Marion Local football's 2 big plays are 'backbreakers' in winning another OHSAA state title

CANTON — The winning streak continues for Marion Local. The Flyers won their 48th consecutive game and took home their third consecutive Ohio high school football state championship with a 38-0 win over Dalton in the OHSAA Division VII finals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday.

Marion Local has won 14 OHSAA state championships, most out of any program in Ohio.

Marion Local (16-0) used two historic plays en route to building up a 31-0 halftime lead. Griffin Bruns returned a Dalton interception 80 yards for a touchdown while Victor Hoelscher returned a Bulldog punt 64 yards for a touchdown. Both were the longest respective plays of their kind in Division VII championship game history.

"This game didn't exactly play out how I thought it would," Marion Local head coach Tim Goodwin said. "We respected Dalton and we thought this was going to be a tough game. I think the pick six and the punt return were the backbreakers. Griff made a great read on the interception. Those two plays kind of overshadowed the game."

The Flyers defense continued its incredible play as a whole. Marion Local shut out its third straight opponent and allowed just one touchdown in its entire playoff run.

"We had to retool on that side of the ball this year," Goodwin said. "We had a lot of smaller 175-pound type kids rather than some of the traditional size we've had in the past. It took a while to adjust. This was not the same look we gave people in the past. We improved defensively throughout the season.

The Flyers take home the Division VII trophy after winning the Division VI state championship last year and Division VII in 2021. Despite being a two-time returning champ, Marion Local did not feel the weight of any additional expectations placed upon them.

"Everyone else talking is not in our locker room," Goodwin said. "We're focused on ourselves and the things that we need to be doing. Things said by people outside the locker room mean nothing to us. Absolutely nothing."

Dalton (13-2) was making its first ever appearance in a state championship game. Dalton’s only other loss this year was to Division VI state champion Kirtland in its season opener.

"Our senior class set the bar high," said Dalton head coach Broc Dial, a former standout offensive lineman at Northwest High School. "I told the kids that every class going forward is going to be chasing them."

Here's a look at some of the key things to know about the game:

Player of the Game: Kyle Otte, RB, Marion Local

Otte scored the first touchdown of the game for Marion Local on an 8-yard run and later capped the scoring for the Flyers with an 8-yard TD reception in the third quarter. Otte ran eight times for 66 yards and also caught six passes for 32 yards. "This win means a lot," Otte said. "The key for us is not looking ahead. We take things week-by-week and one game at a time. ... At the end of the day, it's great to bring home a state championship for our community."

Play of the Game: Marion Local's 80-yard pick six by Griffin Bruns

There were two logical candidates for this category but the interception by Bruns looms slightly larger than the long punt return by Heitkamp. Dalton was driving at the time of the Bruns interception and had just converted a fourth-and-2 to earn a new set of downs deep in Marion Local territory. The Bulldogs trailed by just a score of 14-0 at the time. The interception and return by Bruns immediately changed the complexion of the game going forward. "Marion Local is a great team and they played well," Dial said. "This game came down to mistakes and we made some big ones. You just can't have those against a team like that and expect to come out on top."

Three stats to an OHSAA state title

7: The number of shutouts by the Marion Local defense this season. Five of those shutouts came during the playoffs.

109: The number of rushing yards Dalton was held to by the Marion Local defense. The vaunted Bulldog rushing attack was held to just an average of 3.21 yards per carry in the Division VII state championship game.

309: The number of career wins produced by Goodwin in his 24 years as head coach at Marion Local. Goodwin has as many wins during this current winning streak as he does career losses (48) to his name. All 14 of Marion Local's state championships have come with Goodwin at the helm since the year 2000.

They said it

Marion Local head coach Tim Goodwin on what has made the Flyers so successful during his tenure: "I don't know honestly. I could sit up here and speculate all day. There are a ton of factors. It isn't an easy question to answer. I would say it is just the right mix of coaching style, coaching staff, parents, community and kids who are coachable. I also think our tough schedule plays a factor. We are tested every week."

Goodwin on if he relaxed after the Flyers jumped out to a 14-0 lead: "I've been there before. You jump out too fast on a team and the air comes out of the balloon so to speak. You end up barely holding on or losing a game you shouldn't have. I was yelling and screaming at people on the sideline to keep the intensity up. I need to have a talk with some of my JV coaches specifically. They were doing a little bit too much smiling for my liking."

Goodwin on if he will relax for a couple weeks after the win or prepare for next season: "Both. I can feel the stress and the pressure just melting away right now. Most of that is self induced. It won't be a long break. We have a lot coming back next year. One thing I've learned over the years is I don't wish for time to move any faster than it does. I don't want to skip ahead to any part of the year."

Dalton senior quarterback Colin Pearson on the experience of playing at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium: "It was awesome. I looked up and it seemed like we had the whole village in the stands behind us for this game. It's something that I am going to remember forever."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Marion Local football wins third consecutive OHSAA state championship