COMMENTARY: Orange cracks St. Xavier to cap dream season

CANTON — An orange supermoon hung low over Canton on a frigid Friday night.

Below it, an Orange super team dominated the hallowed field at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Coach Wes Schroeder’s squad completed a perfect high school football season with the school’s first Division I state championship. The capper was a 28-14 beating of traditional powerhouse Cincinnati St. Xavier.

“Last week we came out and I think we kind of shocked a lot of people the way we played against (Lakewood St. Edward’s, a 28-0 victory),” Schroeder said. “We came out tonight and maybe not as bad, but I feel like we dominated most of that game.”

The Pioneers (15-0) recorded a sack on the first snap against the Bombers (11-3). Two plays later, senior defensive back Zane Konczak plucked an interception.

On the first play of the second quarter, senior quarterback Levi Davis, a Mr. Football finalist bound for Ohio University, swept right end for a 2-yard touchdown and Tyler Gibson’s PAT made it 7-0 Orange.

And then it became a game of more. More offense and more defense, and all of it wearing Orange helmets.

In the first half alone the Pioneers flexed their muscle in overwhelming fashion: outrushing the Bombers 103-33, outpassing them 144-65, racking up more total yardage 247-98, and recording more first downs 10-5.

There was more of the same in the second half — and it was more than enough.

“They’re a very talented, very well-coached team,” St. Xavier coach Steve Specht said.

It started with the opening touchdown drive after intermission which really put the game out of reach via Lucas Fickel’s 4-yard TD blast to stretch the gap to 28-7.

Actually, the hammer-like nature of the Orange onslaught has been taking place all year.

“Our game plan is to be efficient and effective with what we do,” Schroeder said. “We want to move the chains and get first downs and punch the ball in the end zone. So we’re trying to be calculated with that.

“We’re explosive, but we’re also methodical with what we do.”

Only one team came within single digits of the Pioneers this fall. Defending Division I state champion Liberty pushed Orange before dropping a 21-17 decision in the regional semifinals.

Schroeder’s squad recorded five running-clock games while facing a potent schedule.

The defense was spectacular, spearheaded by junior linebacker Brennan Kesler and his game-high eight tackles. In two regional games and the state finals, three of Ohio’s best big-school teams managed a combined 21 points.

Davis and Fickel spearheaded a strong running game that controlled the clock and opponents.

In the state finals, senior MC Walker took his turn in the spotlight with an incredible array of circus catches, all of them in the second period.

The 6-foot, 185-pound senior made three sterling receptions, including a 5-yard back-shoulder TD grab, to spark an answer to the Bombers’ tying score and give the Pioneers a 14-7 edge midway through the second period.

He then hauled in a diving 39-yard catch to set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Fickel with 13 seconds left in the half, and just like that Orange owned a 21-7 halftime advantage.

“Having a 21-7 lead with our offense and our defense with us coming off the ball in the second half was, we knew it was far from over, but we liked where we were at that point,” coach Schroeder said.

For the game, Walker compiled five catches for 123 yards and a TD, all in the second quarter. Davis and Fickel fueled an unstoppable, balanced offense.

“MC’s a dog. Going into this season, I knew he had something special just in the off-season, how he runs his routes, how he carries himself off the field,” Davis said.

Orange senior Treyton Schroder echoed that sentiment.

“I think everyone trusts him on the team,” Schroder said. “When these balls were going to him, no one had a doubt that he wasn’t going to make the play.”

Davis was 10-of-18 passing for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 93 yards on 14 carries and added a score. Fickel led the way on the ground with 133 yards on 13 carries.

The team statistics remained one-sided.

The Pioneers won the battle of first downs (21-13), rushing yardage (226-78), passing yardage (177-114), and total yardage (403-192).

It was also the second consecutive year an Olentangy team has won the big-school state championship. Orange followed Liberty’s title from a year ago.

That fact was something Schroeder noted, too.

“We’ve said all year the best football is in central Ohio, and we still believe that and I think we proved it tonight and last week” said Schroeder, in his second season after guiding Granville to the regional finals two years ago.

“This is no disrespect to the Cincinnati area or the Cleveland teams, but I would rather play Ed’s than you know, Upper Arlington or Liberty.

“I think it’s about time that Columbus gets a little respect. They just went back-to-back in our conference specfically, too, and you look at Watterson and what they’re doing (undefeated Division III state champs), so central Ohio is doing pretty well right now.”

(Photo gallery by Brittany Schock)