Ohio high school football finals picks

Here are my final high school football picks for the 2007 season, as they are the picks for the OHSAA state finals…

Friday, November 30

Division V Championship
Maria Stein Marion Local vs. Youngstown Ursuline at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 11 am

The state championship games open with a bang. Neither of these teams are slouches. I never heard of a slouch team in the state finals…but I digress. Whereas Marion Local is 14-0 to this point, Ursuline is 12-2. The biggest Marion win was at Coldwater (who is playing Saturday for the Division IV title), and they also beat perennial playoff qualifier St. Henry. Ursuline has beaten Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary and Warren Harding, but lost to the other team in the Division IV title game, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, as well as Massillon. They swept through the playoffs, but their biggest foe seemed to be Waynedale. I’ve become a Marion Local fan lately…they get my pick.

Division III Championship
Newark Licking Valley vs. Sunbury Big Walnut at Canton Fawcett Stadium, 3 pm

The first of the North Canton Hoover regular season foes to make it to the state title game. Hoover beat Licking Valley 45-40 in the second week of the season, their only loss this year. If you look in the annals of this blog, you will read about me laughing at Licking Valley coming to North Canton. I’m not laughing any more. Their last foe is Big Walnut, the team that many feel is the best in Division III (including Northwest). Big Walnut also lost one game this regular year, an upset against New Albany in what was likely a rivalry game. This is the game many wanted, and I don’t think too many are disappointed. I have to go with the HUGE line that Licking Valley has. Even North Canton had their hands full that Labor Day weekend night. I’m taking Licking Valley in this one (the upset).

Division II Championship
Louisville vs. Cincinnati Anderson at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7 pm

I really picked on Louisville this year. Why ? I went to North Canton, and “Loserville” is our arch-nemesis. Well, this blogger has gained a lot of respect for the Leopards this year. They did what that “great” Northwest team couldn’t do…that is, make the state finals. However, Louisville, who lost only to Lake in week 2 (they got their revenge against the Blue Streaks in the opening round of the playoffs though) and “almighty” Northwest in week 4. They otherwise manhandled their conference and beat Hoover week 3, although they were bridesmaids in the Northeast Buckeye Conference that sent four teams to the playoffs. Congrats to the Leopards. However, they have a worthy opponent, Cincinnati Anderson. They also went 12-2 on the season. They lost two in a row midseason. They lost to Region 3 runners-up Hilliard Darby and also to Cincinnati LaSalle, while defeating notables Mason and Hamilton. They play a different brand of football in Cincinnati, though. However, I know all the words to Louisville’s alma mater (sing it to the tune of “Jingle Bells” sometime)…but what does that mean ?

Louisville, Louisville
You’re the dearest school to me.
Louisville, Louisville
We sing praises unto thee.
From thy portals as we go
May we ever love thee so.
That we’ll sing thy praises still
My Louisville.

I’m upset minded…go Leopards ! You get my pick.

Saturday, December 1

Division VI Championship
Newark Catholic vs. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon at Canton Fawcett Stadium, 11 am

Hopewell-Loudon defeated perennial state powerhouse Mogadore a few weeks back, as well as all 13 of their other opponents. Newark Catholic is 12-2, having lost to Fisher Catholic 34-28 and Division III state qualifier Licking Valley 32-0, but beating Lakewood, Amanda-Clearcreek, and Whitehall-Yearling. This is an easy pick. No upset here…I’m taking Hopewell-Loudon.

Division IV Championship
Coldwater vs. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 3 pm

Coldwater has killed its last two opponents in the playoffs. They’re bloodhungry. They went 13-1, losing to Marion Local in week 2. However…they are playing the ninth best team in the country and best team in Ohio HANDS DOWN, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney. All Mooney did this year is go 14-0, beating Division I state finalist Mentor week 1, Division III playoff team Akron Hoban week 3, Division I foe Warren Harding week 4 (49-0 !), Division III semifinalist Lake Catholic week 5, as well as Cleveland Benedictine, Youngstown Ursuline, Akron St. vincent-St. Mary, and Columbus Bishop Watterson (all playoff teams). They had one of the toughest schedules in Ohio, and they manhandled it. That water ain’t that cold…I’m taking Mooney.

Division I Championship
Mentor vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier at Canton Fawcett Stadium, 7 pm

This is indeed the matchup of the two best teams in Division I. Hilliard Davidson stood in Mentor’s way in 2006 of state title glory, and this year it’s Cincinnati St. Xavier. Mentor comes in 12-2, having beaten notables Solon, Cleveland St. Ignatius, and Massillon, while losing to Youngstown Cardinal Mooney and Euclid. St. Xavier, the state’s top-ranked school by the AP (and other) polls and coming into this game at 14-0, beat notables Elder, LaSalle, Lakewood St. Edward, Cleveland St. Ignatius, and Cincinnati Moeller. As I said earlier, they play a different brand of football in Cincinnati, but this time, I think it will play in favor of the Cincinnati team. Sorry, Mentor…I’m taking St. Xavier.

Do you agree ?