'It's been crazy in Sugarcreek': Garaway football preps for state semifinal

The Final Four.

If you’re a Garaway football fan, or a member of the Pirates’ team, those three words are so very special.

Why?

Because on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Louisville Leopard Stadium, the Garaway football team will play in a Division VI state semifinal (Final 4) game for the first time in school history.

The unbeaten Pirates (14-0) and repeat champions of the Inter Valley Conference South Division, will clash with the Kirtland Hornets (13-1), with a trip to the state championship game on the line for the winner.

“Obviously, we’re going to have to play really well,” said Garaway head coach Jason Wallick. “But our kids have worked their tails off for this opportunity to play in Canton, Ohio (site of next week’s state championship games) and they know what’s at stake this week. There’s no doubt they’ll prepare, and come Friday night, they’ll have a war for 48 minutes.”

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The Garaway coach says Sugarcreek is abuzz with excitement leading up to the state semifinal and related a special story that happened earlier this week.

“It’s been crazy (in Sugarcreek), to be honest,” said Wallick. “I actually got an email from Glen Snyder last night. He was the first football coach in the history of Garaway football in 1963, and I shared that email with the kids today. It was, listen, you guys are doing something very special here. Here’s a gentleman I’ve never really heard from before, and he said he’s following every game. It’s things like that which are pretty special.”

Garaway, which is making its 10th appearance in postseason play, including the past five straight seasons, enters the showdown on a roll. The Pirates have won their first four playoff games against Rock Hill (45-7), East Knox (49-7), Northmor (42-7) and West Jefferson (42-7) last weekend by a combined score of 188-28.

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Garaway’s offensive line has paved the way for the team’s offensive success, both running and throwing the football. That front includes left tackle Jake Miller, left guards Wyatt Hershberger and Clayton Downs, center Colson Keller, right guard Bryce Yoder and right tackle Cooper McDougall.

The Pirates’ offense has displayed an excellent balance between the run and pass. Junior quarterback Brady Geibel (6-4, 195) is averaging 200 yards and 2.5 touchdowns per-game through the airways. Leading his pack of receivers is senior Jenson Garber, averaging 100 yards-per game receiving.

Meanwhile, senior running back Dillon Soehnlen is averaging 100 yards rushing per game and two touchdowns per-game.

On defense, a stable of Garaway teams, senior linebacker Wyatt Wallick (6-0, 185) leads the stingy Pirate defense while averaging a team-best five solo tackles per game, while senior linebacker Ethan Kimble (5-9, 170) is averaging 4.4 solo stops per game and senior defensive lineman Wyatt Hershberger (5-9, 210) is averaging four solo tackles per contest.

“Defensively we played really well (vs. West Jefferson),” said Wallick. “I thought we were a little better up front, and we were able to put pressure on them early, and we got to them.”

Kirtland, champion of Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division, has been impressive in its four playoff outings as well, blasting Columbiana (49-6), Canton Central Catholic (48-26), Cuyahoga Heights (53-19) and Mogadore (42-0) last Friday in a regional title contest.

Kirtland loves to pound the football with its rushing attack under 17th-year head coach Tiger LaVerde.

“(LaVerde) is a one-on-one guy (with the running game),” said Wallick. “He thinks his one is better than our one, and he’s going to do everything he can to find that weak link and try to exploit that weak link. He does nothing fancy, they’re a power football team and they’ll present some challenges for us, for sure." They’re an I formation team, with single tight, double tight and stacked I. We played them in 2011 and 2015 and he hasn’t changed a whole lot since then, for sure.”

Kirtland’s all-senior running back stable includes Rocco Alfieri (5-10, 185), Macguire Boyd (6-0, 212) and Will Beers (6-0, 170).

“They have a plethora (of running backs),” said Wallick. “They have a big, bruising back, No. 39 (Boyd) and No. 11 (Alfieri ) has the most touchdowns on their team and he’s a good-sized kid, too, and he’s more athletic and kind of their feature back. And No. 18, (Beers) their tailback, is a heck of a player, too.”

The Hornets’ quarterback is sophomore Jake LaVerde (6-2, 185).

"In 2020 against us, they threw their first pass, we intercepted it and that was the last pass they threw for the rest of the game," Wallick said. "If we can make them throw the ball, I think we have them out of their element and doing things they don’t like to do.”

Kirtland’s top receivers include seniors Gino Blasini (6-2, 207) and Will Sayle (6-1, 173).

On defense, the Hornets feature eight multi-year starters.

“They fly around and are very fast,” said Wallick of Kirtland’s defense. “They’re not real big but boy they’re put together and extremely fast. They’re disciplined and very well coached and make very few mistakes. They’ll make you earn everything you get. I can tell you this, if it’s a high-scoring game, we’re in big trouble. Their defense is really, really good and if we can keep them (the Hornets) in the 20’s, I think we’ve got a shot. We don’t want to get into a track meet with them, for sure.”

The Hornets’ only loss this fall occurred in Week 3 of the regular season in a Chagrin Valley Conference crossover game to the Perry Pirates, 24-6. Unbeaten Perry (14-0) is playing in the Division V state semifinals this weekend.

Garaway enters Week 15 averaging 39.5 points-per-game, while its air-tight defense is giving up just 7.3 points-per-contest.

By comparison, Kirtland, which has won six state championships, is averaging 42.6 points-per-game and allowing 8.2 ppg. The Hornets are a veteran team with 15 starters returning from their 2022 state runner-up team which lost 14-6 to Marion Local.

Garway’s preparation for the big stage has been excellent. Now it’s time to put it all together and see if the Pirates will be riding the high seas to a berth in the state title game come Friday night.

Wallick said his team is ready.

“It’s going to take our best effort,” said the Garaway head coach. “We know their rich tradition, and we feel we’ve been right up there with the Kirtlands, the South Ranges and the Perrys over the years. Our kids are really excited and really grateful for this opportunity, for sure.”

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: OHSAA football playoffs: Garaway Pirates vs. Kirtland Hornets