It’s their first state championship game appearance since winning the D-VI crown in 2006.
“This is a really neat opportunity for our team and community,” said St. Henry coach Josh Werling, who played on the Redskins’ last championship squad.
“We’re a very senior-led team and that helped carry us through some of the trials and tribulations of our league. As a lot of people know, (the Midwest Athletic Conference) is unforgiving and they just kind of calm the waters. So with every team there’s growth and evolution and what I appreciate about our senior group is being open to that. They’re just a pleasure to coach. They’ve created this locker room culture that is very much family-driven, no egos, and you get excited to go to work every day.”
The Redskins climbed their toughest mountain two weeks ago, beating Marion Local 24-7 to claim their 10th regional title in school history. The four-time defending state champion Flyers had won 76 straight games, the longest in Ohio high school football history. Their last defeat came in a D-VII regional final in 2020, when they lost to MAC rival New Bremen.
The Redskins didn’t have much time to celebrate. They advanced to face four-time defending regional champion Columbus Grove in a state semifinal game, beating the Bulldogs 13-10.
“You can enjoy it until midnight, and then Saturday at 12:01, you better turn the page,” Josh Werling said. “Being (senior-led), I think, really helps. There’s an urgency to 12th graders, you know? And I think that’s been a big difference for our football team.”
The Redskins are led by dual-threat senior quarterback Charlie Werling — Josh Werling’s son — who rushed for 1,770 yards and 32 touchdowns and threw for 1,429 yards and 14 TDs this season.
“One of his strengths for us is he’s a very calm kid, and at times that can be aggravating as a coach, you want your kids to show some emotion, but he’s a calming influence for a huddle as well,” Josh Werling said. “He’s never too high, never too low, and I think that’s allowed him to evolve at the quarterback position for us.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Hillsdale is facing a MAC school in the state final for the second straight season. The Falcons fell to Marion Local 74-0 and vowed to get back to Canton this winter, said Hillsdale coach Trevor Cline.
The Falcons senior class — the winningest in school history — was fueled by last year’s state final loss, which saw Marion Local set a record for most points scored in a D-VII state championship game.
“It was a huge motivation for our program, because for us, it was a great opportunity to get the state championship because our program had never been there before, but it was an opportunity for our players to see what else is out there,” Cline said. “We were a great team last year, but there’s a whole other level out there and the work it’s going to take to be able to beat a program like that or a MAC school. It was a great opportunity for our program to see that and be able to see what the standard is and work towards that.”
As the lone MAC team remaining, Werling wants his team to stay focused on taking care of business this weekend in Canton.
“My message for our team has been, you know, reflection is something that can be saved for later,” Josh Werling said. “Our full attention needs to be towards Hillsdale. They’re a team that’s been here two years in a row. They are a very good program. They do things the right way, and we have to stay focused on the task at hand. You want (the kids) to enjoy it. It’s quite the experience for our young men, and I don’t want to overlook that. But the time for reflection and appreciation can be reserved for Sunday.”
They hope to celebrate with their seventh state championship trophy in hand.
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