The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Statement day
Kirtland wins fourth state title
CANTON — Whoever constructed the state championship sign by the driveway into Kirtland off Route 306 had foresight.
On the sign, the Hornets’ state football titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015 occupy one line — and there is a shiny, new blank line left underneath just in case.
In the case of one of Ohio’s signature programs on the gridiron, it’s not a matter of if that line is needed. It’s a matter of when.
When came Nov. 30 in the Division VI state final against Maria Stein Marion Local, as title No. 4 began its trek to the northeast shore of Ohio.
The Hornets delivered an efficient masterpiece, with ball control on offense, stout defense particularly in the run game and a Jack Bailey field-goal block to deliver the exclamation point for a 16-7 win at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Kirtland caps its 2018 campaign 15-0.
Given the timing of the Hornets’ state titles this decade, it’s likely the workhorses who delivered the ultimate hardware this fall were inspired as youngsters themselves watching title hoists from the stands. Now a new generation has another collection of historic Hornets from whom to draw inspiration.
“It feels awesome,” said Kirtland senior Jake Neibecker, who ran for 107 yards and a secondquarter
touchdown. “Ever since that first state title in 2011, that became the standard around here. That’s what everyone wanted to achieve. Last year, we made a run at it and didn’t get it. We geared up in the offseason, ready to come back and take another shot at it. Our hard work paid off.”
In a game Hornets coach Tiger LaVerde readily described as a “grind,” that hard work was mandatory.
The Hornets enjoyed a 16-7 lead entering the fourth quarter after a 32yard field goal by Mario Rodin.
Marion Local had a big momentum swing, when a first-down conversion by Kirtland was wiped out by a holding penalty. A punt was partially blocked by the Flyers’ Isaac Eifert, putting Marion Local in business at the Hornets’ 20.
“That punt,” LaVerde said, “scared the crap out of me.”
But Kirtland held in with a goal-line stand, including a Connor Gron stop on Brandon Fleck on thirdand-goal at the 2.
Faced with a tough dilemma down nine, Marion Local coach Tim Goodwin elected to try a chip-shot field goal.
But Bailey, amid a dominant two-way performance, got penetration and blocked the kick.
That gave the Hornets the ball for good.
“That goal-line stand?” LaVerde said. “That’s going to be one I remember for a long, long time.”
Afterward, Bailey noted he got the field-goal try with his elbow.
“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool,’ “Bailey said with a smile.
Kirtland worked its trademark magic from there. Facing fourth-andshort at the Marion Local 38, the Flyers were called for encroachment.
The west side of the stadium, between LaVerde, the Hornets’ bench and their traveling faithful, knew what that meant: First down, and victory formation.
“I trust these dudes,” LaVerde said. “I trust our guys to execute the play that is called and get two feet. We talked about it. When it’s fourth-and-1 in the state championship, here’s the play we’re going to run. We’re going to block it, and we’re going to execute it. We talk about that from Day 1.”
Kirtland took a 13-7 lead into halftime.
On the second play of the second quarter, Neibecker bulled in from two yards out to cap a nine-play, 55yard march.
Marion Local answered with an efficient drive to tie the game at 7. Nathan Bruns, who had earlier exited briefly putting no weight on his right leg, completed a 28-yard pass to Matt Rethman on a key third-and-14 play down to the Hornets’ 5. Three plays later, Fleck found paydirt from one yard out.
After an exchange of punts, Kirtland strung together a 14-play drive to take the lead into the locker room. On his first carry of the game, Luke Gardner took a toss at the Flyers’ 7 and hit the corner nicely for a TD. The extra point was muffed.
Marion Local had a little more than a minute with which to operate and got down to the Kirtland 26. But a Bruns fourth-and-11 pass was intercepted in the back right corner of the end zone by Gron to maintain the 13-7 Hornets’ advantage.
Gron had a masterful game with a key tackle for loss, that interception, three tackles and three pass breakups.
“Anything I can do to help my team win, it’s great,” Gron said.
“Actually, Coach told me before the game, ‘You’ve got to be the X-factor.’ He came up to Tommy (Powers) and I and said, ‘You are going to help us win this game.’ “
The Hornets held Marion Local to 41 rushing yards.
Goodwin asked in the postgame news conference what the total wound up being. A media member handed him the final stats page.
“Forty-one yards?” Goodwin said. “Yeah, I would say not too strong.”
After Marion Local’s turn was done, Goodwin returned the stat sheet, emphasizing he didn’t want to see it anymore.
As for Kirtland, that community won’t mind seeing a lot more of this.
The Hornets are the 16th football program in Ohio to win four state championships. With three this decade already, the sign makers had foresight — and that was smart.
“I always tell them from Day 1, ‘I don’t care if we’re down 14. I love our chances,’ “LaVerde said. “With our line and what we do offensively, we wear on teams. If we’re down, I like our chances. If we’re tied, I love our chances. If we’ve got the lead? With what we do offensively, we can wear teams down and start getting bigger chunks.
“Man, that was fun. That was a lot of fun.”