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
 
There are a number of top notch solid public programs I root for- Kirtland, Avon, Aurora..., places that have built a sustainable system from the youth program up resulting in consistent winners year after year.

These teams have met in the playoffs four times in recent years with Hoban winning each time: 2021- 31-24; 2020- 28-14; 2018- 42-7; and 2017- 30-6. I don't see a different result this year. I don't think it's a rout but suspect it will be similar to the last two games, something like 28-14.
 
I'm not gone lie I think Avon can win this game even without their star QB. Hoban is Hoban but I don't feel like they are as strong as they have been in the past. If Avon can keep this game below 21 points they most definitely have a opportunity to win but they can not get into a shout-out with the knights. Hoban from what I have been seeing and is they I have had problems with turnovers and penalties and I feel like when you playing a well coached team like Avon you can't afford to make costly mistakes like that. Good luck to both teams
 
Avon has a chance for sure, but without their QB I worry that they just won't be able to hang in there if Hoban starts to get momentum. Eds got lucky and somehow flipped the momentum on Hoban after their pick 6. They didn't score again.

Like bkmk1 said, Avon has the heart of a lion. and K1D330 is right, I've noticed Hoban isn't the big bad basically unbeatable Hoban they've been in years past. But if I'm being honest, Hoban is a bit more battle tested (Avon's toughest game was at home against Glenville). I think the stage will be a little to big for Avon. We get the Hoban-Massillon title for the ages.
 
MassillonK1D330 said:
I'm not gone lie I think Avon can win this game even without their star QB. Hoban is Hoban but I don't feel like they are as strong as they have been in the past. If Avon can keep this game below 21 points they most definitely have an opportunity to win but they can not get into a shout-out with the knights. Hoban from what I have been seeing and is they I have had problems with turnovers and penalties and I feel like when you playing a well coached team like Avon you can't afford to make costly mistakes like that. Good luck to both teams
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Hoban gave up 6 points to Walsh and Riverside. Defense travels. That crappy QB they had last year didn’t. Avon’s got a tough hill to climb without their Qb.
 
EagleFan said:
Uninteresting side note: I've lived in Avon since 2008 and have never been in their football stadium.
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I’ve been in Avon since 2006. Been to one game. And all 3 of my kids graduated from Avon lol. I always stream or do radio. It’s easier for me with my work schedule.
 
eaglesfan216 said:
Avon has a chance for sure, but without their QB I worry that they just won't be able to hang in there if Hoban starts to get momentum. Eds got lucky and somehow flipped the momentum on Hoban after their pick 6. They didn't score again.

Like bkmk1 said, Avon has the heart of a lion. and K1D330 is right, I've noticed Hoban isn't the big bad basically unbeatable Hoban they've been in years past. But if I'm being honest, Hoban is a bit more battle tested (Avon's toughest game was at home against Glenville). I think the stage will be a little to big for Avon. We get the Hoban-Massillon title for the ages.
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This Hoban team is better than last year, even without Sperling. They have more weapons and speed on offense, and one of Tyrell’s best defenses. The oline has gotten whole the past couple of weeks for the first time since August. The had reached the point where they started 3 backups in week 10. Avon is obviously a great program, and will give Hoban all they want. It’s just likely going to be an uphill battle unless Hoban is shooting themselves in the foot.
 
This game rests on the shoulders of the young QB for Avon. If he balls out Avon has a chance. If he turns the ball over and is shell shocked by the Hoban pass rush it might be a long night.
 
MassillonTigers3 said:
This game rests on the shoulders of the young QB for Avon. If he balls out Avon has a chance. If he turns the ball over and is shell shocked by the Hoban pass rush it might be a long night.
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He’s been in the system for years now but he had a couple close calls against Highland. The pressure is only going up. It’s just a matter of his he can respond to it. Being the coaches son should help. Hoping the eagles can pull out a hard fought win.
 
Redwing said:
It’s just likely going to be an uphill battle unless Hoban is shooting themselves in the foot.
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Yeah. I think that's what I was ultimately trying to say.

