Division V, Region 17 Final: #2 South Range (13-0) vs. #1 Kirtland (12-0)

South Range or Kirtland?

  • South Range 20+

    Votes: 2 1.8%
  • South Range 10-19

    Votes: 5 4.4%
  • South Range 0-9

    Votes: 25 22.1%
  • Kirtland 0-9

    Votes: 23 20.4%
  • Kirtland 10-19

    Votes: 46 40.7%
  • Kirtland 20+

    Votes: 12 10.6%

  • Total voters
    113
  • Poll closed .
 
This will definitely be the game to watch next week. Rooting for my long time rivals, the Raiders, but Id bet Kirtland by at least one TD but likely 2-3.
 
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I don't know if SR has the horses to beat Kirtland or not but this is probably their best chance to do so. This is the game most fans of R17 expected in the regional final. Hopefully it's a great one with no injuries and the winner wins it all. Good luck to both teams.

GO RAIDERS!!
 
South range has a chance. It’ll be a great game.
Agree. Kirtland is not as explosive as they normally are (explosive meaning they beat your brains in & then pop a run/pass for 50+), but they are grinding teams down. Imagine this will be a repeat of the SR/Garaway game in that every down is going to feel like "oh man, we gotta have this".

Imagine the Garfield fans were looking at the score & time thinking "we're only down 1 score" then "we're only down 2 scores" then "we're within 20" . . .
 
Agree. Kirtland is not as explosive as they normally are (explosive meaning they beat your brains in & then pop a run/pass for 50+), but they are grinding teams down. Imagine this will be a repeat of the SR/Garaway game in that every down is going to feel like "oh man, we gotta have this".

Imagine the Garfield fans were looking at the score & time thinking "we're only down 1 score" then "we're only down 2 scores" then "we're within 20" . . .
Totally agree. Kirtland showed that on that last drive where they took up almost 10 mins of clock. They impose their will on their opponents.
 
Agree. Kirtland is not as explosive as they normally are (explosive meaning they beat your brains in & then pop a run/pass for 50+), but they are grinding teams down. Imagine this will be a repeat of the SR/Garaway game in that every down is going to feel like "oh man, we gotta have this".

Imagine the Garfield fans were looking at the score & time thinking "we're only down 1 score" then "we're only down 2 scores" then "we're within 20" . . .
Yea it was an odd decision tonight when Garfield scored at the 10:21 mark of the fourth to get to 18-7, and on the score (or XP) there was a PF against Kirtland pushing the kickoff to the Kirtland 45, and Garfield opted against an onside kick and instead gave Kirtland possession on their 20 after a touchback.
 
Agree. Kirtland is not as explosive as they normally are (explosive meaning they beat your brains in & then pop a run/pass for 50+), but they are grinding teams down. Imagine this will be a repeat of the SR/Garaway game in that every down is going to feel like "oh man, we gotta have this".

Imagine the Garfield fans were looking at the score & time thinking "we're only down 1 score" then "we're only down 2 scores" then "we're within 20" . . .
This first paragraph is how I feel exactly. Anybody want to throw a dart as to where this game will be played?

Given the OHSAA’s difficulties finding accommodating hosts in recent weeks, I’m wondering if this game will be played at Niles like it was two years ago…?
 
This first paragraph is how I feel exactly. Anybody want to throw a dart as to where this game will be played?

Given the OHSAA’s difficulties finding accommodating hosts in recent weeks, I’m wondering if this game will be played at Niles like it was two years ago…?
I was hoping for Ravenna for once. Seems Kirtland in years past has had to travel to the warren area a lot for this game.
 
This first paragraph is how I feel exactly. Anybody want to throw a dart as to where this game will be played?

Given the OHSAA’s difficulties finding accommodating hosts in recent weeks, I’m wondering if this game will be played at Niles like it was two years ago…?
Almost a certainty it will be at Niles.
 
I will admit I know nothing about South Range, but I want to see Kirtland Versailles in the finals. Kirtland v. The MAC is always crazy.
I wouldn’t mind that matchup either since Kirtland is right on the doorstep of passing Versailles for consecutive wins. I really enjoy the matchups with the MAC and now that Ironton lost Versailles has a legit shot of getting there. But South Range and Preble Shawnee stand in the way next.
 
I wouldn’t mind that matchup either since Kirtland is right on the doorstep of passing Versailles for consecutive wins. I really enjoy the matchups with the MAC and now that Ironton lost Versailles has a legit shot of getting there. But South Range and Preble Shawnee stand in the way next.
I'll be honest as a St. Henry fan Versailles was the best team we played this year. Marion Local beat them but they shouldn't have.
SH has a massive line but Versailles made us look small. I hope we can all witness it because it will be great.
 
