CANTON, Ohio — The Badin High School football team will have countless memories of the 2021 season.

The Rams completed their season as the Division III state runner-up Friday in a 21-14 loss to Chardon in front of 6,430 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

As Badin coach Nick Yordy gathered his team on the field for the last time this season, someone mentioned how Badin didn't lose but simply ran out of time.

The disappointment didn't subside, but perspective of a truly memorable season is of the utmost priority.

Badin was a regional champion and a Greater Catholic League Co-Ed champion for the fourth consecutive season.

"These 25 seniors — that's the reason why we're here," Yordy said. "I think these seniors have kind of shown the way over the past four years of what our expectations are, how to work in the off-season and having six extra weeks of the season with the whole team you know for those younger guys they know there is a challenge ahead of them and we're going to get to work and try to get back here."

Chardon senior running back Sean Carr scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:05 left to lift the Hilltoppers (16-0) to their second straight D-III state title. Chardon is the first 16-0 team in Ohio High School Athletic Association history.

Badin (14-1) was in the state final for the first time since winning the state championship in 1990. The Rams made their fourth state final appearance overall (1990, 1980, 1978).

Chardon struck first when junior quarterback Alex Henry found senior Nathanel Sulka for a 36-yard touchdown pass connection with 7:40 left in the first quarter.

Badin tied the game late in the second quarter when senior running back Jack Walsh scored on a 3-yard touchdown run and senior Jackson Niesen added the extra point.

The Rams' touchdown was set up after Badin converted a fourth-and-6 three plays earlier in the drive. Walsh's 20-yard run set up the touchdown.

Chardon went ahead 14-7 with nine minutes left in the third quarter when sophomore Andrew Bruce scored on a 27-yard run.

Badin responded less than three minutes later when junior running back Carter Russo scored on a 6-yard touchdown run and Niesen's extra point tied the game at 14.

Walsh had 27 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, senior linebacker Ely Emmons had 11 tackles. Senior defensive end TJ Hayes had nine tackles. Sophomore Carson Cheek and senior defensive lineman Logan Neu had eight tackles each.

Badin is 31-25 in 26 playoff appearances. This was the Rams’ ninth trip to the Final Four and the first since 1998.

Badin was the third Greater Cincinnati team to compete in the Ohio High School Athletic Association state football finals. Winton Woods (Division II) and Clinton-Massie (Division IV) won state titles.

RELATED: Clinton-Massie comes from behind to win state title
RELATED: Winton Woods wins Division II state football final

CANTON, Ohio — This Clinton-Massie state football championship won't ever be forgotten.

"Surreal," senior running back Colton Trampler said.

Clinton-Massie football coach Dan McSurley let the seniors decide whether to go for a two-point conversion with 45 seconds left and a state championship on the line early Friday afternoon.

"I think all the seniors said, 'Coach, let's win this thing,'" McSurley said.

Senior quarterback Kody Zantene pitched the ball to senior running back Carson Van Hoose who ran to the right and in the end zone for a two-point conversion that gave the Falcons a 29-28 win in the Division IV state final.

"My dad (Clinton-Massie assistant coach Jeskee Zantene) said he was watching a state championship game about four or five years ago and they won a state championship on that play and it was awesome," Clinton-Massie senior quarterback Kody Zantene said.

The Falcons (14-1), winners of 14 consecutive games, captured their third state football title in school history.

"It means so much to me," Clinton-Massie senior running back Colton Trampler said. "I think back to every second that we spent in the offseason working and just doing everything we could to try to get this win and this was always the dream. It has been since third grade. I could walk into that locker room right now. There is going to be tons of people laughing and crying. It's just so exciting that were able to get it done this year."

The Falcons trailed 28-7 with 5:23 left in the third quarter but never lost faith. Zantene scored on a 49-yard touchdown run nearly two minutes later.

Then, senior offensive lineman Garrett Vance recovered a fumble in the end zone to put the Falcons within seven points early in the fourth quarter. It was the first career touchdown for Vance.

