Three return to state finals
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Playing for a state championship means nervousness, anxiety and, for some, fear.
Going back to play for a state championship might eliminate a lot of those troublesome emotions.
Three teams are hoping the experience of having lived through the lofty expectations of a trip to the ultimate game pays off when they return for this weekend’s 36th state football finals in Stark County.
In Division I, top-ranked Cincinnati St. Xavier (14-0), acclaimed as one of the nation’s best teams, is favored to beat Mentor (11-2) in Saturday night’s game at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium.
But the Cardinals, who lost 36-35 in two overtimes to Hilliard Davidson in last year’s final, have the benefit of having lived through all the hype and hoopla just a year ago.
“Having gone there last year, it’s kind of made it easier,” Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno said. “It’s taken away all that stuff, that first-time excitement is gone, and now it’s ‘Let’s get down to business.’ We’ve taken a great workman attitude.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Mr. Football in your lineup. Quarterback Bart Tanski walked off with the 21st annual award, presented by The Associated Press, on Wednesday.
He called the return engagement the highlight of his playing career.
“It’s huge playing two years in a row, being a public school going back to back,” said Tanski, who threw for 327 yards and division state finals records four TDs last year. “It’s a big accomplishment to make a state championship. Hopefully, this year we can finish it off.”
Nerves shouldn’t be a problem for two other teams, both of which are back and going for titles for the second year in a row.
The two days of championships opens this morning at 11 with Maria Stein Marion Local (14-0) taking on ninth-ranked Ursuline (12-2) at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Marion Local, ranked No. 1 in the AP’s final regular-season Division V poll, won the Division VI title a year ago, beating Shadyside 17-0.
Saturday afternoon, top-ranked Mooney (14-0) tries to defend its Division IV crown when it takes on No. 11 Coldwater (13-1).
The rest of the weekend’s games are fifth-ranked Sunbury Big Walnut (13-1) against No. 6 Newark Licking Valley (13-1) in Division III, first-time state finals teams 12th-ranked Cincinnati Anderson (12-2) battling No. 8 Louisville 12-2) for the Division II crown, and No. 1 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (14-0) meeting eighth-ranked Newark Catholic (12-2) in Division VI.