by Two great schools with a rich history of success driven by excellent coaching, and even better culture. Fewer words can spark more interest and excitement then Hoban vs Avon in the State Final Four and here we are again, 2023 edition! Before we can take a look ahead, let’s take one last look back at what should surely be, yet another classic between the two!
When you’re the Archbishop Hoban Knights, you become so good that you start to develop rivals everywhere. Another one that has formed in recent years is with the Avon Eagles out of the SWC. While Avon will tell you that their number-one focus is the game ahead of them as well as the Avon Lake Shoremen, these feuds with the Knights of Hoban have really heated up over the years.
It all started in 2017, when the Avon Eagles began their stretch of five straight trips to the state final four. In the last 8 years, that game has taken place against the Archbishop Hoban Knights out of Akron numerous times. Each one has been closer than the last and has featured some of the greatest players in OHSAA history.
Lets take a look at each one, starting with 2017 played on Black Friday.
The 2017 OHSAA playoffs state semifinals took place on November 27, 2017, from a frozen Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium. All eyes were on Brunswick as an epic clash between Avon and Archbishop Hoban took place for a ticket to the state championship game in Division 2. Both teams played hard, and in the end, it was Hoban handing Avon their first loss all year with a 30–6 victory.
The Hoban Knights powered their way to the victory with a relentless stampede of rushing the ball down the gut of Avon. After a tight first half in which Avon did a great job of clock control, yet still trailing, 10–6, at the break, Hoban pulled away in the second half.
Freshman Hoban quarterback Shane Hamm didn’t do much in the air, but he didn’t need to, as his legs were more than enough. The freshman quarterback rushed for 47 yards on 7 carries, scoring 1 touchdown.
Sophomore running back Deamonte Trayanum racked up 126 yards on 8 touches, also scoring twice.
Making his stats even more impressive for Trayanum is the fact that he didn’t touch the ball until the second half. He was also a force on defense, with a sack and an interception. Starting tailback Tyris Dickerson chipped in with 110 yards on 15 carries. He did not score. Avon simply had no answers for the relentless rushing attack of Hoban.
The Hoban defense was every bit as impressive, forcing Ryan Maloy into multiple interceptions and sacking him 7 times. It was clear the Eagles attack was running a little flat without Tony Ebhardt working at full speed. It was his first game back in several weeks after dealing with illness.
Avon converted a third and 14 for 24 yards on the opening drive. The team was then handed a 15-yard personal-foul call on Hoban tacked on to the end of the play on a late hit. Avon would convert their next third down with Nick Perusek on a third on 5. Perusek was only a sophomore, so it was a rare carry for the young back in such a crucial situation. However, it was then that Avon committed mistakes, as back-to-back penalties set up a second down and 35 from the Hoban 44.
A Ryan Maloy pass was intercepted by Hoban defender Garrett Houser, who took it all the way back to the Avon 20-yard line after about an 85-yard return on the Maloy overthrown pass that stalled the drive. The Eagles defense forced the Hoban offense to a three and out. Hoban then converted a 35-yard field goal, as kicker Jacob Branham bounced it in off the post. The Knights had that kind of luck in the first half.
The ensuing kickoff saw yet another personal foul on Hoban, the second in the first seven minutes of the game. Ryan Maloy and the Eagles took advantage of the mental mistake and began another impressive drive. On the legs of Maloy, Avon drove the ball down to the 20 of Hoban territory again.
Avon went for it on fourth and 1 from the Hoban 12-yard line with 1:38 left on the clock. Hoban once again helped them out by jumping offsides to hand Avon the first down. It would pay off two plays later, as Maloy took it in himself from 7 yards out. The extra point was blocked, and it was 6–3, Eagles, with forty-five seconds left in the first quarter. It would be the last lead they held and the last points they scored.
Avon continued to make costly mistakes. After forcing a Hoban punt early in the second quarter, the Eagles fumbled the punt and gave the ball right back to the Knights, this time on the 22-yard line of Avon. The Archbishop Hoban Knights wasted no time cashing in, as quarterback Shane Hamm ran it in from 4 yards out a few minutes later, putting the Knights up, 10–6. Hoban was hit with their third personal foul of the game on the play after the touchdown.
From there, the Eagles strung together yet another double-digit play in a six-plus-minute-long drive to close out the first half. They advanced the ball to the Hoban 18-yard line when fourth and 8 approached. They opted against the field goal and decided to go for it. The Mike Elder gamble came up craps, as Ryan Maloy was rushed out of bounds, giving the ball back to the Knights with 58 seconds left in the half.
A strange first half muddled with penalties and turnovers saw Hoban run less than twenty plays and throw only 2 passes, and yet, they lead Avon, 10–6, at the half. Avon ran a ball-control offense and soaked up a lot of clock, but a blocked extra point, a turnover on downs and a red zone interception hurt them. Avon even outgained Hoban, 155 to 55 yards in the half, but it simply didn’t matter.
Hoban started the second half with the ball and wasted no time cashing in. Hamm capped off the drive with a dashing 7-yard rumble to extend the lead. Avon was forced to punt and quickly gave the ball back to Hoban.
Once again, the powerful Knight offensive attack had no issues marching the ball down the field and scoring. This time, it was sensational sophomore Deamonte Trayanum sprinting in from 16 yards out. The extra point was blocked, but the damage was done. Hoban now led, 23–6. Despite 5 personal fouls, the Knights were dominating. Trayanum put one more in before the night was over.
Hoban advanced to the Division 2 state championship game the next weekend from Tom Benson Stadium in Canton. They defeated Winton Woods out of Cincinnati, 42–14, for their third straight state championship and their first in Division 2.
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