R17 Final #1 Kirtland vs #2 South Range

[Kirtland80]

Thoughts on this one

[TigerBob]

Seems like people have been pointing to this for weeks as the de facto title game.

I’ll take Kirtland every game they play. Won’t be wrong often.

[The Nature Boy]

Kirtland proves to everyone this week how good they really are. Will be a dandy ballgame but I believe Kirtland walks away with a regional title.

[Kirtland80]

Seems like people have been pointing to this for weeks as the de facto title game.

I’ll take Kirtland every game they play. Won’t be wrong often.

Yeah everyone figured it would be these 2 there. Same team we had to beat last year

[Kirtland80]

Kirtland proves to everyone this week how good they really are. Will be a dandy ballgame but I believe Kirtland walks away with a regional title.

I hope so. I’ve said all year if we’re going to lose in R17, it would be against South Range

[MrFirstTake]

35-17 kirtland

[Jason Vorhees]

Kirtland is en route to another State Semifinal Appearance. Laverde’s Kirtland Hornets have won 53 consecutive football games. His resume goes something like this:

196-17
State Champions in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018 (all DVI), 2019, 2020 (DV)
State Runner Up in 2012, 2014, 2017
52-8 in the playoffs

Kirtland might have the best small school program not named Coldwater or Marion Local in the United States let alone Ohio.

[MrFirstTake]

Kirtland is en route to another State Semifinal Appearance. Laverde’s Kirtland Hornets have won 53 consecutive football games. His resume goes something like this:

196-17
State Champions in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018 (all DVI), 2019, 2020 (DV)
State Runner Up in 2012, 2014, 2017
52-8 in the playoffs

Kirtland might have the best small school program not named Coldwater or Marion Local in the United States let alone Ohio.

Incredible and I agree would love to see these schools play other small school powers from different states

[FIDO]

Now that's a resume you can hang ur hat on.

[Ff3233]

Kirtland is en route to another State Semifinal Appearance. Laverde’s Kirtland Hornets have won 53 consecutive football games. His resume goes something like this:

196-17
State Champions in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018 (all DVI), 2019, 2020 (DV)
State Runner Up in 2012, 2014, 2017
52-8 in the playoffs

Kirtland might have the best small school program not named Coldwater or Marion Local in the United States let alone Ohio.

Kirtland as of now is the best d5-d7 program in the state and it's not close

[CAT22]

Kirtland has won 53 consecutive games, there’s no reason they won’t make it 54.

[BuckeyeBond]

Winner of this game is your 2021 Division V state champion. If it wasn’t for Kirtland, South Range probably would have won the state title in 2020 & this years state title if they could get by Kirtland. South Range will not advance out of Region 17. They will have to settle for another regional runner up trophy.

[greygoose]

So this is interesting as this will be the 3rd year in a row these 2 will have faced off in the playoffs, South Range was blown away in year 1, then last year South Range makes a big comeback to get within a score in the 2nd half after being down 35-13 at the half. Looks like South Range is better this year than last but still struggles a bit against the run not good when facing Kirtland. However let's go with a little upset special here in that they've played Kirtland closer in each of the 2 previous meetings. South Range has played a nice schedule including beating a really good Garaway team last week and Springfield in week 1 who's playing for a regional championship themselves. Let's go with South Range to break that 53 game winning streak 35-28 South Range defense has been pretty solid 2nd half of the season. Hey someone has to be different and someone will break the streak this is a VERY tough region this year should have South Range ready for the challenge.

[bbjunky81]

This will be a great game. Should be the closest between these two teams but I still think Kirtland wins by a touchdown.

[SciotoCfootball]

Kirtland proves to everyone this week how good they really are. Will be a dandy ballgame but I believe Kirtland walks away with a regional title.

I hope so. I’ve said all year if we’re going to lose in R17, it would be against South Range

What do you think are some of the differences between Kirtland's team this year and last year?

[Kirtland80]

Kirtland proves to everyone this week how good they really are. Will be a dandy ballgame but I believe Kirtland walks away with a regional title.

I hope so. I’ve said all year if we’re going to lose in R17, it would be against South Range

What do you think are some of the differences between Kirtland's team this year and last year?

