"We just want to go through game-by-game, winning it all.". Kirtland has played in every state final four since 2011, except for 2016 With the dream of the programs seventh state title still alive, one that the smallish senior class hoped for but, according to their coach, might have stressed over for a while. To do what we did with only 11 seniors it's crazy what we were able to do.". /*! All rights reserved (About Us). Kirtland, 2. Tom Knotts has a 61-0-1 record in his previous 62 games as the Silver Foxes head coach, and hasnt lost a postseason game since 2015. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Thats the best part about this.. For Many Restaurants, It's Everything. We ran him on a flag route and he made a heck of a play, said Versailles coach Ryan Jones. ", Thou shalt not throw on Gino Blasini . The Hornets ran their season record to 14-0 with a 30-0 blanking of the Wildcats at Nordonias Boliantz Stadium. We didnt have the ball in the first half, LaVerde said. "It's a testament to the families of Kirtland, how hard they work and how hard they push their kids to work. Kirtland has played in every state final four since 2011, except for 2016 when Cuyahoga Heights defeated the Hornets, 17-0, in a regional final. The win vaulted the Hornets past Chuck Kyle's legendary St. Ignatius teams-- who won 39 consecutive games from October of 1987 to November of 1990-- for the longest winning streak in Northeast Ohio history. We barely beat teams. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Despite scoring the last 13 points of the game, Kirtland lost to Versailles, 20-16, in the Division V state final at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Dec. 4. Junior Will Sayle (24 solo tackles, 33 assists and 15 PBU) also is back in the secondary. Even better, current seniors have never lost a game in their high school football careers. The Hornets have reached nine state title games in the last 10 seasons. "My high school career was more than anything I could have ever hoped for. If Kirtland defeats Chagrin Falls this coming weekend and Perry defeats Edgewood, another streak will be on the line when the Hornets and Pirates meet on Friday, Oct. 1. Those performances led to an anticipated rematch with Ironton, which pushed Kirtland last year before the Hornets 17-7 win in the 2019 D-V state finals. ), Report Bullying, Sexual Harassment, or Safety Concerns, Report Bullying, Sexual Harrasment, or Safety Concerns, Kirtland Varsity Football v Otsego (State Semifinal Football Game - November 12, 2020), Live Stream the September 11 Varsity Football Game v Cardinal, KHS Varsity Football v Manchester (OHSAA Playoffs Round 2 - October 17), KHS Varsity Football v Sandy Valley (OHSAA Playoffs Round 3 - October 24), KHS Varsity Football v Garaway (Regional Semifinal - October 31, 2020). We get to play another week and get to play over Thanksgiving. Willy Wonka, a pit bull/bulldog mix, lost both ears to a dog attack but has recovered from the ordeal and is ready for a forever family. A senior linebacker, LaVerde has been named second team All-America by MaxPreps in its small-school rankings. Chagrin Falls boys basketball: Bison pull away in fourth in 71-48 victory over Tigers, Captains have new owners with fresh ideas to entertain fans nightly, Why Lake County did not need to increase sales tax | John Plecnik, Lacynthia Tidmore again receives maximum sentence in death of Euclid 9-year-old, Fairway Drive residents take street concerns to Wickliffe council, Willoughby: Andrews Osborne Academy names Garcia-Pedroso as Head of School, Lake County commissioners raise sales tax, Plane makes crash landing at Geauga County Airport, Mayfield Heights Police investigating incident with Lander Elementary students, NDCL vs. Earning All-American honors is impressive in and of itself. They block you and stay on you. Was it accompanied by a sigh of relief from their small senior class? Rus indicated he is proud of the accomplishments he and his fellow seniors experienced, including a 55-1 high school career, three state titles and a state runner-up trophy. Versailles (15-1) used the same recipe Kirtland has used throughout its impressive streak dominating time of possession and controlling the line of scrimmage and winning the turnover battle to unseat the three-time champions. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Community Rules Tommy (Gogolin) and George (Prusock) got chosen to play, too, but George is going to be out with shoulder surgery, too. Brookfield, 5. "You don't plan for this stuff," LaVerde said. As a result, Kirtland began a run that ended with the programs sixth state crown in LaVerdes time and answered some important questions along the way. Add a fourth state finalist with Kirtland, which has six state crowns since 2011 to its credit. They had unbelievable careers., Kirtlands evolving legacy isnt erased by one rough evening in Canton | Opinion. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. CANTON The nations longest winning streak is over, and with it so is the Kirtland Hornets quest for a fourth straight state championship. When the next days weight-lifting session began, a look around the room revealed less than a dozen soon-to-be-seniors. