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“I think football is a delayed gratification sport for a lot of kids,” Flyers coach Tim Goodwin reflected during a statewide media conference call this week. “We have kids every year who don’t play a whole lot until their senior year.
“In other places they would probably quit and do something else. But at Marion Local and places like Kirtland, they stick it out. They play JV as juniors and their senior years they’re ready to go, they know the system and they have great years.”
Marion Local (13-1) joins Midwest Athletic Conference rivals Coldwater (D-V) and Fort Recovery (D-VII) in seeking a repeat three-peat. Coldwater, Marion Local and Minster swept state titles in 2014.
All seven championship games will be held at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Marion Local fielded one of its greatest teams last season. That 15-0 squad was unusual because many of those seniors were three-year starters.
“We had to rebuild this team,” Goodwin said. “We had some young guys who we liked, but we were pretty inexperienced to begin with. We had a few bumps in the road.”
That would include a 17-14 loss at Coldwater in Week 7.
Kirtland is on a 12-game win streak and also is playing in its fifth straight state title game. The Hornets had a 56-game regular-season win streak snapped in Week 2 and are 71-3 the last five seasons. Two of those losses were to Coldwater in 2012 and Minster (46-42) last year, both state finals.
This is the first time Marion Local isn’t playing among the smallest schools. That robust enrollment bumped the Flyers up from D-VII to D-VI this season.
“It’s going to be different for us,” Goodwin said. “In the past we’ve played teams that maybe had stars in their eyes in a big venue and a lot of media coverage. This year that’s definitely not going to be the case.”
• Presale tickets are available at all participating schools for $10, with a portion of the proceeds returned to schools. Cost is $12 (reserved) and $15 (club level) at the gate. All-session passes also are available. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster online at the Ohio High School Athletic Association website.
• All the games will be televised live by Time Warner Cable in Southwest Ohio on Channels 1311 (HD) and 99.
There is one state final at 7:30 p.m. today:
D-III: Akron Archbishop Hoban (13-1) vs. Toledo Central Catholic (12-2).
• Coaches: Tim Tyrrell (Hoban), third season; Greg Dempsey (TCC), 16th season.
• Key players: Hoban sr. WR/LB/BD/DL Jonas Morris; jr. RB Todd Sibley and jr. QB Danny Clark are verbally committed to OSU. TCC jr. RB Michael Warren has 2,500-plus rushing yards and 28 TDs; he's verbally committed to Kentucky.
• History: Teams have not played. Hoban is in its first state title game and is the only team among the final 14 that didn't make the playoffs in 2014. Hoban alum Tyrell Sutton was the 2004 Mr. Football and remains the state's No. 1 all-time career rusher (9,426 yards). Former 400 world record holder Butch Reynolds also is a Hoban alum. Defending state champ TCC has won 11 straight after 0-2 start. Irish KO'ed Trotwood-Madison for the second straight year in last week's state semi at Sidney, 21-13.
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