The Chagrin Valley Conference will send two teams to state championship weekend in Canton after Perry and Kirtland both secured victories in the Final Four on Friday.
Perry defeated Harvest Prep, 22-8, in a Division V state semifinal at Shelby High School while Kirtland knocked off Garaway, 17-0, in a Division VI Final Four contest at Louisville.
Kirtland will appear in the state championship game for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons and will attempt to win its seventh state championship and first since 2020. Perry will play for a state title for the first time in school history.
The Pirates struck early in defeating the Warriors.
Brayden Richards caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from Walter Moses on Perry’s first drive of the game and then the Pirate defense got in on the action with a blocked punt that rolled out of the end zone for a safety.
Owen McKoon hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Moses later in the quarter as the Pirates jumped out to a 16-0 lead.
Harvest Prep cut Perry’s lead in half with a 14-yard third-quarter touchdown run but Richards scored his second touchdown of the game to close out the scoring in the fourth quarter.
Moses completed 5-of-12 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns while McKoon led the rushing attack with 65 yards on 13 carries and he caught two passes for 34 yards. Richards caught two passes for 96 yards.
The Pirates will play Liberty Center for the state championship at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton in a matchup of 15-0 teams on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
Head coach Bob Gecewich of @Perry_Pirates talks about the early tone of the game, the ability of the Pirates to keep momentum going and the group being the first in Pirates history to go down to Canton for a state title #NHFootball pic.twitter.com/xvPZyIr7U7
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) November 25, 2023
Part two of the postgame with @Perry_Pirates head coach Bob Gecewich following Perry’s state semifinal victory #NHFootball pic.twitter.com/ol1t9EM1Jo
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) November 25, 2023
Harvest Prep had a strong defense coming into their match-up. But Walter Moses (@WaltMoses2025) knows that he needs a short term memory in order to keep the offense moving @Perry_Pirates #NHFootball pic.twitter.com/rIPBFoGXFu
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) November 25, 2023
He helped @Perry_Pirates get two extra possessions in the second half with a pick and a recovered muffed punt return. Luke Sivon (@LukeSivon1) talks about the second half and defensive work for the Pirates #NHFootball pic.twitter.com/if4tcapUwN
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) November 25, 2023
The first half saw him all over the field and he carried that momentum into the second. Owen McKoon (@OMcKoon3) talks about the tone being set early and the @Perry_Pirates making it to the state title game #NHFootball pic.twitter.com/mGf6Wro4mr
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) November 25, 2023
Kirtland’s defense dominated the night in shutting out a Garaway team that averaged nearly 40 points and over 400 yards of offense per game.
The Hornets scored all 17 of their points in the second half and limited the potent Pirate offense to just 55 yards of offense and -20 on 16 rushing attempts. G
Kirtland, who improved to 64-12 in postseason games and improved to 12-0 in state Final Four games, set the tone early by chewing up over eight minutes of clock on the game’s opening possession, which resulted in a blocked field goal.
The Hornets then recorded three of their eight sacks on Garaway’s first possession of the game which ended with a punt early in the second quarter.
A facemask on the punt gave the Hornets possession of the ball at their own 47 but that drive resulted in a punt.
The Pirates then used a 40-yard screen pass to move into Kirtland territory but a Rocco Alfieri sack forced Garaway to attempt a 38-yard field goal that fell just short of the crossbar.
Will Beers ran for 10 yards and Alfieri added a 39-yard run to set up Nickolas Barisic’s 41-yard field goal attempt with 13 seconds left in the half. That kick had the distance but sailed right and the Pirates took a knee on the next play to end the half tied 0-0.
Garaway accumulated -3 rushing yards in the first half.
The second half opened with Ty Bledsoe recovering a fumble at the Garaway 16 and Alfieri converted that turnover into a three-yard touchdown run with 8:55 left in the third quarter.
Back-to-back sacks hurt Garaway on its next possession and the Pirates punted the ball back to the Hornets with 7:09 left in the quarter.
Kirtland again chewed up nearly eight minutes and Barisic booted a 20-yard field goal that increased the Hornet lead to 10-0 early in the fourth quarter.
Garaway began its sixth drive of the night at its own 28 but moved near midfield after a pass interference call on the Hornets. Alfieri recorded his second sack of the night on the next play and Will Bates did the same on the next play.
The Pirates attempted to convert a fourth-and-21 but their pass fell incomplete and a 15-yard personal foul after the play set the Hornets up at the Garaway 14.
Two plays later, Jake LaVerde scampered 15 yards into the end zone to close out the scoring.
The Hornets outgained the Pirates, 290-55, and recorded 20 first downs to just seven for Garaway. Kirtland was flagged an uncharacteristic 13 times for 123 yards in the win.
Alfieri led the Hornets on the ground.
He carried 19 times for 108 yards and scored one touchdown. Beers finished with 62 yards and LaVerde ran for 50 and completed 5-of-6 passes for 46 yards.
Kirtland, who improved to 14-1, will play Versailles for the Division VI state championship on Friday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
Coach Tiger LaVerde praises his team’s defense and overall showing in a dominating 17-0 @kirtlandFB win over @GarawayAthletic pic.twitter.com/ZflakMo0zl
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) November 25, 2023
Will Sayle and Rocco Alfieri discuss @kirtlandFB state semifinal win over @GarawayAthletic pic.twitter.com/dBDjilUzvr
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) November 25, 2023
