OHSAA high school football state championships | Hoban vs. Massillon | 3 matchups to watch
CANTON — While Massillon and Hoban have history with each other in the football postseason, they know that matters little Thursday night when they meet in the OHSAA Division II state final. What matters will be the matchups for this game and both teams appear pretty evenly matched.
Pick apart any position on the field. It will be difficult to find a weakness with either team. Massillon (15-0) is one win away from a perfect season and its first state title in the playoff era. Hoban (13-1) is returning to the finals for the fourth straight year. The Knights were state runners-up the last two years in Division II and beat Massillon in the 2020 title game.
The Tigers and Knights have more than enough Division I college talent to go around. And both teams are especially dominant on the defensive side, each giving up less than eight points per game.
Here are the three matchups to watch in Thursday’s state title game, which kicks off at 7 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium:
Massillon’s wide receivers vs. Hoban’s secondary
Massillon’s wideout trio will face its toughest task against Hoban’s secondary. The Knights have 17 total interceptions, almost half of which resulted in pick sixes. Leading the pack are Elbert Hill (seven interceptions) and Tysen Campbell (six). They have more than 25 Division I college offers combined.
Jacques Carter (784 receiving yards), Bralyn Toles (614), and Emy Louis Jr. (364) have been Massillon QB DaOne Owens’ go-to targets. All three have speed and have combined for 22 touchdown catches. Louis Jr. also has two kickoff return touchdowns this season.
Hoban’s linebackers vs. Massillon’s running game
Hoban’s centerpiece on defense is its linebackers, including the duo of Ohio State commit Eli Lee and West Virginia commit Rickey Williams. Tanner Mintz is another name to watch. Each has more than 100 total tackles. They will be instrumental in Hoban trying to deal with Massillon’s run game, which averages 6.8 yards a carry. The Tigers have 52 rushing TDs this year.
Massillon’s leading rusher is Owens, the QB. Owens has reached the 1,200-yard mark and holds the record for most rushing yards by a Tiger quarterback in a season. Ja’Meir Gamble is Massillon’s speedster in the backfield and is close to a 1,000-yard season. Mylen Lenix has recently been involved in the rotation as a physical back, and Michael Wright Jr. and his 280-pound frame are utilized on short-yardage plays. For the Knights’ linebackers, it is a matter of getting off their blocks against Massillon’s offensive line.
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Massillon’s front seven vs. Hoban’s offensive line
As usual, this game could come down to who is the most physical in the trenches. So far, teams have yet to stop Massillon’s three-man front. They have made it difficult for quarterbacks to get the ball out because of the pressure they have provided, including 44 total sacks. Massillon’s defense also has 112 tackles for losses and has allowed only two rushing touchdowns all year.
Hoban’s offensive line is just as physical up front and has paved the way for its running backs to gain more than 3,000 yards on the ground with 39 rushing TDs. The notable players on the Hoban offensive line are William Satterwhite, a Tennessee commit, and 6-foot-8 sophomore offensive tackle Sam Greer, who holds offers from the likes of Ohio State and Michigan.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon vs. Hoban OHSAA football state finals 3 matchups to watch
