Billy HeyenSat, November 29, 2025 at 3:41 AM UTC·1 min readKirtland Hornets set OHSAA football state record with D-VI semifinal history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
This is what Kirtland does.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Hornets have made it a tradition of practicing on Thanksgiving Day and then playing in an OHSAA football semifinal the next day. That was no different this year, as Kirtland took the field Friday night against Colonel Crawford in a Division VI semi.
And as they almost do, they won.
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Kirtland has now reached the state championship game in 14 of the last 15 seasons.
Astounding.
No school has ever done that before.
Kirtland did it by rolling past Colonel Crawford, 49-22.
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It was nearly a rematch of last year's final, which Coldwater won.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut the Cavaliers got upset on Friday night. Hopewell-Loudon, from Bascom outside of Tiffin, came back to beat Coldwater, 20-18.
Kirtland will feel right at home in Canton. They probably book hotel rooms there months in advance at this point.
The Hornets can make more history, of course, by finishing the job.
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