Three Greater Akron area teams win; here's what to look for in Week 14 OHSAA football
There are three weeks left in the high school football season and three teams remaining in the Greater Akron area.
Take a bow, Archbishop Hoban, Hudson and Mogadore. Those three have advanced to the OHSAA regional finals.
Hoban beat St. Vincent-St. Mary 47-7 and Hudson stopped Painesville Riverside 16-14 for the right to face each other in a Division II regional final.
Mogadore beat Cuyahoga Heights 41-10 and continues to roll through another playoff bracket. This time, it's Division VI, Region 21 and the Wildcats are ready for a five-time reigning state finalist in the next game.
Without further ado, here's what to look at in Week 14.
Division II, Region 5 final
No. 3 Hudson (13-0) vs. No. 1 Archbishop Hoban (12-1), 7 p.m. Friday, Twinsburg Tiger Stadium
The last time these two met, it came in the same round and region and the seeds were exactly the same.
The Knights won that one 31-14 behind Lamar Sperling (20 carries, 119 yards, 3 TDs) on Nov. 13, 2020.
Sperling is still around for Hoban and doing some otherworldly things in postseason wins over Willoughby South, Barberton and St. Vincent-St. Mary. In those three games, he’s toted the ball 78 times for 854 yards and has scored 14 touchdowns.
Let’s break that down for you just a little more. Sperling is averaging 26 carries, 284.7 yards and almost five touchdowns per game in the playoffs.
He has 303 carries, 2,944 yards rushing and 46 touchdowns this season and has rushed for 5,878 yards and scored 87 touchdowns in the last two seasons.
Passing Fancy:Passing fancy: Big play saves season for Hudson football against Riverside
Good Knights:Lamar Sperling, Xavier Williams lead Hoban to Division II regional semifinal win over STVM
Hudson has a workhorse of its own in junior Ian Ludewig, who has 364 carries for 2,118 yards and has scored 25 touchdowns. In three postseason games, he has rushed for 519 yards and five touchdowns on 89 carries.
Hudson also has a two-way threat in Jagger Pallay (1,648 yards passing, 16 touchdowns; 808 yards rushing, 7 touchdowns).
Jack Jenkins has 707 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, but his seven interceptions are often overlooked on defense.
The Explorers have allowed 14 points or less in 12 of their 13 games.
OHSAA Football Playoffs:OHSAA football statewide regional final pairings: See where Massillon-Lake, Hoban-Hudson will play
Division VI, Region 21 final
No. 2 Mogadore (12-0) vs. No. 1 Kirtland (13-0), 7 p.m. Saturday, Nordonia Boliantz Stadium
The Wildcats and Hornets are two of four undefeated teams still alive in Division VI, along with Columbia and Marion Local.
Kirtland won titles in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018-20 and finished runner-up in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2021. The Hornets are 10-time regional champions (2011-15, 2017-21).
Mogadore took home titles in 1979, 1996 and 2002 and finished second in 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2015. The Wildcats are 17-time regional champions (2015, 2012, 2010, 2006, 2000-02, 1996, 1983-88, 1981, 1980, 1979).
What does it all mean?
Absolutely nothing when these two titans take over the final.
Gino Blasini, Tommy Gogolin and Rocco Alfieri are the three-headed beast Kirtland relies upon in a run-heavy, run-always offense.
Running Wildcats:Mogadore football tops Cuyahoga Heights in Region 21 semifinal
Kirtland ran for 373 yards against Dalton in the regional semifinal, and Alfieri (25 carries, 256 yards, 3 TDs) had a field day. Gogolin, who is over 1,000 yards already this season, added a touchdown in a 33-0 win.
Kirtland hasn’t given up more than 16 points in a game this season and has allowed six or less nine times. The Hornets have only allowed 69 points.
Mogadore is no slouch either as only two teams have held the Wildcats under 27 points. Mogadore is also allowing just 15.0 points per game during the postseason.
Mason Williams rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in Mogadore’s 41-10 regional semifinal win over Cuyahoga Heights. Collin Lehner added 81 yards and two scores on 10 carries and Austin Constantine had 50 yards on eight carries and also scored.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: A look at Greater Akron area football teams in OHSAA playoffs
