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Coldwater's Baylen Blockberger (15) looks for running room against Kirtland during Saturday's Division VI state championship game.
CANTON - Coldwater was playing on another level on Saturday.
The Cavaliers tamed Kirtland's vaunted running game and came up with big plays in defeating the unbeaten Hornets 31-7 in the Division VI state championship game on Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. The win not only gave Coldwater its eighth state football title in program history, but was the 150th state title in the history of the Midwest Athletic Conference.
The matchup between the teams, the third title meeting since 2011 with each team winning once before, was highly anticipated. The Cavaliers and Hornets each finish 15-1.
"Obviously, it was a surprise how we won today," said Coldwater coach Chip Otten, who won his sixth state title as head coach of his alma mater. "We were concerned about their physical stoutness, but we had Clinton-Massie (that had) a similar style (of offense). We have a phrase of 'T.E.D.' - Toughness, Effort and Discipline - that helps you win these games. (Kirtland) had a lot of that, too, but I feel like those three things carried us."
Coldwater's Owen Kunk (10) closes in on Kirtland quarterback Jake LaVerde.
The Cavs deferred on the coin toss and Kirtland went to work. Jack Lessick led off with a 16-yard run, then Jake LaVerde and Lessick to continued to move the Hornets into Cavalier territory. Coldwater stopped the Hornets at the Cavaliers 28, setting up a fourth-and-five. Kirtland went for it with a LaVerde pass, but the pass to Lessick was incomplete to give Coldwater its first try on offense.
Coldwater quarterback Baylen Blockberger found Caleb Schroer for a 14-yard pass, then kept the ball to get them inside Kirtland territory before a bad snap put the Cavaliers back on their side of the field, setting up the Cavaliers' first punt of the day.
Coldwater's Miles Pottkotter drives into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game during Saturday's Division VI state football final against Kirtland at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 31-0 lead and won 31-7 to win the eighth state football title in team history and first since 2020.
Kirtland was unable to get moving on its next drive and punted. Blockberger passed to Cadin Obringer to get into Hornet territory and got to the Kirtland 14. On fourth-and-two, Pottkotter got the handoff and found an opening, diving into the end zone for the score with 2:03 remaining in the first quarter for the 7-0 start after Bryce Couchot's 61st straight point-after.
"Just going down the field and scoring right away gave us confidence," said Blockberger. "It was like 'Okay, we can do this. We can score on them whenever we want.' "
The turning point of the game came on the Cavaliers' first drive of the second quarter after forcing a punt. The drive appeared to stall at the Coldwater 21 as Owen Kunk came on to punt, but Kirtland was called for roughing the punter after Kunk got the kick off, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and a first down. Two plays later Blockberger went looking for favorite target Mason Welsch. The pass was incomplete but Kirtland was called for pass interference, getting another 15-yard boost to get Coldwater past midfield. Pottkotter followed with a big run to get to the Kirtland 23. A pass to Schrorer and runs by Pottkotter got the Cavaliers to the Kirtland 5. Blockberger play-faked the hand-off and hit Welsch in the end zone for the score at 6:19 to play in the half to put Coldwater up 14-0 with 6:19 to play in the first half.
Coldwater's Mason Welsch catches one of his touchdown passes on the day.
"We had them at fourth-and-20-something and we went after it trying to be aggressive. We almost got it," said Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde. "That was an automatic first down, which hurt. Then we almost had an interception and pass interference on the same play. That drive hurt."
The Cavalier defense kept up the pressure, helped by Kirtland being called for a personal foul for some post-play physicality. Coldwater came through in the final minute as Blockberger found Welsch in the end zone for a 17-yard strike with 39 seconds to play in the half to send Coldwater to the locker room up 21-0.
"We thought they were going to run out the clock. I was stupid and called timeout," said coach LaVerde. "They took a shot deep and got it on a deep post. Hindsight I shouldn't have called a timeout and gone into the locker room at 14-0."
Coldwater's Will Barry (78) wraps up Kirtland's John Silvestro, causing a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown by Noah Welsch during Saturday's Division VI state football final.
