbaro, a first-team all-Ohioan, has set single-season school records for carries (268), yards (1,901) and TDs (30). He scored both TDs against Twinsburg, including one on a 76-yard interception return from his safety position. Banna (83 carries, 581 yards) will see the ball in a lot of short-yardage situations and Rosko (76 carries, 370) will spell Babbaro at times. Frank Ross, who also plays cornerback will likely start at quarterback with Sean Baker, a second-team all-Ohioan at linebacker, rotating in and out. Ross is the bigger passing threat -- he's completed 46 of 91 for 714 yards, seven TDs and four interceptions -- while Baker has 273 yards through the air. Both have about 200 yards rushing. Babbaro also leads the team in receptions (13 for 224 yards) with Mike Hoelzel (11 for 206) not far behind. The top lineman is center Nick Rousher, a first-team all-Ohioan. "Their offense doesn't get enough credit," Dempsey said. "They have a great running back and each quarterback brings a very unique thing to the offense. They're a well-rounded football team." Kicker Adam Jones has made 35 of 37 extra point attempts and 3 of 4 field goals. Justin Wolf has made 15 of 16 extra point attempts and averages 32.2 yards per punt. "The biggest thing about this team is that we have 23 tremendous seniors," said Pavlansky, who shared Div. II Ohio coach of the year honors with Dempsey. "They've stepped up to the plate and they've put in a lot of hard work. They're proud to wear that 'C' on their chest and they know that when they play, they're playing for a lot of people that came before them."
CENTRAL (13-1)
10Detroit Central Catholic714Fremont Ross2028Anthony Wayne735Toledo Start2127Toledo Rogers031Toledo Libbey724St. Francis1331Clay2446Toledo Whitmer1427St. John's Jesuit21
Playoffs
24Tiffin Columbian1042Mansfield Madison1435Avon Lake1424Dayton Carroll21
Fighting Irish scouting report: Central also is making its first state final appearance. The Irish are 6-6 all-time in the postseason. Central routed the state's top-ranked team, Avon Lake, two weeks ago in the regional final, 35-14, and rallied to beat Dayton Carroll 24-21 last Friday on a 26-yard field goal by Brodie Wagener with 30 seconds left. "We've very gritty," said Dempsey, who is 53-19 in six seasons with Central. "Our guys are not always the biggest or the strongest but we play with a lot of heart." Central averages 31.7 points per game and gives up 13.3 They have good balance on offense, led by senior running back Chris Willis, a second-team all-Ohioan who has carried 286 times for 1,401 yards and 17 TDs. "The biggest thing for our offense is we have to be able to move the ball," Dempsey said. "We don't always have to score points, but we have to avoid three-and-outs." Quarterback Kevin Jansen has completed 134 of 209 passes for 1,817 yards, 19 touchdowns and one interception. "[Jansen] does a great job of managing the game," Pavlansky said. His main target is junior Dane Sanzenbacher, a first-team all-Ohioan who has 67 receptions for 1,284 yards and 11 TDs. Sanzenbacher also has a team-high 10 interceptions. "I think his 67 receptions are more than we have as a team all year," Pavlansky said. "We were hoping he would graduate early and go to college this week. He's probably the best receiver we've seen in my five years at Canfield." Defensively, the Irish are led by senior lineman Anthony Oliver (a first-team all-Ohioan), senior linebackers Lee Marquette (79 tackles, seven for loss; second-team all-Ohioan) and Ryan Brown (74 tackles, four for loss; first-team all-Ohioan) and sophomore linebacker Greg Hammond (71 tackles, five for loss). "We can't let them get a big play," Wagener said. "The team that pulls off the big play at the right time very well might win the game." Wagener has six field goals, 50 extra points and averages 34 yards per punt. "They're an outstanding team," Pavlansky said. "If we're going to be in the ballgame, we're going to have to be clicking on all cylinders."
Fighting Irish scouting report: Central also is making its first state final appearance. The Irish are 6-6 all-time in the postseason. Central routed the state's top-ranked team, Avon Lake, two weeks ago in the regional final, 35-14, and rallied to beat Dayton Carroll 24-21 last Friday on a 26-yard field goal by Brodie Wagener with 30 seconds left. "We've very gritty," said Dempsey, who is 53-19 in six seasons with Central. "Our guys are not always the biggest or the strongest but we play with a lot of heart." Central averages 31.7 points per game and gives up 13.3 They have good balance on offense, led by senior running back Chris Willis, a second-team all-Ohioan who has carried 286 times for 1,401 yards and 17 TDs. "The biggest thing for our offense is we have to be able to move the ball," Dempsey said. "We don't always have to score points, but we have to avoid three-and-outs." Quarterback Kevin Jansen has completed 134 of 209 passes for 1,817 yards, 19 touchdowns and one interception. "[Jansen] does a great job of managing the game," Pavlansky said. His main target is junior Dane Sanzenbacher, a first-team all-Ohioan who has 67 receptions for 1,284 yards and 11 TDs. Sanzenbacher also has a team-high 10 interceptions. "I think his 67 receptions are more than we have as a team all year," Pavlansky said. "We were hoping he would graduate early and go to college this week. He's probably the best receiver we've seen in my five years at Canfield." Defensively, the Irish are led by senior lineman Anthony Oliver (a first-team all-Ohioan), senior linebackers Lee Marquette (79 tackles, seven for loss; second-team all-Ohioan) and Ryan Brown (74 tackles, four for loss; first-team all-Ohioan) and sophomore linebacker Greg Hammond (71 tackles, five for loss). "We can't let them get a big play," Wagener said. "The team that pulls off the big play at the right time very well might win the game." Wagener has six field goals, 50 extra points and averages 34 yards per punt. "They're an outstanding team," Pavlansky said. "If we're going to be in the ballgame, we're going to have to be clicking on all cylinders."