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Leading Dalton 12-0 at halftime, the Hornets scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to pull away from the Bulldogs for a 33-0 The Hornets lost to Versailles, 20-16, in the 2021 Division V state championship game with a large senior class. Kirtland pulls away from Wickliffe in conference title game October 27, 2018 Hornets go back-to-back in winning fifth state title December 8, 2019 Passing game leads Kirtland past South Range November 8, 2020 Kirtland hands Tiger LaVerde 200th career win August 20, 2022 Eric Frantz Tuesday, Nov 29, 2022. Tomorrow we're going to talk about Ironton and all week we're going to talk about Ironton," head coach Tiger LaVerde said of Kirtland's state championship opponent, who the Hornets beat in the title match last year. It wasn't the outcome we wanted, but we went all the way to the end and we did it together. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but I'm very honored.". Chagrin Falls boys basketball: Bison pull away in fourth in 71-48 victory over Tigers, Captains have new owners with fresh ideas to entertain fans nightly, Why Lake County did not need to increase sales tax | John Plecnik, Lacynthia Tidmore again receives maximum sentence in death of Euclid 9-year-old, Fairway Drive residents take street concerns to Wickliffe council, Willoughby: Andrews Osborne Academy names Garcia-Pedroso as Head of School, Lake County commissioners raise sales tax, Plane makes crash landing at Geauga County Airport, Mayfield Heights Police investigating incident with Lander Elementary students, NDCL vs. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The Kirtland Hornets have won six state championships, including three in a row. Even better, current seniors have never lost a game in their high school football careers. "Since my freshman year, we havent lost a game," said Kirtland High School football player Gage Sullivan. WebNov 30 Matt Goul, cleveland.com Kirtland 16, Marion Local 7; Hornets avenge last year's LaVerde now has 206 wins in his career, including a 186-17 record in 15 "But we do not take it for granted," LaVerde added. apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. This is very important to them.. "I woke up the other morning and saw I had a bunch of Twitter alerts," LaVerde said. "Last time I remember our grade losing was beginning of the year, eighth grade, to Perry. But in the third quarter, the Bulldogs had no answer for Kirtland's physicality and the running of Alfieri. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 5/25/18). We only have (11) seniors. The team's senior players have never lost a game in their high school football career. The news was a letdown because his father, Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde, is an assistant coach for the North squad. Example video title will go here for this video. We ask a lot of them, you know their parents let them work as hard as they can and Im just real proud of them.. The team also has one of the most consistently winning programs in the state, as well. LaVerde said he knew he had a sore shoulder and a sore hand but didn't think it was any more than wear and tear from a long, hard-hitting season. Every front you throw at them, theyve seen it since theyve been 6 years old.. Rocco Alfieri good lord 22 touchdown run. While Kirtland did answer with a Johnny Raguz 38-yard field goal late in the second quarter, Versailles scored early in the second to take a 13-3 lead on a highlight reel catch by Mike Osborne from 24 yards out from Bey. John Lynch heaped praise on Ran Carthon, who he says was a standout during his time with the 49ers. WebLive Kirtland Hornets 2022 Boys Football coverage provided by Digital Scout. Here's why doctors says it's concerning. 2019 Advance Local Media LLC. The Kirtland High School football team is making national sports All rights reserved (About Us). While the yardage battle was even each team had 263 yards Versailles had a huge advantage in time of possession (33:16 to Kirtlands 14:44) and plays run (63 to Kirtlands 44). According to MaxPreps, Kirtland holds the fourth-longest active winning streak in the country. Their Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our That recipe has held true all season. Please use CTRL-C (or CMD-C on Mac) to copy to your clipboard. "Going to the state championship, it used to be a dream. If that's not enough time under the knife, LaVerde will have his wisdom teeth removed not long after the wrist surgery. pic.twitter.com/RPLwVBOyYm. Perry has won 35 straight CVC games and hasnt sustained a league loss since West Geauga defeated the Pirates, 49-28, in Week 9 of the 2015 season. We made stops in the second half, LaVerde said. Bryant was fatally shot days earlier, while seven others were wounded by gunfire, at an event at Ilous Ellis Park in Fort Pierce. @ohiovarsity. Coach Tiger LaVerde hoped to add to that this year with an early trip to his alma mater in Oil City, Pa., before the coronavirus pandemic threw out those plans. Joseph Coleman (13), Rus (13), Phil LaVerde (11) and Lescano (10) all had double digit tackles. Were so small (in numbers), but were so close. I dont want these kids to feel any bit theyre not successful, because this was a very successful season, he said. Neither do we. News never stops. Dalton, 4. LaVerde noted that this senior class of 11 is likely his smallest in that time, but those 11 have set the tone this summer. Give credit to Versailles. "He was one of the closest friends I ever had and I loved him immensely," his brother and bandmate Gary Lee said. Kirtlands senior class exits with an amazing four-year record of 55-1. [CDATA[//>