Toledo Central Catholic 31, Canfield 29

MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) -- Dane Sanzenbacher scored the go-ahead touchdown on a perfectly timed hook-and-ladder and made four other big plays to lead Toledo Central Catholic over Canfield 31-29 Friday night for the Division II state title.
The Fighting Irish (14-1) won their first championship in their first trip to the finals behind Sanzenbacher's big plays on offense, defense and special teams. They also were aided by an injury to Canfield's star player.
Angelo Babbaro, a first-team All-Ohio selection at tailback, was hurt while playing safety and had to be carried off the field with 7:54 remaining in the second quarter. The Cardinals (14-1) led 14-3 at the time on Babbaro's 92-yard kickoff return and 4-yard touchdown run.
With Babbaro out, Central Catholic scored two touchdowns in less than five minutes to take a 17-16 lead at halftime.
On the third play of the second half, Sanzenbacher caught the longest TD pass in a Division II title game, a 60-yarder from Kevin Jansen to give the Irish an eight-point lead.
Sanzenbacher made his third big play early in the fourth quarter, extending a touchdown drive by catching a 17-yard pass on a fake punt. Chris Willis' 7-yard TD run put Central Catholic ahead 31-22 with 9:49 to play.
Canfield closed to two points on Joe Rosko's 1-yard TD run with 1:48 remaining, finishing off an 18-play, 75-yard drive.
Sanzenbacher then recovered the onside kick.
Canfield forced Central Catholic to punt, but didn't have enough time to mount a drive and Sanzenbacher intercepted a desperation pass on the game's final play.
Canfield, in its first state championship appearance, had allowed only 8.3 points per game this season with five shutouts.
But Sanzenbacher made the unit look ordinary, catching four passes for 140 yards.
Sean Baker, who replaced Babbaro in Canfield's backfield, rushed for 164 yards and an 8-yard TD on 21 carries.
In a first half packed with sensational plays, Sanzenbacher, a first-team All-Ohio receiver, finished the biggest one. Jansen completed an 8-yard pass to Xavier Graciani and the tight end tossed a lateral to Sanzenbacher, who ran 39 yards down the left sideline for the go-ahead touchdown 30 seconds before halftime.
On the series Babbaro was hurt, Jansen finished off the Irish's 10-play, 70-yard drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Kevin Boyle that cut Canfield's lead to 14-10.
Canfield then moved 57 yards to Central Catholic's 3, where quarterback Frank Ross tried to score on a sneak. He fumbled at the goal line on a hit by Lee Marquette, and Boyle recovered at the 1.
Jansen fell in the end zone three plays later, giving Canfield a safety and a 16-10 lead with 1:37 left in the first half.
Babbaro provided the highlight of the first quarter when he caught a kickoff at the 8-yard line on the far side of the field, ran past defenders as he cut left and then headed downfield. Two defenders closed in on Babbaro at the Central Catholic 30, but he got away by faking a move inside and then sprinting down the sideline to the end zone.
Central Catholic tight end/linebacker Curtis Jewell was injured late in the third quarter and taken off the field on a stretcher.