None really. We’re basically the same team. I’d say passing if anything but we never really do much of that. We like to ground and pound and try to wear teams out. Same blueprint as always

[SciotoCfootball]

I hope so. I’ve said all year if we’re going to lose in R17, it would be against South Range

What do you think are some of the differences between Kirtland's team this year and last year?

None really. We’re basically the same team. I’d say passing if anything but we never really do much of that. We like to ground and pound and try to wear teams out. Same blueprint as always

It's worked this well so far, no need to change it! Was just curious cause I know sometimes a team needs to make some changes due to personel and haven't watched any tape on you guys this season.

[greygoose]

I hope so. I’ve said all year if we’re going to lose in R17, it would be against South Range

What do you think are some of the differences between Kirtland's team this year and last year?

None really. We’re basically the same team. I’d say passing if anything but we never really do much of that. We like to ground and pound and try to wear teams out. Same blueprint as always

AT LAST someone finally asked the Hornet the one question that remains the same and why the consistency. Everyone wants to think weight room, weight room, but let's be honest if that were the key every school would open it 24-7, 365 days a year. The blueprint Hornets found to work and have stuck to like the bible, they haven't tried to evolve into something they're not. They're a hard hitting, aggressive defense, play all 4 quarters team that doesn't make the mistake or it is limited. They block well up front and rarely do you see tackles missed while on defense plus all helmets to the ball at the snap. Been waiting for this to be said for quite sometime, this team knows who they are and who they're not and they do exactly what they are pretty darn good every play.

It's been a few years ago when I listened to a lecture given by Minsters HC, at that time they had just won the state and he discussed the MAC and the consistency within each program. One thing they do every year multiple times a year is have the upper classmen coach practice for the JV and Freshman players. The coaches are there mind you but the players are in control of everything throughout practice, he said this is a good way to relay the information and gets the Upperclassmen and Younger guys involved with one another. He said it's a fun practice for everyone involved and the Upperclassmen then start to relay the information and are teaching players the way they are taught. He said it helps the Upperclassmen as well start to process the information from a different perspective and gave them a greater understanding while building bonds within the team from top to bottom.

[RBH23]

What do you think are some of the differences between Kirtland's team this year and last year?

None really. We’re basically the same team. I’d say passing if anything but we never really do much of that. We like to ground and pound and try to wear teams out. Same blueprint as always

AT LAST someone finally asked the Hornet the one question that remains the same and why the consistency. Everyone wants to think weight room, weight room, but let's be honest if that were the key every school would open it 24-7, 365 days a year. The blueprint Hornets found to work and have stuck to like the bible, they haven't tried to evolve into something they're not. They're a hard hitting, aggressive defense, play all 4 quarters team that doesn't make the mistake or it is limited. They block well up front and rarely do you see tackles missed while on defense plus all helmets to the ball at the snap. Been waiting for this to be said for quite sometime, this team knows who they are and who they're not and they do exactly what they are pretty darn good every play.

It's been a few years ago when I listened to a lecture given by Minsters HC, at that time they had just won the state and he discussed the MAC and the consistency within each program. One thing they do every year multiple times a year is have the upper classmen coach practice for the JV and Freshman players. The coaches are there mind you but the players are in control of everything throughout practice, he said this is a good way to relay the information and gets the Upperclassmen and Younger guys involved with one another. He said it's a fun practice for everyone involved and the Upperclassmen then start to relay the information and are teaching players the way they are taught. He said it helps the Upperclassmen as well start to process the information from a different perspective and gave them a greater understanding while building bonds within the team from top to bottom.

Couple other factors that often get overlooked:

1) The MAC schools and Kirtland have a large number of boys that play football, so they can limit number of kids going both ways (especially on the lines). And given the large number of players, they tend to have starting lineups mostly of juniors and seniors.

2) These communities do not suffer from poverty and the associated ills. Strong middle class communities without the drugs, poverty, and broken families faced by many other small communities.

[countywide35]

Hard to bet against Kirtland.

But South Range is thinkin 3rd X is the charm. And it just may be. Ya ask yourself just how long can Kirtland go before a team plays a perfect game against them having an off night. It rarely ever happens but this could be the one.


Can’t wait to follow it.