"This feeling is great especially having the community here," Vance said. "It's the best feeling in the world."

Zantene rushed for a 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the game.

The Falcons finished the game scoring 15 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters. This was Clinton-Massie's third state title after winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

"This was such a fitting end to these seniors and their whole career starting back in third grade," said McSurley, who earned his 250th win at Clinton-Massie. "It's an unbelievable group. I probably will never have another opportunity to coach a group of seniors like this the rest of my life. This will be without question go down in history as one of the greatest comeback victories in high school history. I'm just so pleased and so happy to be a part of it."

Trampler had 19 carries for 117 yards while Van Hoose had 15 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. Zantene had seven carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Zantene had 12 tackles while junior defensive lineman Leyton Bell had 10 tackles.

WCPO: Winton Woods wins Division II state title

CINCINNATI — Four Greater Cincinnati high school football programs are in their respective state finals next week.

WINTON WOODS
In Ohio, Winton Woods (12-3) plays Akron Archbishop Hoban (11-3) at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Division II state final at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

Winton Woods defeated Green 20-7 in a Division II state semifinal Friday night at Westerville Central.

The Warriors will make their third state final appearance, the first since finishing as state runner-up in 2017. Winton Woods won the 2009 Division II state title.

Winton Woods advances to state championship

CLINTON MASSIE
Badin (Division III) and Clinton-Massie (Division IV) will attempt to win their respective state titles on Dec. 3.

Clinton-Massie (13-1) plays Youngstown Ursuline (11-3) at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 3. The Falcons defeated Bloom-Carroll 24-21 in a Division IV state semifinal Friday night. The team is making its fourth state final appearance and the first since 2017, when it was a state runner-up. This would be their first state title since 2013.

Clinton-Massie overcomes early deficit to win in state semifinals

BADIN
Badin (14-0) plays Chardon (15-0) in a battle of undefeated teams in the Division III state final at 3 p.m. Dec. 3.

The Rams defeated Granville 14-0 in a Division III state semifinal Friday night. They are in the state final for the first time since 1990, when they won the Division III state championship. Their other appearances were in 1980 and 1978.

Badin's undefeated season continues

Moeller (11-4) completed its season as a Division I state semifinalist Friday night. Springfield defeated Moeller 22-21 to advance to the Division I state final.

BEECHWOOD
In Kentucky, Beechwood (14-0) plays Lexington Christian (14-0) in the 2A state final at 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at Kroger Field in Lexington.

Beechwood rolls to state championship game

The Tigers are going for their 16th state football title in program history. They defeated Lexington Christian 24-23 in the 2020 2A state final.

Ohio

State football finals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

Division II

Winton Woods (12-3) vs. Hoban (11-3), 7 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 2)

Division III

Badin (14-0) vs. Chardon (15-0), 3 p.m. Friday (Dec. 3)

Division IV

Clinton-Massie (13-1) vs. Youngstown Ursuline (11-3), 10:30 a.m. Friday (Dec. 3)

Kentucky

Friday, Dec. 3

2A state final at Kroger Field in Lexington

Beechwood (13-0) vs. Lexington Christian (13-0), 4 p.m.

WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio — There is no debate that Lakota West senior offensive tackle Tegra Tshabola is one of the nation's top high school football players in the 2022 class.

The 6-foot-6, 330-pound offensive lineman is verbally committed to The Ohio State University.

This past May, he committed to the prestigious All-American Bowl.

What may not be as commonly known is the 17-year-old with size 17 shoes speaks fluent French.

His family moved to West Chester Township more than a dozen years ago from the Democratic Republic of Congo where French is spoken. Tshabola had to learn English because French was his first language and is still spoken in his family.

"People usually don't know but then when they see me speak with my parents sometimes they look at me funny," Tshabola said.

Football has been also a common language in the Tshabola family for a number of years.

Tshabola has two elder brothers, Dan, a 2018 Lakota West graduate and former defensive lineman, and Michael, a 2016 graduate and former linebacker, who played for the Firebirds.

