LOUISVILLE–Kirtland didn’t flinch. Not after two lost fumbles. Not after Garaway sliced the lead to a single score. Not when the regional championship tightened in the fourth quarter and momentum swung hard to the Pirates’ sideline.
On a night when things could have unraveled, the Hornets instead leaned into the identity that has carried them through nearly a decade of postseason dominance.
The result was a 21–7 win over Sugarcreek Garaway in the Division VI, Region 21 championship Friday at Louisville High School—Kirtland’s ninth straight regional title, making the Hornets just the fourth program in OHSAA history to reach that milestone. Now 13–0, they advance to face Colonel Crawford (13–1) in next week’s state semifinal at a site to be determined.
The game flipped on a single defensive moment early in the fourth quarter. Clinging to a 14–7 lead, Kirtland had just fumbled for the second time. Garaway, energized by its third-quarter touchdown, began its potential game-tying drive just outside the Kirtland 30. That’s when Evan Koprowski jumped a route at the 4-yard line, creating the turnover the Hornets absolutely had to have.
“After that fumble, we knew we needed to get that back, knowing that if they scored that would tie the game keeping their momentum rising,” Koprowski said. “Taking that away and then getting that interception leading us to score and taking a 14-point lead was just an amazing feeling.”
Kirtland’s scouting report paid off at the right time.
“All week, we’ve been working on seeing their route combos,” Koprowski said. “I saw the combo and from there it was a ‘right place, right timing’ kind of moment. After that, the energy was through the roof leading us to scoring.”
That interception didn’t just halt Garaway’s surge—it set the stage for the defining possession of Kirtland’s season.
With 11:04 remaining, the Hornets took over at their own 4-yard line. Fourteen plays later, they were in the end zone, capping a 96-yard drive that devoured 8 minutes and 28 seconds and effectively ended the night.
It was classic Kirtland football, methodical and relentless, a march that squeezed the life out of the clock and the hope out of Garaway.
Jake LaVerde finished it with a 1-yard plunge with 2:36 remaining, his third touchdown of the game to go with 127 rushing yards on 22 carries. The senior also surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards during the win, adding that to his 3,000-plus career passing yards.
“The 96-yard drive is exactly what we do and how we play Kirtland football,” LaVerde said. “We dominated up front and the O-line did an amazing job.”
LaVerde’s fingerprints were everywhere, but he refused to place any focus on personal milestones.
“It is cool to hit that but ultimately that’s not what I think about or care about,” he said. “We work every day to be at Canton and fight to get the Ws.”
The Hornets needed that mindset on a night when adversity kept resurfacing. The two fumbles gave Garaway its only touchdown and its best shot at another, but Kirtland’s response—first with Koprowski’s interception, then with the 14-play masterpiece—showed why the program has owned Region 21 for nine straight years.
“Our team fought hard through the adversity,” LaVerde said. “I was really proud of how our guys stepped up and handled business.”
Perry Closes Season as Regional Runner-Up
Perry’s postseason run came to an end in the Division IV, Region 13 final, as the Pirates fell to Glenville, 35-7.
Glenville struck first when Chris Newell Jr. powered in from five yards out late in the opening quarter. On the first snap of the second, he repeated the feat, pushing the Tarblooders’ lead to 14-0.
Perry answered in stunning fashion.
A burst from Traxton Richards on the ensuing kickoff turned into a 94-yard sprint to the end zone, slicing the deficit to 14-7 and igniting the Pirates’ sideline.
But Glenville had another response ready.
The Tarblooders marched 79 yards in just over three minutes, with Newell Jr. capping the drive for his third touchdown of the half and a 21-7 advantage.
In the closing moments before halftime, quarterback Arvell Nelson found Joseph Saffold deep for a 55-yard strike, sending Glenville into halftime up 28-7.
Nelson added his second touchdown pass early in the third, connecting with Pauly Sadler from 13 yards out to seal the win.
Despite the loss, Perry’s 2025 senior class walked off with a legacy that will resonate for years. In four seasons, the group earned three regional runner-up finishes and brought home the 2023 state championship.
The Pirates closed the 2025 campaign at 10-3 overall, including a 5-0 run through the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division, and finished as the Division IV regional runner-up.
Cameron Palmer contributed to this story.
