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Marion Local athletic trainer TJ Schmidt does a backflip at the request of the seniors after the Flyers won the Division VII state championship football game over Jeromesville Hillsdale 74-0 at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
CANTON - It didn't take long for Marion Local to put an exclamation point on the Division VII state championship game and its 2024 football season.
The Flyers scored early and often and shut down the Jeromesville Hillsdale offense in capturing a fourth straight state title - and fourth straight 16-0 season - and 15th state title in school history with a record-breaking 74-0 win over the Falcons at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
The records broken or tied on the day were plentiful. Among the major records broken, the 74 points by Marion broke their own Division VII record of 42 set in the 2021 final, the 74 points also broke the combined score record set the same year against Newark Catholic. The margin of victory not only shattered the Flyers' 41-point win over Norwalk St. Paul in 2014, but also surpassed Delphos St. John's all-divisions mark of 71 set in the 77-6 win over Shadyside in the 2010 Division VI final. It's the fourth time Marion Local has shut out an opponent in the Division VII final - and sixth overall counting two Division VI state titles.
"It wasn't what we were expecting, to be sure," said Marion Local coach Tim Goodwin. "Our kids played well and we were happy with that. We had a goal of coming over here and playing well because I told these guys they deserve to play well in this game. We've been over here a lot of times, obviously, and sometimes we haven't played well. I was happy we were able to put our best foot forward in front of football guys from across state."
Hillsdale won the toss and chose to defer, giving Marion the ball to start the game. Starting at their own 31, the Flyers needed just five plays and less than 90 seconds to make it 7-0, with Justin Knouff hitting Griffin Bruns for an 11-yard gain, then Parker Hess, Drew Lause and Ethan Heitkamp had three straight long runs to get down to the Falcon 4, where Hess punched in the final yards to make it 7-0.
Marion Local's Daniel Everman (8) records one of his two interceptions on the day.
Hillsdale got a good start on its opening drive as Kael Lewis hit Holland Young for a 22-yard run, but the Flyers backed up the Falcons on the next two plays before Daniel Everman picked off a pass and took it to the Hillsdale 25. After an incomplete pass, Drew Lause rushed for 22 yards to get to the Falcon five. Hess then punched in again to make it 13-0 with 8:10 remaining in the first half after a rare missed PAT by Marion.
Marion Local's Drew Lause battles for extra yardage as Hillsdale defenders try to bring him down.
The Falcons got to midfield on the next drive, but Marion forced them back and forced a punt. On the first play, Knouff found Victor Hoelscher for a 37-yard touchdown strike that made the score 20-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
"Obviously, we wanted to get out to a fast start," said Goodwin. "We thought we had the advantage with experience. … There were a few areas where we thought we would have the advantage."
Marion's Brayden Mescher (5), Kyle Ungruhn (59) and Lincoln Stachler (55) bring down a Hillsdale ballcarier.
From there the rout was on. Everman had his second interception of the game, taking the ball to the Falcon 1, where Heitkamp got the honors to make it 26-0 with 3:19 remaining in the first quarter.
The Falcons punted on their next drive, with Hoelscher taking the ball at the Flyer 34 and wove his way through the Falcon defense for the 66-yard punt return touchdown with 57 seconds to cap off the first quarter scoring by leading 33-0.
"We got beat by the better team," said Hillsdale coach Trevor Cline. "What Marion Local has been able to do over the past 25 years is extremely impressive. Something special."
Heitkamp got the scoring going in the second quarter, capping off a five-play drive spanning 66 yards with a one yard score with 8:19 remaining in the half. On the ensuing drive, Bruns picked off Lewis and took it back 44 yards for the pick-six.
Marion Local's Griffin Bruns runs the ball towards the end zone during Friday's game.
Knouff got into the act, taking the snap on the Flyer 40 and not stopping until he got to the end zone to make it 53-0 with 4 1/2 minutes to play.
Marion Local's Parker Hess (45) heads towards the end zone for one of his Division VII state championship game record-tying four rushing touchdowns during Friday's final against Jeromesville Hillsdale.
