Three state football champs crowned

Van Wert independent sports

CANTON – Three of seven state title games were played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Friday. Here is a brief recap of each game.

Division VII

Minster 32 Cuyahoga Heights 7

Minster’s return to the state title game was a successful one as the Wildcats defeated the Redskins 32-7, for the school’s third state football championship (2014, 1989).

After scoring a touchdown just before halftime to make it 19-7, the Wildcats scored twice more in the second half, while holding the potent Redskins to just 246 yards of offense.

Minster quarterback Jared Huelsman finished with 31 carries for 221 yards and three touchdowns, and he completed 12 of 20 passes for 141 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Division V

Wheelersburg 21 Eastwood 14 OT

Trailing 14-7, Wheelersburg drove 75 yards and scored with 17 seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime. From there, the Pirates scored on a jump pass, then recovered an Eastwood fumble to seal the state title, the school’s first since 1989.

Division I

Pickerington Central 56 Mentor 28

Pickerington Central sophomore quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw tied an OHSAA football state championship record for most touchdowns in a state final with six, to lead Pickerington Central to its first state title, with a 56-28 defeat of Mentor in the big school state title game.
Crenshaw finished 24 carries for 161 yards, and the Tigers finished with 473 total yards.