6 things to know about the Ohio high school state football championship games in Canton
CANTON − The Ohio high school football equivalent of the Super Bowl will be played in Canton this week at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Massillon Tigers will be among the teams vying for supremacy in their respective divisions in the Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships. Massillon faces Hoban on Thursday night in a Division II rematch of the 2018 and 2020 title games in an attempt to win the school's first state championship in the playoff era, which began in 1972.
Massillon enters the game unbeaten and ranked No. 1 while riding a wave of dominance. Massillon has outscored its five playoff opponents 212-32. All five teams were limited to one touchdown.
Massillon isn't the only area team seeking a championship. Wayne County's Dalton Bulldogs square off Saturday morning in the Division VII title game against No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local.
Ohio high school football: 2023 Canton area regular season, OHSAA playoffs schedules/scores
Tom Benson Stadium, located next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and on the campus of the Hall of Fame Village, will be the mecca of gridiron glory for Ohio high schools. Host to the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival NFL preseason game, the venue holds about 23,000.
The stadium is at 1835 Harrison Ave. NW and located at the Hall of Fame Village, 2626 Fulton Drive NW, both accessed off Interstate 77 and Fulton Road NW.
Here's what else you need to know about this week's high school football championships, including how to buy tickets.
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What teams are playing in the 2023 Ohio high school football championships?
Division I
Springfield (10-5) vs. No. 1 St. Edward (13-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Division II
No. 1 Massillon (15-0) vs. No. 3 Hoban (13-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Division III
No. 1 Toledo Central Catholic (15-0) vs. No. 4 Columbus Watterson (14-1) at 3 p.m. Friday.
Division IV
No. 5 Cleveland Glenville (12-2) vs. Kettering Alter (12-3) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Division V
No. 1 Lake County Perry (15-0) vs. No. 2 Liberty Center (15-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Division VI
No. 1 Kirtland (14-1) vs. Versailles (13-2) at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
Division VII
No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (15-0) vs. No. 5 Dalton (13-1) at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
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How much do tickets cost to the games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium?
There will be no on-site or box office ticket sales at the Hall of Fame Village and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. All championship game tickets will be sold online at https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets and through HomeTown Ticketing. Digital tickets will be scanned at the gates.
Individual tickets to championship games, including Massillon versus Hoban, cost $16 for adults; $13 for students kindergarten through 12th grade (children under age 5 are admitted free; students may need to verify their age at the gate).
All-session general admission tickets for the state championship games are $90 each as listed on the OHSAA website. The package includes one general admission ticket to all seven championship games. Ticket holders are required to exit the stadium between games.
All-session Stadium Club tickets cost $150 each and provide one ticket to all seven games in theater-style seats, as well as access to the indoor climate-controlled club containing restrooms and its own concessions for purchase. There are no assigned seats in the Stadium Club section.
Patrons with all-session club access do not need to exit the stadium between games. Additionally, the all-session Stadium Club package includes access to tour the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the OHSAA Football State Championship weekend.
Single-day ticket packages are also available for the three games on Friday or three games on Saturday for $40 per day. Ticket holders are required to leave the stadium between games.
All-session Stadium Club ticket packages also can be purchased for $75, which includes admission to each of Friday's championship games. A $75 package is also available for Saturday's games, the OHSAA website said.
For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets.
The OHSAA has partnered with HomeTown Ticketing for the championship games. Tickets also can be purchased and stored using a cellphone app for HomeTown Ticketing.
Where do I park for Ohio high school championship football games?
Parking will be available in Lot A at the Hall of Fame Village at a cost of $10 per vehicle while spaces are available (cash only).
Vehicles must be moved after the designated game. Parking opens two hours prior to each game. Tailgating and alcohol are prohibited and no vehicles larger than an SUV are permitted, according to the OHSAA.
Neighborhood parking is also available with homeowners selling spaces in their yards.
Vehicles parked on city streets in the vicinity of the stadium will be towed at the owner's expense, according to the OHSAA.
For more information, go to https://www.ohsaa.org/.
How to watch, stream the Ohio high school football championship games on TV
All OHSAA football state championship games will be televised on Spectrum News 1, available for free on the Spectrum News App and available to stream through the OHSAA website and www.OHSAA.tv. The stream is scheduled to begin 20 minutes before kickoff.
For viewing options and more information, go to: https://ohsaa.boxcast.com/#/channels/gslsjbxbxopgb8rpilyn.
Fans can also listen to title games on the OHSAA Radio Network.
Why Hoban vs. Massillon is this year's biggest OHSAA championship game
The top storyline is the battle between Division II juggernauts Massillon and Hoban.
This marks the fifth time the two have met in the playoffs in the last six years. Hoban won three of the previous four games. Two of those meetings were in Division II state title games, with Hoban winning both — 35-6 in 2020 and 42-28 in 2018.
Hoban and Massillon played last year, too, with the Knights winning 41-20 in a state semifinal. Massillon's playoff win over Hoban came in the 2019 regional finals, ending Hoban's run of four straight state titles.
What is there to do in Canton between high school football games?
The Hall of Fame Village is a 100-acre entertainment campus featuring Don Shula's American Kitchen, Pizza Oven, Smoosh Cookies and The Brew Kettle and Topgolf Swing Suites.
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Next door is the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which features a display with artifacts chronicling Ohio high school football history.
Artifacts from Hall of Fame inductees Paul Brown, Orlando Pace, Alan Page and Charles Woodson are exhibited, along with pieces from Massillon and Canton McKinley high schools and their storied rivalry.
For more information on the Village, go to https://www.hofvillage.com/. Details on the Hall of Fame can be found at https://www.profootballhof.com/.
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: What to know about the OHSAA football championship games in Canton