I'll be honest as a St. Henry fan Versailles was the best team we played this year. Marion Local beat them but they shouldn't have.
SH has a massive line but Versailles made us look small. I hope we can all witness it because it will be great.
Hey we’re two weeks away from knowing state final pairings. Both Versailles and Kirtland have tough challenges ahead but hey I’m with ya and hoping a nice matchup with another MAC opponent.
 
Coach Yeagley needs to remember what got him here. Have to open the offense up. If this turns into a conservative defensive battle like last week Kirtland will grind out a 1-2 score win.
 
SR seemed very close to the best offensively last night, of the 5 or so games I’ve seen this was the most vanilla they were. SR has a shot but they have to play the best game they played this year. They also cannot let kirtland throw a long touchdown on the first play from scrimmage again like last year, if it’s in Nile’s I can see it being streamed live on Wkbn
 
For the last 8 weeks I've been saying CSR will end the streak, but I think it's time to face reality. Kirtland isn't losing this game, nor the following games this season. I do believe it's gonna be a good game, but Kirtland wins by 2 scores.
 
Kirtland has long expected that IF they advance - they would play South Range. They have been watching film on them for weeks now. I'm not sure if the kids have - but the coaches have. The way Kirtland is playing right now on both sides of the ball is going to make them a really tough out. Every team seems to think they have the formula to beat them - until they play. Teams keep waiting for them to make a mistake - and they just dont. I'm sure these two teams will trade blows early but the style and physicality of Kirtland just wears teams down. Both teams wanted each other - now they have each other.
 
Kirtland plays with absolutely no pretense. There's no magic formula to beat Kirtland. Everyone knows how to beat Kirtland. Win the LoS. There's no mystery to it. It's just that it's virtually impossible to do.

Now, SR *might* be able to pull the upset if they merely keep the LoS battle somewhat close because SR has some really good skill players that *might* make up for that difference. There is no scenario where I can see SR winning IF they aren't throwing the ball effectively. They aren't going to just pound Dominguez and win. They have to be at full field stretching best -- horizontal and vertical. And when their defense gets Kirtland behind the sticks -- for whatever reason -- then they have to force the stop. They won't get many stop chances, and you just can't let them go begging.

I've said since the preseason that Skripac was my only concern about SR. He's answered all my questions but now he needs to exceptional. If he is, then SR can make it a 48 minute game.

At this point, I really do believe Kirtland, SR, Versailles and, yes, Garaway, are the top 4 teams in D5 (and I'll also take credit for consistently voting Harvest Prep and Elyria Catholic in the top 10, heh). So, I'm not sure if Versailles is #2 or SR is #2, but either way, the Kirtland-SR game is worthy of being the State Title game.
 
I'll be honest as a St. Henry fan Versailles was the best team we played this year. Marion Local beat them but they shouldn't have.
SH has a massive line but Versailles made us look small. I hope we can all witness it because it will be great.
Watched the Versailles-ML game and Versailles was the better team. Now that Garaway lost I'm really hoping hit a Versailles-Kirtland final. Versailles is big and strong and we know Kirtland.
 
I don't know enough about Versailles and the other teams to comment on who is the best suited to beat Kirtland. I remember when they were fantastic in the 90's under the great Al Hetrick. I haven't seen them play or on film in many years. They play in the MAC, so...yeah, tough as nails and well coached. Always.

(Edit, for those not familiar with Al Hetrick.)

I am excited for this SR staff and kids to get another shot. I love our coaching staff and I'm confident they will formulate a game plan to compete with Kirtland. Opportunities like this don't come around in life that often. The SR program has been to the Regional Final around a half dozen times I think, winning two (2005, 2017). Its an opportunity for them to be exposed to a really cool atmosphere, measure themselves against the best and have fun. Will this team solidify themselves as one of the best in SR history? Once again, a great Kirtland team stands in the way.
 
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Good luck to both teams. I'm hoping for a Versailles vs Kirtland final. I'm wondering when was the last time Kirtland had fewer rushing yards in a game than their opponent. Kirtland's last defeat came in 2017 when Marion Local rushed for 153 yards to Kirtland's 127 yards. Was that the last time this happened to Kirtland? One thing that impressed me about Kirtland, as a Marion Local fan....you can't beat them in the intangibles. You can't beat them in coaching, discipline or execution. MSML is generally better than most of their opponents in those areas. So even when an opponent is more talented, the Flyers can overcome a talent disparity. None of that works against Kirtland. When Kirtland played MSML, it just came down to who had the stronger horses that year.
 
There's an obvious belief in both programs that they will win. It's unwavering. Those kids always fully believe they'll find a way to win. Even when things lot bad. That's the kind fo resiliency you get when you when gaggles of state titles -- and, amazingly, MSML is probably the only program in the state that can tout more success in the past 15 years than Kirtland.

I think this may be the first time SR has played Kirtland where they have a real belief they can win. It's probably been more of a "hope" they can win in the past. This group of kids knows exactly what they're in store for and exactly how they match up.
 
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