High school football: Kirtland hammers Hopewell-Loudon for eighth state title

CANTON — John Silvestro rushed for four touchdowns Saturday as Kirtland defeated Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 41-6 to claim its eighth state title in the Division VI championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Kirtland (15-0) was making its 14th state championship appearance, all in the last 15 seasons, with previous titles coming in 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2013 and 2011. Hopewell-Loudon (13-2) was making its third state championship appearance, finishing as runner-up in 2008 and 2007. Kirtland received the opening kick and marched down the field on a nine-play, 60-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown run from Silvestro. After turning Hopewell-Loudon over on downs, Kirtland drove 85 yards and Silvestro scored a 4-yard rushing touchdown to take a 14-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter. With 52 seconds to play until halftime, Jack Colatruglio intercepted Kirtland quarterback Jake LaVerde. Hopewell-Loudon drove down to the Kirtland 36-yard line but with five seconds remaining in the half, Jacoby Ellis was intercepted by Mario Lorber and Kirtland took a 14-0 lead into half. On Kirtland's first drive of the second half, Silvestro broke off a 57-yard rush to the 3-yard line where he scored his third rushing touchdown of the game.Silvestro tied the Division VI championship record with four rushing touchdowns. The Kirtland tailback rushed for 255 yards on 19 carries for an average of 13.4 yards per carry. Also leading the way for Kirtland was Jake LaVerde, who was 2-for-3 passing for 37 yards and rushed 14 times for 122 yards. Hopewell-Loudon was led by running back Kellen Frankart, who carried the ball 19 times for 113 yards. In other games: Division V Liberty Center 35, Wheelersburg 3 Liberty Center (15-0) completed a perfect season and won its first state title since 1997 after finishing as the state runner-up both of the last two seasons. Wheelersburg (14-1) finished runner-up for the first time to go along with state championships in 1989 and 2017. Liberty Center ran the ball 47 times for 216 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and three touchdowns and a held a 31:23-16:37 edge in time of possession. Wheelersburg was held to 33 total plays and 143 total yards of offense. Thomas Mohler ran 14 times for 95 yards and a touchdown and Garrison Kruse ran 22 times for 84 yards and two scores for Liberty Center. Kaden Kreinbrink complemented the rushing attack by completing 8-of-12 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jaxton Lawniczak. In addition to a 21-3 lead on the scoreboard, Liberty Center held a 214-82 edge in total yards and 16:31-7:29 advantage in time of possession at halftime. Division VII St. Henry 37, Hillsdale 3 Quarterback Charlie Werling accounted for 228 total yards and four touchdowns as St. Henry (14-1) won its seventh state title (1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2025) and improved to 7-2 all-time in championship games. Hillsdale (13-2) finished as the state runner-up for the second straight year. Werling ran 19 times for 178 yards and three touchdowns and completed 4-of-9 passes for 50 yards and a score. St. Henry's championship is the 45th football state title for the Midwest Athletic Conference. The league has produced at least one state champion each of the last seven seasons and 21 times in 23 seasons dating back to 2003. St. Henry turned the ball over on downs to start the game, then proceeded to score touchdowns on five of its next six possessions. Werling carried three times for 27 yards before Will Speck scored the game's first touchdown on a 26-yard run with 3:33 left in the first quarter. On the final play of the quarter, Kael Lewis connected with Hayden McFadden for a 46-yard gain that gave Hillsdale first-and-goal and led to Brock Bower's 23-yard field goal. On the first snap following the kickoff, Werling rushed off right tackle and scored on a 70-yard run. His two-point conversion run extended St. Henry's lead to 16-3 with 10:50 left in the second quarter. St. Henry's defense held Hillsdale to 17 net yards on its next three possessions, while Werling scored on a 23-yard run and threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Speck to build a 30-3 halftime lead. St. Henry started its first drive of the second half at the Hillsdale 32-yard line after Drew Langenkamp blocked a Hillsdale punt. Werling carried the ball on six straight plays, including a 1-yard touchdown plunge that made it 37-3 with 6:44 left in the third quarter. Speck ran nine times for 77 yards and a score and caught two passes for 26 yards and a touchdown for St. Henry. Anderson Kramer finished with a game-high 14 tackles. Lewis completed 14-of-21 passes for 130 yards for Hillsdale. McFadden caught three passes for 75 yards, Owen Sloan caught three for 25 yards and Bower caught three for 6 yards. Sloan also led the Hillsdale defense with 10 tackles.