Toledo Central Catholic topples Sperling, Hoban for crown

CANTON – Ohio's 2022 Mr. Football certainly lived up that title on Thursday. But even Lamar Sperling's record-setting performance could not overcome Toledo Central Catholic's fast start and tenacious defense as the Fighting Irish claimed their fourth OHSAA state football championship, beating Akron Hoban 28-21 in the Division II final at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Sperling, who was named Ohio Mr. Football earlier in the day, rushed 40 times for a D-II championship game record 356 yards and three touchdowns. Two Sperling touchdown runs in the third quarter got Hoban to within 28-21. With his third scoring run of the night, Sperling also broke the OHSAA record for most touchdowns in a season with 58. He finishes his remarkable season with 3,867 yards in 16 games. The Knights found themselves in a hole early, as Toledo Central Catholic grabbed a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on a pair of touchdown runs by quarterback Ty'Waun Clark and a 92-yard interception return for a score by Braden Awls. After Sperling put Hoban on the board with an 8-yard TD run midway through the second quarter, TCC responded with a time-consuming touchdown drive. Clark capped it with a 15-yard TD pass to Durye'a Hall with 1:24 left on the clock, putting the Irish up 28-7 at the half. It was Clark's longest pass completion of the game. Clark was 7-of-13 passing for 62 yards and a score and rushed for 97 yards and two TDs. Chris Edmonds carried 22 times for 110 yards for the Irish, who added this year's state title to ones won in 2014, 2012 and 2005. While Sperling had a field day running the day, TCC's defense limited Hoban quarterback JacQai Long to two completions in eight attempts for -3 yards and a pair of interceptions. Hoban was playing in its seventh state championship game in eight years and looking for its sixth state title in that span. Division I ST. ED'S 28 SPRINGFIELD 14 CANTON – In a repeat of the 2021 final, Lakewood St. Edward's beat Springfield 28-41 Friday night to win the Division I state football championship at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Marvin Bell had 170 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 24 carries. St. Ed's quarterback Casey Bullock completed 8-of-13 passes for 102 yards and a score, while also rushing for 101 yards. The state championship was the sixth in school history, and fourth under head coach Tom Lombardo. Division V SOUTH RANGE 53 IRONTON 27 CANTON – Canfield South Range scored one touchdown in the final 42 seconds of the first quarter, another in the first 56 seconds of the second and rode a 331-yard, three-touchdown passing performance from quarterback Billy Skripac to a 53-27 win over Iron in the Division V state championship game. It was the first football state title in school history for South Range and Raiders coach Dan Yeagley (243-75). Ironton, making its 11th appearance in the state championship game, was state runner-up for the third time in the past four years. Skripac was 13-of-25 passing for 331 yards and three touchdowns and scored another three TDs on 12 carries. Blake Ewert rushed for 143 yards and a score and Shane Lindstrom caught six passes for 176 yards and a TD. The two teams combined for 682 passing yards, the most in a state title game since St. Henry and Mogadore had 921 in the 1996 Division VI final. Division III CANFIELD 35 BLOOM-CARROLL 14 CANTON – Canfield quarterback Broc Lowry ran for three touchdowns, threw for one, and even added one as a receiver on a trick play as the Cardinals beat Bloom-Carroll 35-14 Friday in the Division III state final. Lowry score on short TD runs in the first, second and third quarters. He also threw a touchdown pass, then shifted to receiver on a fourth-quarter trick play and hauled a 69-yard TD reception. The state title was the first for Canfield High School, but the second of the day for the Youngstown area after Canfield South Range beat Ironton in the Division V state championship game. OHSAA Football State Championships THURSDAY'S RESULTS DIVISION II Toledo Central Catholic 28, Akron Hoban 21 FRIDAY'S RESULTS DIVISION V Canfield South Range 53. Ironton 27 DIVISION III Canfield 35, Bloom-Carroll 14 DIVISION I Lakewood St. Edward 28, Springfield 14 SATURDAY'S GAMES DIVISION VI STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Marion Local (15-0) vs. Kirtland (15-0) Saturday, Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m. DIVISION VII STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: New Bremen (12-3) vs. Warren John F. Kennedy (13-1) Saturday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m. DIVISION IV STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Cincinnati Wyoming (15-0) vs. Cleveland Glenville (14-0) Saturday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m. SCHEDULE Saturday's Events GIRLS BASKETBALL Ada at Lima Perry Arcadia at Van Buren Ridgemont at Arlington Seneca East at Carey (N10) Liberty-Benton at Minster McComb at Upper Scioto Valley Pandora-Gilboa at Miller City (PCL) Bluffton at Ottoville Ottawa-Glandorf at Fairview BOYS BASKETBALL McComb at Ada Arlington at Lima Temple Christian Ottawa-Glandorf at Van Buren Liberty-Benton at Bluffton Elmwood at Van Wert Upper Sandusky at Wynford (N10) PREP WRESTLING Findlay Duals Arcadia, Van Buren at Cory-Rawson Invitational Carey at Mansfield Madison McComb at Dayton Christian Riverdale at Northwood Elmwood, Fostoria at Gibsonburg PREP SWIMMING Findlay in Ned Reeb Invitational at Ohio State University COLLEGE BASKETBALL Findlay at Malone, women 1, men 3 p.m.