Saturday, December 5th, 2015
Cavaliers shine in winning their sixth state title
Division V State Football Championship
By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Coldwater players lift up the Division V state championship trophy on Friday after defeating Canton Central Catholic in the state championship game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The Cavaliers won their fourth straight state title and sixth in school history with a 35-18 win.
COLUMBUS - Both Coldwater coach Chip Otten and Canton Central Catholic coach Jeff Lindesmith said in pregame interviews that their teams were very different from last year's squads that played in the Division V state championship.
The teams might have been different but the result remained the same.
The Cavaliers were able to get out to a 20-3 lead and cruised to a 35-18 win over the Crusaders Friday at Ohio Stadium.
Coldwater, winners of four straight state titles and six in school history, completes a 15-0 season in beating the Crusaders (11-4) for the second straight season.
"At the first captains' meeting (of the season), I told these guys "We're going to go 15-0. There's nobody that can stop us,' " Senior defensive end Mitch Clune said. "It held true. We took on every game as it came and we got our goal. I'm so proud of the seniors this year getting this accomplished."
The Cavaliers kept to their routine start of pinning opponents deep in their own territory on the kickoff, making them punt and then scoring on their opening drive on offense. The Crusaders went three-and-out on their opening drive, but a good punt put Coldwater at its own 26. Jack Hemmelgarn moved the team 74 yards on nine plays, using a 38-yard pass to favorite target Aaron Harlamert to get to the CCC 10, and three plays later Kraig Schoenherr punched it in from two yards out to make it 7-0.
The Crusaders came back and drove 75 yards on 14 plays. While the Cavaliers were able to preserve their streak of not allowing a point in the first quarter this season, Dan Mills started the second quarter with a 40-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
On the ensuing Cavalier drive, a hook-and-lateral play featuring Harlamert and Schoenherr picked up 67 yards. Three plays later, Hemmelgarn found Harlamert for a 16-yard score to make it 13-3.
"Coach always talks about making big plays in big situations," Hemmelgarn said. "Coach made some great play calls, especially on me and Aaron's touchdown. Aaron made a few plays. Kraig made a few plays on the line and blocked well."
Defense took control for the rest of the half. Both teams lost fumbles on consecutive drives and Kyle McKibben picked off a Dan Platek pass to snuff a Crusaders drive. Ryan Griesdorn, who has rarely had to punt in the postseason, pinned the Crusaders inside the five on two second quarter punts. Dan Platek's Hail Mary try to end the half resulted in McKibben's second interception of the half.
"They're a really hard-nosed football team," Schoenherr said. "They'll hit you. They use a lot of speed, too. They're a good football team."
"We had trouble inside the 40 (yard line)," Lindesmith said. "(Coldwater's) defense made some big plays against us. It was 13-3, we felt pretty good at halftime, we were still in the game."
Coldwater went on offense to start the second half and methodically drove its way downfield, catching a break when an apparent interception was ruled incomplete. It looked like Coldwater had stalled out at the Crusader 36, but Schoenherr picked up enough on a fourth-and-one to keep the drive going. Later on a fourth-and-10, Hemmelgarn found McKibben for a 33-yard gain to put the Cavs at the CCC two-yard line. Chris "Petey" Post drove in the final two yards to put the Cavaliers up 20-3 after a drive lasting more than five minutes.
"The drive at the start of the third quarter was going to be big," Lindesmith said. "(Coldwater's) third and fourth-down conversion rates were high. That's what great teams do. They make big plays. One (Harlamert) and Four (Schoenehrr) and (Hemmelgarn) got some things done. My hat's off to them."
CCC tried to answer on its first possession of the half, but the Cavaliers put the pressure on Platek, resulting in a minus-four yards on three plays followed by a punt that put Coldwater just outside their own 40. Hemmelgarn went to his package of weapons, hitting Neal Muhlenkamp and Zach Homan along with hand offs to Schoenherr. Hemmelgarn capped off the drive with a fourth down pass to Harlamert for the pair's second TD connection of the day with 2:24 remaining in the quarter.
The Crusaders came back with an answer as Platek found John Colangelo for a 74-yard TD catch on the ensuing possession. The two-point pass was good to cut the Cavalier lead to 27-11 heading into the fourth quarter.
But the Cavaliers kept rolling, Schoenherr punched in for the four-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, with a two-point conversion making it 35-11. Coldwater forced CCC to give up the ball on downs with 7:41 to go and worked to drain the clock of the remaining time. Justin Ditty scored the final touchdown of the day, which broke the CCC record for rushing touchdowns in a season, with just 1:40 left to play. After that, backup quarterback Dylan Thobe ran the clock out for Coldwater with a run and kneel-down to wrap it up.
Hemmelgarn finished his career with an 18-for-27 passing effort for 287 yards and two scores to Harlamert, who had seven catches for 142 yards. Schoenherr rushed for 73 yards and two scores.
"(I'm) really proud of this group of seniors," Otten said. "They've (23 of the 24 seniors) been together since the first grade. Just cool to see them finish with a victory in their final football game."
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Coldwater's Aaron Harlamert, 1, looks for running room as teammate Kraig Schoenherr, 4, blocks during Friday's Division V state title game. Both Harlamert and Schoenherr scored two touchdowns in their final game as the Cavaliers beat the Canton Central Catholic Crusaders 35-18 at Ohio Stadium.
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Coldwater's Patrick Klosterman, 37, Tony Rammel, 44, and Colin Seitz, 20, team up to bring down a Canton Central Catholic ballcarrier during Friday's Division V state championship game in Columbus.
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Coldwater's Kyle McKibben, 2, and Derek Thobe, 7, go up to break up a pass play by Canton Central Catholic.
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Coldwater's Mitch Clune, 78, tackles Canton Central Catholic's Justin Ditty during Friday's Division V state championship game. Clune had nine tackles in the 35-18 win over the Crusaders.
