DaytonDailyNews.com

CLAYTON — After his team's Division IV state semifinal win, Coldwater coach John Reed said he was taking the next 23 minutes to celebrate. Then he'd start preparing for Youngstown Mooney in the title game.

Williamsport Westfall — the other team in the D-IV semifinal — is still trying to figure out Coldwater.

"This is by far the best team we've ever faced here," Westfall coach Scott Keller said. "And I don't even think a perfect game by us tonight would have been enough to beat this team."

Coldwater roughed up Westfall 56-14 at Northmont's Good Samaritan Stadium on Saturday. The Cavaliers advance to their first state title game since winning it all in 2005. Coldwater (13-1) plays AP poll champ Mooney (14-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The Cavaliers led 14-0 after one quarter and seemingly put the game out of reach early in the second. Defensive back Tony Harlamert picked off a Westfall pass on the run and sprinted 72 yards for the score.

"I just read his eyes and jumped it," said Harlamert, who also rushed for 59 yards and three TDs. "That's all there was to that."

That pretty much summed up the game, too. Coldwater's speed on defense was too much for Westfall, which finished with 16 yards rushing. Seven sacks contributed to the low rushing total.

Apparently, Westfall felt a bit slighted prior to the game. It was the home team, but was moved to the visitor's side to accommodate Coldwater's large crowd. The game drew an estimated crowd of 6,000.

Both teams wore white visitors jerseys during warmups.

"We saw it and kind of questioned it," said Coldwater senior Tyler Kunk.

"If they wanted to do mind games, it didn't really work out too well for them."

When Westfall returned to the field to start the game, the Mustangs had changed into their dark home jerseys.

Coldwater — going against a Mustang defense allowing just 8.4 points per game — had no such trouble. The Cavaliers rushed for 294 yards and threw for another 155 behind solid protection from the line.

"Every week they are outsized. But every week they get the job done," Harlamert said. "They deserve all the credit."

Westfall, making its first state semifinal appearance, hadn't allowed more than 28 points in a game. Coldwater had that at halftime.

"They continued to play hard," Reed said, "but I think they knew at that point it wasn't going to be their night."

SATURDAY'S STATE SEMIFINALS

Mentor 39, Brunswick 14

Cin. St. Xavier 10, Dublin Coffman 7

Division IV

Youngs. Mooney 28, Marion Pleasant 0

Coldwater 56, Williamsport Westfall 14

Division VI

Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 41, Ada 38

Newark Cath. 21, Springfield Catholic 14

NEXT FRIDAY'S STATE FINALS

Marion Local (14-0) vs. Youngstown Ursuline (12-2), 11 a.m. at Massillon

Division III

Newark Licking Valley (13-1) vs. Sunbury Big Walnut (13-1), 3 p.m. at Canton

Division II

Louisville (12-2) vs. Cin. Anderson (12-2),

7 p.m. at Massillon

NEXT SATURDAY'S STATE FINALS

Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (14-0) vs. Newark Catholic (12-2), 11 a.m. at Canton

Division IV

Youngs. Mooney (14-0) vs. Coldwater (13-1), 3 p.m. at Massillon

Division I

Mentor (11-2) vs. Cin. St. Xavier (14-0),

7 p.m. at Canton