The final score of the half came with 2:20 to play with Hess scoring his fourth touchdown of the day from three yards out, tying the Division VII championship record for rushing touchdowns set by New Bremen's David Homan in the 2022 state final.
The first half stats were amazing. Marion ran just 19 offensive plays in the first half, tallying 269 yards. Hillsdale had just 36 yards on 32 plays.
In the third quarter, Heitkamp picked up his second touchdown of the game on a 12-yard run-in. Kamden Eifert tied the bow on the game early in the fourth quarter with a five-yard rushing touchdown.
Marion Local's Kamden Eifert (36) tackles Hillsdale's Hayden McFadden during Friday's game.
Hillsdale was held to just 75 yards of total offense, including just three yards rushing. Marion recorded five interceptions, one shy of the mark set in 2010 by Delphos St. John's. Kale Ahrens and Ryan Homan joined Bruns and Everman in recording picks.
The Flyers had 345 yards of total offense, thanks in part to great special teams and defensive plays that made for short fields.
"I kind of told the coaches when it was obvious what was going down to have some fun and let it rip," said Goodwin. "There were still a couple things I thought 'Let's not do that. It wouldn't be unsportsmanlike."
Even in defeat, Cline was proud of his team's effort to make it to state for the first time in school history."
"To get the opportunity to play for a state championship is very special," said Cline. "That's something they'll be remembered for the rest of their life."
Marion Local senior Drew Lause raises the OHSAA Division VII football state championship trophy as his teammates celebrate alongside him. Marion Local defeated Jeromesville Hillsdale 74-0 on Friday at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton for the Flyers' fourth straight state title and 15th title in school history while extending their state record winning streak to 64 games.
Marion Local 74, Jeromesville Hillsdale 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS
| Marion Local | 33 | 27 | 7 | 7 | - | 74 |
| Hillsdale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
First Quarter
ML - Parker Hess 4-yard run (PAT - Carson Bills kick), 10:36.
ML - Hess 3-yard run (PAT - kick failed), 8:10.
ML - Victor Hoelscher 37-yard pass from Justin Knouff (PAT - Bills kick), 4:56.
ML - Ethan Heitkamp 1-yard run (PAT - kick blocked), 3:19.
ML - Hoelscher 66-yard punt return (PAT - Bills kick), :57.
Second Quarter
ML - Hess 1-yard run (PAT - Bills kick), 8:19.
ML - Griffin Bruns 45-yard interception return (PAT - kick failed), 6:48.
ML - Knouff 60-yard run (PAT - Bills kick), 4:40 p.m.
ML - Hess 3-yard run (PAT - Bills kick), 2:20.
Third Quarter
ML - Heitkamp 12-yard run (PAT - Bills kick), 7:57.
Fourth Quarter
ML - Kamden Eifert 5-yard run (PAT - Bills kick), 10:54.
TEAM STATISTICS
| ML | H | |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 16 | 4 |
| Rushes-yards | 26-248 | 32-3 |
| Passing yards | 97 | 72 |
| Total yards | 345 | 75 |
| Comp.-Att.-Int. | 5-7-0 | 6-12-5 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 2-20 | 2-10 |
| Punts-ave. | 0-0 | 6-29.5 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Marion Local: Knouff 1-60, Heitkamp 6-57, Ben Meier 6-36, P. Hess 5-36, Lause 2-34, Eifert 3-12, Minton 2-7, Knapke 1-6. Hillsdale: Haven 16-19, Sloan 8-10, Shenberger 1-1, Bower 5-0, Young 0-(-4), McFadden 0-(-9), Lewis 2-(-14).
Passing - Marion Local: Knouff 4-6-94-0, B. Hess 1-1-3-0. Hillsdale: Lewis 6-12-72-5.
Receiving - Marion Local: Bruns 2-41, Hoelscher 1-37, Lause 1-16, Ahrens 1-3. Hillsdale: Young 4-66, McFadden 2-6,
