“I’m kind of motivated to get that first one as a senior,” he said. “I know our team is motivated. Our seniors are motivated. It’s a great group of guys.”
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The Knights (12-1) will play Norwalk (10-3) in a Division III football state semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday at Wapakoneta Harmon Field.
The winner will face the winner of the other semifinal — Columbus Eastmoor Academy (12-1) vs. Chagrin Falls Kenston (12-1) — in the D-III state championship at Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
One division will be selected to play its state championship game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29; the remaining six title games will be played at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1. The Ohio High School Athletic Association will announce divisional assignments after the state semifinal games.
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The Knights have appeared in the state semifinals 11 times (2018, ’16, ’14, 2010-08, ’06, 2002-01, 1987 and ’84), including six in the last 10 years.
Alter, the D-III state poll champ, is going for its first state championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2008-09. The Knights have won 12 straight since falling to rival Fairmont in the season opener. They need two more victories to win their third football state championship.
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Bazelak’s oldest sister, Maddie, a senior on the Duquesne University volleyball team, won state championships as a member of the Knight’s girls basketball team. His other sister, Libby, a sophomore on the Duquesne basketball team, won four total state titles — three for the Knights’ basketball program and another for girls soccer.
Connor Bazelak is among the nation’s most highly-touted, pro-style quarterbacks. He committed to the University of Missouri last summer. He’s thrown for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns this season in the Knights’ run-heavy veer option offense. He tossed for 144 yards and a touchdown in Alter’s 21-7 regional championship defeat of Wapakoneta last week.
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As a sophomore, Bazelak played in all but one game, a 14-7 loss in the D-IV state semifinals to Columbus Bishop Hartley. He’s looking forward to another state semi.
“Our next goal is win state,” Bazelak said following the defeat of Wapak. “We’re just taking it game-by-game. The defense is playing great. The offense is starting to click.”
Norwalk, located 10 miles south of Lake Erie in Huron County, is making its first appearance in the state semifinals since 1974, when it won its first state title.
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The Truckers (10-3) have won three straight playoff games after losing back-to-back games to D-III, Region 10 playoff participants Clyde and Tiffin Columbian. Norwalk beat Sandusky 20-17 to win the Region 10 championship last week.
After last week’s win over Wapakoneta, Alter coach Ed Domsitz wasn’t sure how many times his team had advanced to the state semifinals. “You never grow tired of it,” he said. “Any time you can be a regional champion, it says a lot. It says a lot about our kids.”
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