CANTON, Ohio — The unusual journey of five golden retriever puppies captured the attention and the hearts of several Canton, Ohio residents who slept in their cars for the chance to take one of the dogs home.

The purebred puppies, believed to be a few months old, were found walking together on a nature preserve trail in Wilmot last Wednesday and were taken to the Dog Warden Division of the Stark County Sheriff's Office.

The four girls and one boy were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and micro-chipped.

Deputy Jon Barber said it's not clear if the pups were lost or abandoned.

As required by Ohio law, the dogs were kept for 72 hours, giving the owners a chance to claim them, but no one stepped forward.

"Obviously, there's a lot of speculation on what could have happened, but we don't know," Barber said. "I've been here a little over six years now and never had this happen. We've had litters of puppies, but usually when they come in, they're mixed breeds."

On Valentine's Day, pictures of the puppies were put on the Stark County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, indicating they were up for adoption on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The post led to a flood of interest from dog lovers.

People started showing up at the dog warden division around 4 p.m. on Monday.

Multiple families decided to sleep in their cars overnight in the parking lot to ensure being among the first five to pick a puppy.

Deputies monitored surveillance cameras to determine the order that people arrived.

"From 9 p.m. until the morning, there was probably 20, 25 people in the parking lot by the time we got here," Barber said.

All of the dogs were adopted by 10:30 a.m.

Terry and Sonya Freeman, who slept in their truck overnight, were the last people to adopt one of the pups.

The Canton couple immediately fell in love with a female golden who was named Passion.

After contemplating names, they settled on renaming her, Millie.

It was an emotional experience for the Freeman family because their last golden retriever, Brownie, was hit and killed by a car two years ago.

"When our dog died, we all cried like babies," Terry Freeman said.

The new puppy was also special to Freeman who took her home on his 61st birthday.

"I'm happy. I'm very happy, emotional a little bit. Today is my birthday and this is something that I wanted again," he said.

Once Millie made it to her forever home, he snuggled on the floor with the newest four-legged member of the family.

"This is me and my wife's companion, you know what I'm saying? This is our friend, just need a companion in our house," he said.

Sandy Lutz and her son, Josh, also took home one of the puppies. They too lost a golden retriever two years ago.

"When I saw them post that they were going to put them up for adoption, it was like I'm there!" Sandy Lutz told WEWS.

The Dog Warden Division of the Stark County Sheriff's Office still has plenty of dogs available for adoption, including about 40 currently in the building.

The cost for adult dogs is $99 and $150 for puppies.

Those interested should call (330) 451-2343.

Bob Jones at WEWS first reported this story.

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

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.