Having outscored opponents 503-32, the Kirtland Hornets hadn’t been tested all season. That changed on this Friday night, but the end result remained the same.
In what was a classic OHSAA football playoff game, Kirtland hung on to beat the Mogadore Wildcats 20-14 in WKYC.com’s Game of the Week. The victory gave the Hornets—last year’s Division VI state runner-up—the Region 21 championship and a date in next week’s state semifinals.
Senior running back Joey Torok led the way, touching the ball 16 times for 213 total yards and three touchdowns. His last score, a three-yard run with just 16 seconds left, proved to be the game-winner.
The 14 points were the most the Kirtland (13-0) had allowed all season, but Mogadore (11-2) managed just 233 yards of total offense. First half penalties also ruined several scoring chances, and the Wildcats’ vaunted running game averaged only 2.9 yards per carry despite two late Logan Penix touchdowns.
The Hornets, trying to win their fourth state title since 2011, will battle the Fort Frye Cadets next week.