CANTON, Ohio — You knew it was only a matter of time.
After two straight years of losing in the title game, the Kirtland Hornets are back on top, beating Versailles 32-15 Friday to win the OHSAA Division VI state football championship. It's the program's seventh Ohio state title since 2011, all under legendary head coach Tiger LaVerde.
2023 began with more than a few questions, as Kirtland (15-1) barely beat Dalton in the opener before seeing its 57-game regular-season winning streak snapped in Week 3 at the hands of Perry (which will play for the D-V championship on Saturday). Rather than surrender their position at the top of Northeast Ohio's "small school" mountain, the Hornets predictably found their groove, outscoring opponents 545-71 during an ensuing 12-game winning streak.
On a rainy Friday morning in Canton, it was more of the same, as Kirtland's always potent running attack pounded Versailles for 311 yards. The quarterback, LaVerde's son Jake, led the way with 124.
It was LaVerde who appeared like he would put the Hornets on the board first with a 7-yard run, but the sophomore fumbled the fall at the goal line. Fortunately, receiver Gino Blasini pounced on the ball in the end zone for the touchdown, putting the blue and gold on top 7-0.
Will Beers added another TD before Tigers QB Michael Osborne hit A.J. Griesdorne from 31 yards out to make it 13-7 early in the second quarter. However, Beers would strike right back with the play of the game, taking the ensuing kickoff back 90 yards for the score.
Kirtland was stopped at the goal line at the end of the half to keep the score 19-7, but the Hornets returned the favor when Blasini broke up a fourth-and-goal pass midway through the third. Versailles (13-3) never really threatened again, and on defense for the Hornets, LaVerde led the way with seven tackles while Aaron Fortuna had 2 1/2 tackles for loss and a sack.
On offense, Beers finished with 186 all-purpose yards along with those two touchdowns, and Rocco Alfieri ran for 94 yards and a score. The Hornets also finished the day 4 of 4 on fourth downs.
Of Kirtland's most recent two title game losses, the first in 2021 came to Versailles, which snapped the program's 55-game winning streak which had been the longest in the nation at the time. Osborne accounted for almost all of the Tigers' offense, finishing with 255 total yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Since winning their first state title in 2011, the Hornets have an incredible overall record of 183-9, playing for the championship in every year except one. Their record in the finals is now 7-5, with four of those trophies now coming from Division VI and three up in Division V.