by The Archbishop Hoban Knights met with the Massillon Tigers at Akron InfoCision Stadium to determine which team would go to the Division II State Championship. The Knights were able to win it, 41-20.
The stars for Hoban were Jacqai Long, Lamar Sperling and Jayvian Crable.
Sperling ran the ball 37 times for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Long went 9/15 for 226 yards and two scores. Crable hauled in 6 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown.
For Massillon the stars were Willtrell Hartson and Braylyn Toles.
Toles caught 11 passes for 135 yards. Hartson ran the ball 19 times for 61 yards and a score, while catching a 20-yard pass for one as well.
The Knights won the coin toss and deferred, putting the Tigers on offense first. The Tigers first drive was a disaster. The offense struggled to get any yardage, and on third down Jalen Slaughter threw an interception to Hoban’s Tylan Boykin.
Akron’s offense also struggled on their first drive. They faced an early fourth down and failed to pick it up, giving the ball right back to the Tigers.
The Tigers tried to get their running game going but continued to struggle. They punted after a three-and-out.
Hoban finally found the end zone when the Tiger’s defense stacked the line to defend the run, giving up a big pass instead. Deon Rodgers lined up as a fullback and slipped his way past the safeties. Jacqai Long found him wide open on a seam route for a 50-yard touchdown. The Knights led 7-0 with 6:40 in the first quarter.
Massillon’s offense struggled again. They punted after Eli Lee leveled Slaughter for a sack.
Hoban ran a play action and the defense bit on the run once again. This time Long found Jayvian Crable for a 77-yard touchdown. The Knights led 14-0 with 4:39 in the first quarter.
Massillon was able to generate some offense on their next drive, behind the hands of Braylyn Toles. Toles caught a toe-tap for 16 and took a screen for 11. The offense stalled out around midfield and punted.
Hoban punted after a three-and-out, giving Massillon the ball right where they left off. They finished the job. Willtrell Hartson had carries of 14 and 20, the latter of which was a touchdown off the left tackle. Vinny Keller missed the extra point, so the Tigers cut the lead to 14-6 with 10:24 in the second quarter.
The Knights were facing a third and long. Long was able to find Crable who bobbed and weaved his way for a 50 yard gain. Lamar Sperling finished the drive off with an 11-yard touchdown run. Hoban extended the lead to 21-6.
Massillon punted on their next drive and Hoban threw an interception to Jaden Welch on fourth down.
With their offense standing in their own end zone, Massillon couldn’t run the two minute drill and had to punt.
Hoban was able to get themselves into field goal range right at the end of the half, but Ryan Burns couldn’t connect on a 40-yard attempt, missing wide left.
On Hoban’s first drive of the half they made sure Sperling got his touches. He had 7 touches for 42 yards, but he ended up coughing the ball up to kill the drive.
Massillon moved the ball well on their next drive. Toles caught a couple screens and Hartson ran the ball hard. They faced a fourth down and were able to get the defense to jump. Slaughter found Kyler Wiggins for 22 and Dorian Pringle stumbled his way into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. They went for two and Slaughter was able to evade the rush to find Ja’Meir Gamble wide open for the conversion. The Tigers made it a one score game 21-14 with 3:52 in the third.
Momentum felt like it was changing sides, but Sperling ended that fast. He took a handoff 55-yards to the house to extend their lead once again. The Knights led 28-14 with 1:56 in the third.
Massillon punted on their next drive. Hoban matched it by punting themselves, pinning the Tigers at the one. Slaughter tried to sling one deep, but the Knight’s Tysen Campbell was roaming in the area and found the ball for an interception.
Hoban didn’t waste the opportunity and added to their lead. Sperling had another handful of runs and found the end zone on a 1-yard dive for the hat trick on the day. Burns missed the extra point. The Knights led 34-14 with 7:43 in the fourth.
Massillon matched the touchdown on the next drive. Slaughter threw a pass for Hartson. The pass looked to be intercepted, but somehow rolled into Hartson’s arms for the 20-yard touchdown. The snap was low on the PAT, which caused the holder to get tackled. The Tigers now trailed 34-20 with 5:57 left in the game.
Sperling continued to show he was the best player on the field. He rushed the ball well and drained the clock as he went. He ended the drive punching it in from four yards out and the lead became 41-20 with 2:15 in the game.
Slaughter and Toles marched Massillon down the field, but the drive ended when a pass deflected off of Toles’ hands into the hands of Hoban’s Micah Rice.
The Massillon Tigers finished the season 12-2.
Hoban will advance to states where they will take on the Toledo Central Catholic Fighting Irish for the Division II title.
