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CANTON, Ohio – The St. Edward Eagles used a masterful display of defense to claim the Division One State Championship 28-14 over Springfield. Wyatt Gedeon and Michael Kilbane combined for 6 sacks in a dominant performance by the defensive line.
Quarterback Casey Bullock was once again the perfect mix of running and passing as he took off for 101 yards on 17 carries with a score. He also threw for a touchdown on 8 of 13 passing. His main target was Kyan Mason who had 6 catches, 73 yards and a touchdown.
The lead back tonight, and all season long continued to be Marvin Bell. Tonight, he rushed for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries. It would have been more, but he missed most of the second half with injury.
Eagles head coach Tom Lombardo rolled the dice on the opening drive of the game as they decided to go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 36, and they didn’t get it as Marvin Bell was stopped short. Springfield made them pay for the gutsy call as they put together a drive that led to points with a Jayvin Norman touchdown tumble from 2 yards out to get the scoring going and put the Wildcats on top 7-0 with 5:58 to go in the first quarter.
St. Ed’s felt the urgency of the moment and swiftly reacted with a scoring drive of their own. The short but effective drive paid off with a 35-yard pass from Casey Bullock to Kyan Mason to tie it at 7 late into the first.
On the next Springfield possession, the Eagle defense made sure it went nowhere as Wyatt Gedon and Michael Kilbane had back-to-back sacks. The following punt was short, and the Eagles took over near their own 44-yard line.
The Eagles then began a drive that trickled into the second quarter as they moved deep into Wildcat territory. A couple of tremendous RPO’s by Casey Bullock spotted the ball at the Wildcat 3-yard line with a goal to go scenario. Bullock took it from there and gave the Eagles the lead with 10:28 still to play in the first quarter.
That D-Line of the Eagles kept up the pressure and it was Troy Regovich sacking Bryce Schondelmyer to start the next Wildcat possession. A pass to Daylen Bradley got the Wildcats out of the hole on the next play of the drive however. A few minutes later, it was another pass to Bradley kept it moving before another Kilbane sack by Ed’s forced the punt.
Between Bullocks mastery of the RPO, Marvin Bell’s ability to find the hole, and the relentless pressure of the defensive line, the Eagles were soaring in the first half. All three phases were in full force on their next drive when Bell pounced it in from one yard out after a few very nice RPO’s from Bullock and a jet sweep from Kyan Mason helped them set up shop. With 1:06 to play in the opening half, the Eagles led 21-7 after 21 straight points.
Springfield started to make their next move late into the third quarter with several nice passes to Anthony Brown, who has offers from many D1 schools, but projected to go to Kentucky. On third and long, it was Daylen Bradley yanking down a touchdown pass from 17 yards out for a touchdown to bring them within 7.
The Eagles responded again, with a long drive that led to a Marvin Bell touchdown run to put them ahead 28-14 for good.
St. Ed’s Press Conference –
Springfield Press Conference –
