Kirtland, Trotwood win titles

Staff report

MASSILLON

The Kirtland defense continued its dominating playoff ways, defeating Coldwater 28-7, in the Division V football state championship game on Friday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Kirtland (15-0), making its first trip to the state finals, rushed for 410 yards and held the Cavaliers to only one score. During the playoffs Kirtland’s defense allowed only 29 points in five games.

Kirtland senior running back Christian Hauber led the offense, running 30 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Damon Washington added 18 rushes for 147 yard and two touchdowns.

Kirtland’s defense was led by junior Josh Iammarino and senior Neil Ribelli. Iammarino totaled 10 tackles while Ribelli collected 61/2.

The Hornets took the lead in the first quarter and never relinquished it.

Hauber scored on a 6-yard touchdown run after an almost seven-minute opening drive. Hauber was later injured in the first quarter but would remain in and play the entire game.

Washington’s 7-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds to go before half pushed the Kirtland lead to 14.

In the third quarter Coldwater’s junior quarterback Austin Bruns led the Cavaliers on a six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with Bruns scoring on a 6-yard scamper. The touchdown pulled Coldwater within seven heading into the fourth quarter.

The Hornets responded right away with Hauber breaking off a 39-yard run on the ensuing offensive possession leading to his second touchdown of the day. With a little over four minutes remaining in the game, Washington scored his second touchdown of the game on an 81-yard run putting the game out of reach.

The Hornets’ 15 wins is a school record and marks the first time they have finished undefeated.

Coldwater has reached the championship game the past three years, finishing as runner-up all three years.

The Cavaliers have now finished as state runners-up five times and champions twice. The Cavaliers finish the season with an 11-4 record.

DIVISION II

Trotwood-Madison 42, Avon 28

MASSILLON

It was too much Green, too soon and too often for the Avon High School football team Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Isreal Green that is.

Trotwood-Madison’s 5-9, 200-pound junior tailback rushed for 230 first-half yards on 21 carries and scored in bunches with two 1-yard runs, along with scoring runs of 74 and 4 yards.

It helped the speedy and athletic Rams build a 28-14 lead by intermission and they never let up, scoring on their first second-half possession in the Division II state championship game.

The win gives Trotwood (15-0) its first championship in seven postseason appearances and wipes out the bitter memory of a runner-up finish in 2010. Trotwood also lost in the title game in 1996.

Avon (13-2), in the postseason for the fifth time, dug itself too big a hole by falling behind, 28-7.

Not even a 17-yard touchdown pass from Justin O’Rourke to Jacob Mullins just before halftime could help the Eagles avoid their first second-place finish.

Green finished with 327 yards and six touchdowns.

Information from the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Bob Fortuna was used in this report.