Coldwater tried to go for the quick score to apply the coup de grâce, but stalled at the Kirtland 41. Kunk lofted a perfect punt to the Kirtland 5. Then the Cav defense came up big when the Hornets' double reverse was sniffed out by Will Barry, who tackled John Silvestro in the end zone, causing a fumble. Noah Welsch, who was injured all season and played for the first time last week, jumped on the ball for the defensive touchdown with 6:26 to play in the third quarter.
Kirtland moved the ball on the ensuing drive, but on fourth-and-2 at the Kirtland 44, LaVerde tried a run, but Cody Depweg sniffed out the play and stopped him for a yard loss to give Coldwater the ball in Hornet territory. The ensuing drive resulted in three points - and starting the running clock with the 30-point lead - as Couchot's 25-yard field goal ended the third quarter.
Kirtland avoided the shutout, and took away the running clock, with nearly 7 1/2 minutes to play in the fourth quarter on LaVerde's 11-yard run-in score, but that was all the Cavaliers would allow as they ran out the clock.
"We did not play our best game. You've got to give Coldwater credit for that," said coach LaVerde. "These kids, I appreciate everything they've done for our school (and) community."
The Cavalier defense did slow Kirtland's running game, which averaged over 300 yards per game, in holding the Hornets to 197 yards on the ground.
"I think we had to be physical every play and not taking a single play off," said senior linebacker Cody Depweg. "Our motto this week was "playing low and getting off the blocks."
Coldwater's Cody Depweg (25) breaks through the Kirtland defense.
Pottkotter rushed for 127 yards on 23 carries to lead the Coldwater offense.
"Miles has done that all year," said Otten. "We talk about spreading the wealth. Miles got close to 1,000 yards and Cody is the power guy. Once we get it going (Pottkotter's) willing, 'I'm fine, give it to me.' The O-line did a great job."
Blockberger was 8-of-12 passing for 133 yards. Obringer had two big catches for 94 yards. Welsch, who had the two touchdown catches, also had 12 tackles with Depweg adding 11 tackles.
Jake LaVerde finished with 80 yards rushing for Kirtland, which out of its 13 state finals appearances have faced MAC teams 10 times.
Coldwater 31, Kirtland 7
SCORE BY QUARTERS
| Kirtland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | - | 7 |
| Coldwater | 7 | 14 | 10 | 0 | - | 31 |
First Quarter
CW - Miles Pottkotter 14-yard run (PAT - Bryce Couchot kick), 2:03.
Second Quarter
CW - Mason Welsch 5-yard pass from Baylen Blockberger (PAT - Couchot kick), 6:19.
CW - M. Welsch 17-yard pass from Blockberger (PAT - Couchot kick), :39.
Third Quarter
CW - Noah Welsch fumble recovery in the end zone (PAT - Couchot kick), 6:26.
CW - Couchot 25-yard field goal, :00.
Fourth Quarter
K - Jake LaVerde 11-yard run (PAT - Xavier Lasecki kick), 7:42.
TEAM STATISTICS
| K | CW | |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 14 | 16 |
| Rushes-yards | 37-197 | 35-162 |
| Passing yards | 56 | 133 |
| Total yards | 253 | 295 |
| Comp.-Att.-Int. | 5-13-0 | 8-12-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-1 | 2-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 8-70 | 6-40 |
| Punts-ave. | 3-35.7 | 4-28.8 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Kirtland: LaVerde 13-80, Silvestro 8-49, Alfieri 11-40, Lessick 5-28. Coldwater: Pottkotter 23-127, Blockberger 6-24, Depweg 5-8, Taylor 1-3.
Passing - Kirtland: LaVerde 4-11-44-0, Paul 1-1-12-0, Team 0-1-0-0. Coldwater: Blockberger 8-12-133-0.
Receiving - Kirtland: Caimi 3-34, LaVerde1-12, Rascan 1-10, Coldwater: Schroer 3-21, Welsch 3-18, Obringer 2-94.