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Tegra used to stand next to the stadium bleachers as a young football player watching the Lakota West games while listening to the coaching staff instruct the team. He did everything he could to learn about the game from his brothers.

"They both played really hard," Tshabola said. "They taught me to play every play like it's your last so when I'm out here playing football I finish out every play."

Tshabola has had quite the journey since his freshman season when he played on the defensive line to his junior season when he was named a Division I first-team all-state offensive lineman.

Caleb Noe/WCPO

"He was a basketball kid, a good basketball player," said Lakota West coach Tom Bolden, who arrived at Lakota West for the 2019 season.

"He always had that athleticism but just everything was just so raw and not refined. Now he really works at his craft and his pass pro and his run blocking and all that. He's really, really stepped up and he's become a complete football player from the standpoint that it's not just him bullying people around. He's using the skill set that he has now."

Soft-spoken and unassuming off the field, Tshabola is imposing between the lines. He's seen defensive linemen do anything possible to try to avoid his blocking. Tshabola said he is patient in waiting to put his hands on a defender in a game and perfecting his craft in practice.

"I'm an offensive lineman so I like hitting so you get to come out here, you get to grind it out,"
Tshabola said.

"You get to work with your friends that you see every day. Come out here and all work to achieve the same goal."

Tshabola embraced his role as a captain and has made it a point to help younger players this season.

"This program I've learned that when you really want something you got to really put in the work if you want to get somewhere far in life," Tshabola said. "I've definitely bought into that. I've been working hard trying to get up to Ohio State soon in January."

Tshabola will graduate from Lakota West in December and join Ohio State as an early enrollee in January.

"He's got the tools," Lakota West offensive line coach Jeff Wadl said. "He's obviously got the size. But, he's got the strength and he works hard in the weight room so he's got a good work ethic there. I think what I've really seen him do this year is be more cognizant of his technique and things he needs to do especially at the next level."

Bolden said Tshabola's best football days are ahead of him.

"It will be really cool to see in a couple of years from now with a couple college seasons under his belt what he does," Bolden said. "Because like I said I think he's gotten better each year and I think the sky is the limit with him."

Tshabola, who has worked with Bengals great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz, would like to play in the NFL. He'd also like to help others along the way.

"My biggest goal is to train other athletes, train other kids," Tshabola said. "My dream is to have a training facility, like a big national training facility for people to come to."

CANTON, Ohio — Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton will host the OHSAA state football finals for the next three years, the Ohio High School Athletic Association and Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.

This year's state finals are scheduled for Dec. 2-4. One state final is scheduled for Thursday, while three games each are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

“The OHSAA is excited for this three-year agreement with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as our student-athletes, schools and communities will get to experience Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and all that Canton and the Hall of Fame Village have to offer,” OHSAA executive director Doug Ute said.

“We are grateful to the Hall of Fame for their partnership, and we look forward to collaborating with the Hall year-round.”

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton hosted the football finals from 2017-19, but attendance limitations in 2020 set by the Ohio Health Director’s sports order due to the COVID-19 pandemic changed the location.

Fawcett Stadium, the former name of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, first hosted a state football final in 1991.

“The Hall of Fame prides itself in treating OHSAA football teams and their fans the same way we treat the NFL teams and their fans,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame Chief Administrative Officer Steve Strawbridge.

“We give them a first-class experience while they are here. We take the teams through the museum and promote the values of the game. We look forward to providing an exceptional experience for the players, coaches, families and fans attending the games in Canton – the pinnacle of football.”

Last season, the state finals were played in Stark County and Franklin County due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

St. Xavier defeated Pickerington Central 44-3 in the Division I state final Nov. 13, 2020 in a game played Fortress Obetz in Obetz just outside of Columbus.

A week later, the Divisions II-VII state finals were held at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium due to a health advisory issued by the Franklin County Department of Health and the Columbus Department of Health which prevented the games from being played in Obetz due to the pandemic.

This year's Ohio high school football season is scheduled to start the week of Aug. 16.