Avon will show up and play their hearts out, but even still, it might not be enough. It's one of those games where everything will need to go Avon's way if they win. Hoban's defense is just way too good. And with a new QB, Avon is ultimately chum in the water. Which sucks, because if Avon had their guy playing my outlook on the game would be different.
 
Anyone know what the Holy Trinity to Eds/Ignatius pipeline is like today? I remember when I was at Eds there were a noticeable amount of kids from Avon that played at both schools, but they went to Holy Trinity and not the Avon schools. Are some of those kids going to Avon now?
 
eaglesfan216 said:
Anyone know what the Holy Trinity to Eds/Ignatius pipeline is like today? I remember when I was at Eds there were a noticeable amount of kids from Avon that played at both schools, but they went to Holy Trinity and not the Avon schools. Are some of those kids going to Avon now?
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No. The kids that come up through the CYO system stay with it for high school.
 
cjb5656 said:
No. The kids that come up through the CYO system stay with it for high school.
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My thinking was that if you won't play at Eds or Ignatius maybe you go to Avon instead, but if they aren't going, it goes to show how good the Avon program has gotten. A Cleveland outer ring suburb of roughly 25,000 people has a top 5 team in the state. And a sizeable portion of the population is Catholic and sends their kids to Catholic schools.

Years ago I had a bar argument about what Cleveland area school would be the best football team if CYO/Catholic schools didn't exist. Avon was up there, but Lakewood, Westlake and John Marshall were always the frontrunners. But that's a biased near-west sider view.
 
eaglesfan216 said:
My thinking was that if you won't play at Eds or Ignatius maybe you go to Avon instead, but if they aren't going, it goes to show how good the Avon program has gotten. A Cleveland outer ring suburb of roughly 25,000 people has a top 5 team in the state. And a sizeable portion of the population is Catholic and sends their kids to Catholic schools.

Years ago I had a bar argument about what Cleveland area school would be the best football team if CYO/Catholic schools didn't exist. Avon was up there, but Lakewood, Westlake and John Marshall were always the frontrunners. But that's a biased near-west sider view.
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I grew up in Madison a little further out on the east side and was part of The immaculate conception church. We had CYO programs but most kids stayed going Madison for high school. We maybe had a couple go to lake catholic but I think the assumption school in Geneva might be a little bigger of a feeder school. We used to have kids on our busses catch a bus to assumption at our high school back in the 90s. Maybe @cvceagles has more clarity on that.?.? But what cjb said about Avon is pretty accurate since I had 2 of my 3 kids play sports at Avon.
 
eaglesfan216 said:
My thinking was that if you won't play at Eds or Ignatius maybe you go to Avon instead, but if they aren't going, it goes to show how good the Avon program has gotten. A Cleveland outer ring suburb of roughly 25,000 people has a top 5 team in the state. And a sizeable portion of the population is Catholic and sends their kids to Catholic schools.

Years ago I had a bar argument about what Cleveland area school would be the best football team if CYO/Catholic schools didn't exist. Avon was up there, but Lakewood, Westlake and John Marshall were always the frontrunners. But that's a biased near-west sider view.
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I would be comfortable betting on Westlake, North Olmsted and Bay Village for west side schools. I’ll expand on it tomorrow.
 
Fascinating matchup. On paper, I'd have to give the nod to Hoban based on personnel, particularly their defense. But I temper that with thinking one of these years Avon is going to break through. They are so well coached. Blake Elder will be fine if they can protect him and get the ball out of his hands quickly.

Expect both coaches on air Tuesday between 12-1 on ESPN 990, and streaming on ESPN990.com.
 
Maple_City_Fan said:
I've seen this Movie before. It's called "Mental Block. "

NGL, the reason I was hoping for Highland. Something different
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Nothing mental about it. The amount of talent Hoban puts on the field every year is overwhelming to all but a small handful of teams in Ohio. Avon is one of the few that actually have a chance most years. With the starting QB, they get the win, but that’s not the case this time. Highland isn’t ready for what Hoban brings.
 
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