47 and counting: powerhouse Marion Local stands in Dalton's way of a state title

There's not even a real argument to be had.

Marion Local has been the best high school football program in Ohio since 2000.

The 15-0 Flyers have won 13 state championships since the turn of the century and finished state runner-up an additional three times. Since the start of the 2021 season, Marion Local hasn't lost, reeling off 47 straight victories, including two state championship game wins.

That's what Dalton is up against Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the Division VII state championship game.

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So, what makes Marion Local so hard to beat?

"They have very good players," Dalton coach Broc Dial said.

It's the most basic analysis, but it's also the truth.

The Flyers don't have any big-time recruits, and typically never do. But everyone on the field is a good varsity football player. There's nobody to single out and attack.

Head coach Tim Goodwin has been in charge of the program for their entire run of dominance, taking the job in 1999 and has done his part in building something nobody in the state has matched. He and his staff not only have helped produce the culture that wins year in and year out, but design creative schemes that are tough to play against.

The complete buy-in to Marion Local football, which begins in middle school and funnels up to the high school level, is evident in the way the Flyers play. They're all on the same page, constantly switching up looks and formations. Everybody on the field is a threat.

That makes the Flyers even tougher to prepare for. Yes, receiver Victor Hoelscher (53 catches, 1,048 yards, 12 TDs), running back Ethan Heitkamp (87 rushes, 567 yards, 24 TDs) and quarterback Justin Knouff (125-of-191, 1,992 yards, 25 TDs, 7 INTs) are probably at the top of Dalton's scouting report, but three other players — Parker Hess, Drew Lause and Kyle Otte — have scored seven or more rushing TDs. Five players have caught three or more TDs.

Stopping one player doesn't accomplish much against Marion Local. Dalton must stop the whole machine.

"Offensively, they give you a lot of formations," Dial said. "They do some really cool things to try to create angles and space. It's a lot of the same stuff other teams are doing, they're just really good at it."

Then there's scoring on the Flyers, which has proven to be even tougher of a task. Only Minster has done it in the playoffs, scoring a single touchdown. Marion Local has outscored opponents 250-7 in the postseason and 663-93 overall, while playing in the Midwest Athletic Conference, widely regarded as the best small-school football conference in the state.

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The Flyers aren't going to give up many big plays. They're not going to beat themselves. Dalton will need both its pass and run games to be firing on all cylinders to get into the end zone enough times to win the game.

Another way Marion Local sets itself apart is special teams, an often-overlooked part of football that can make a big difference over four quarters.

"This is no knock on anybody we've played against, they might be the best team we've played special teams-wise since I've been here," said Dial, who is in the seventh season as Dalton's head coach. "I think it sets a lot of things up for their offense and defense. And they're very good defensively and offensively as well."

The Flyers attention to detail is obvious, whether its offense, defense or special teams.

The good news for Dalton? They do a lot of the same things well and are one of the few small school teams in the state that can match Marion Local's depth — the Flyers' roster is 68 players deep — and talent.

Still, there's no doubt Dalton is the underdog heading into Saturday — a position it hasn't found itself in since Week 1 against Kirtland.

And they're fine with that.

"I say, bring it on," Dalton senior Collin Jones said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: OHSAA Playoffs: Marion Local stands in Dalton's state title path