| For the Beacon Journal
Archbishop Hoban has emphatically cleared all the hurdles thus far in its quest to regain the state championship it didn’t win last season for the first time in five years.
An intriguing matchup awaits in a Division II regional final against third-seeded Hudson (9-0), a nearby, though unfamiliar opponent it has seldom, if ever, played before.
After first-seeded Hoban (8-0) dispatched fourth-seeded Cleveland Benedictine 37-0 on a cool but dry night at Dowed Field, nobody could immediately recall another game between the two teams. Coach Tim Tyrrell said it hasn’t happened during his eight-year tenure at the school.
A quick survey of press box observers didn’t jog any memories. Considering they have been two of the more successful prep football programs in the area in recent years, it is a bit surprising.
Of course, no one has equaled No. 1-ranked Hoban’s impressive achievements. And the Knights are inspired after their four-year run of titles ended against Massillon in last year’s regional final.
It was also a milestone game for Tyrrell. A postgame announcement noted it was his 150th career win as a head coach, to his surprise.
“To be honest with you, I have never counted ever,” Tyrrell said. “I didn’t know that was 150.”
He said he has been a head coach for “18 or 19 years.”
Despite Friday’s final score, Benedictine (4-5) was determined to make a game of it, much like it did in an early season matchup that Hoban won 31-24. The Bengals trailed 17-0 at halftime.
“I think our [offensive] line got better in the second half,” Tyrrell said. “They got really physical. We were able to run the ball and do what we wanted. In the first half, we put a lot on Shane [Hamm]. It was more on his arm.”
Tyrrell praised his assistants for sticking to the game plan and not panicking.
“Sometimes a coach has to get out of the way,” he said. “I tell our coaches that all the time. Just let our players make plays and we’ll be OK.”
Hamm, a senior quarterback, completed 10-of-19 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. All but two completions and 27 yards were in the first half. Junior wide receiver Tyson Grimm caught three passes for 67 yards with a 9-yard touchdown.
Senior running back Victor Dawson bore a heavy workload all night, with 26 carries for 158 yards. He juked defenders on a nifty 33-yard touchdown run that made it 23-0 in the third quarter.
He was prepared for a physical challenge based on the earlier game with the Bengals.
“We mentally prepared for that,” said Dawson, who also plays rover on defense. “We were just ready from the jump. We were just trying to keep the score up, not get lackadaisical and keep our foot on their neck.
“I couldn’t have done it without my linemen, so shoutout to them.”
He is looking forward to facing Hudson for the first time.
“It’s something new so we don’t know what to expect,” Dawson said.
Senior linebacker Luke Bauer, a University of Akron recruit, is one of four third-year starters on a defense that held Benedictine to just seven first downs. Bauer made a third-quarter interception that set up a touchdown.
“We always emphasize just making the offense’s job easier, take a little pressure off them,” Bauer said. “Kind of have that mindset all they have to do is score three points. We’re gonna be solid and not allow any points, kind of stress getting takeaways.”
The Knights have been ranked high enough to earn a first-round playoff home game in recent seasons. With the pandemic-expanded playoffs this year, they will be playing their fourth in a row at Dowed Field on Friday.
“I know fans aren’t really a factor right now during the covid,” Bauer said. “But just having that homefield advantage feeling just really makes us feel comfortable.”
Hudson, which beat Warren Harding 35-6, hosted its third in a row Friday.
Tyrrell said he discussed a possible game with Explorers coach Jeff Gough to start this season before the pandemic nixed that idea.
“They’ve got an explosive offense and a huge O-line,” Tyrrell said. “We’ve got to get ready for them.”
