DII State Semifinal: Akron Hoban vs. Avon

Who wins?

  • Hoban by 1-8

    Votes: 13 13.7%

  • Hoban by 9-16

    Votes: 38 40.0%

  • Hoban by 17+

    Votes: 16 16.8%

  • Avon by 1-8

    Votes: 24 25.3%

  • Avon by 9-16

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Avon by 17+

    Votes: 3 3.2%
  • Total voters
    95
I don't think this is even close. Avon is not in the same universe as Hoban (or Massillon.)

Yes, Avon's well coached, scrappy, and play to the whistle, but they are not a program that has players like Hoban or Massillon. Hoban and Massillon are next level compared to Avon. Cue Dandy Don, cause the Fat lady is ready to sing.
 
sehs73 said:
I don't think this is even close. Avon is not in the same universe as Hoban (or Massillon.)

Yes, Avon's well coached, scrappy, and play to the whistle, but they are not a program that has players like Hoban or Massillon. Hoban and Massillon are next level compared to Avon. Cue Dandy Don, cause the Fat lady is ready to sing.
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Avon is very good and has been for awhile now. These games are difficult to predict. Many factors to consider, matchups, injuries, coaching, penalties, turn overs, breaks in the game, etc. Like I said earlier you get down to the final 4 every team is capable of winning or they wouldn't be there.
 
sehs73 said:
I don't think this is even close. Avon is not in the same universe as Hoban (or Massillon.)

Yes, Avon's well coached, scrappy, and play to the whistle, but they are not a program that has players like Hoban or Massillon. Hoban and Massillon are next level compared to Avon. Cue Dandy Don, cause the Fat lady is ready to sing.
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Don’t believe you are familiar with Avon’s program with your comments. They have plenty of talent. Massillon folks are familiar with them since they scrimmage every year.
 
Hoban’s defense is insane. I would give Avon a shot with their dual-threat QB, but without him I see a 28-7 or 35-7 type of game.
 
petepastromi said:
Avon is very good and has been for awhile now. These games are difficult to predict. Many factors to consider, matchups, injuries, coaching, penalties, turn overs, breaks in the game, etc. Like I said earlier you get down to the final 4 every team is capable of winning or they wouldn't be there.
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I think Avon has a phenominal coach in Mike Elder and a great program. At times I wish Elder was at St Edward. I honestly believe he's better than Lombardo, and that's obviosly saying a lot. Admittedly, I watch Avon from afar. No question they have some talent to go with the aformentioned great program, but they don't have the elite next level college players that Hoban and Massillon have in place. I just don't see them competing with either of those programs, but perhaps the Avon kids will prove me wrong.
 
sehs73 said:
I think Avon has a phenominal coach in Mike Elder and a great program. At times I wish Elder was at St Edward. I honestly believe he's better than Lombardo, and that's obviosly saying a lot. Admittedly, I watch Avon from afar. No question they have some talent to go with the aformentioned great program, but they don't have the elite next level college players that Hoban and Massillon have in place. I just don't see them competing with either of those programs, but perhaps the Avon kids will prove me wrong.
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I think Elder is better than Hoban's coach too. Seem to play a lot more disciplined
 
sehs73 said:
I don't think this is even close. Avon is not in the same universe as Hoban (or Massillon.)

Yes, Avon's well coached, scrappy, and play to the whistle, but they are not a program that has players like Hoban or Massillon. Hoban and Massillon are next level compared to Avon. Cue Dandy Don, cause the Fat lady is ready to sing.
Click to expand...
Listen - anything can happen. I mean, I can win a million bucks on a scratch off. But the reality is Massillon and Hoban will be the heavy favorites, as they've been all season. Turnovers, luck and penalties will be needed for Avon to pull this off.
 
I agree with the consensus of this thread, it'll be very difficult for Avon to win this game in particular without their star QB. You simply need all of your weapons in place to beat a team like Hoban. It's truly a shame as Avon may have had their best opportunity to compete with Hoban this season, if fully healthy. I still expect Avon's best effort against a team they are familiar with. I'll go with Hoban winning by 14 by scoring a TD late to pull away:

Hoban 28
Avon 14
 
Intheeventof said:
My pick is Avon in an upset. It will be a low scoring game…12-7 Avon. I'm banking on Coach Elder and his staff to figure out a way to stop 3 of the 4 plays that Hoban has in their youth football playbook.
Avon is physical enough to go toe to toe with Hoban.
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Hold Hoban to 7? Not likely. They average 35. Only one to hold them was St Ed's and Avon D is not St Ed's. But I appreciate the wishful thinking. I will wish for Hoban 28-7.
 
Oil Filter said:
That's 9 points. They lost by 7. Bad coaching?
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I say bad coaching. StEds stopped on 3rd and 5. Getting ready to punt. Sewell Hoban's best dlineman is standing up over the center. He jumps offsides giving Eds a new set of downs. They score a few plays later tying the game. Does Hoban jump offsides? Yes, like 2 or 3 times every game for like the last 5 years. That is not an exaggeration. So when I'm critical of Tyrell everybody jumps on me. Do you guys remember Moeller, Iggy Eds now and in the past. Those teams rarely had any penalties. They were machines. I've read that Paul Brown's Massillon teams were like that too
 
I think trying to get a read on how Eds or Hoban play from their game is a waste of time. That was a rainy, wet field, physical game. Neither team really got their offense going. Hoban punting late wasn't the craziest call considering Eds didn't really do anything on offense for basically the entire game.

Avon can win this game. As other posters have said, without their starting QB they have to play a perfect game and even then it may not be enough. But Hoban will make a mistake at some point and Avon can capitalize on it.
 
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