2024 Week 16 (Ohio)

Week Sixteen gave me two logical options for games. Pennsylvania State Finals or Ohio State Finals. With them falling on the same weekend again, I had a choice. I was figuring I’d be in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania once again. But then I decided to let some other photographers for PA Football News cover the games and instead went with Ohio.

Closer to my home. Thinking I’d drive home every night. But that plan changed. And though I’m not a fan of the setup in Canton, the OHSAA Finals are held to a high regard in terms of setup and logistics.

On Thursday night, I drove west from home along I-80 and I-76 and then followed I-77 south from Akron to Belden Village. There to pick up my parking credential as instructed. Then, down to Canton and the stadium. For the Thursday night game the weather was no favorable. A light dusting of snow and chilly temperatures made the crowd a bit sparse. And parking, with the pass, was quite easy.

Got in to the media building to get my credential for the weekend, and then over to the stadium. Bypassing going through the bowels of the stadium, to head along the perimeter and to the northwest corner of the stadium to enter the field at ground level.

#80 – Cincinnati Anderson v. Avon

This was my 5th time seeing Anderson play. Previously, as the Anderson Redskins, they went 0-4 in games I attended. And Avon, the Eagles, were 0-1 in the lone game I had seen. Both teams entered the game undefeated at 15-0.

The game was great for photographs. And this diving catch that wasn’t, was one of the highlights of the weekend. It was a close game, and Avon eeked out a 20-13 victory for the Division II Championship.

After the game, I went with a friend to get a hotel for the night, rather than driving all the way home. This halved the cost of a room from $108.11 for the two nights, to just $54 for the stay. And made the thought of driving home an hour and back each night less appealing.

For the night, since I wasn’t upstairs in the press box at all, I stopped for Arby’s after the game.

The next morning, it was a late start leaving the room, and got to park and headed into the stadium just near kickoff.

I did get down through the stadium in time, and made my way onto the field as kickoff happened. But was slow getting stuff situated to post.

#81 – Jeromesville Hillsdale v. Maria Stein Marion Local

I had seen Marion Local four times previously, going 4-0 in state championship games. This wasn’t unexpected. And this was my first time seeing Hillsdale, from just west of the Stark County area. The forecast for this game’s outcome was not looking good, and was bested by halftime.

With a running clock, and an overmatched opponent, Marion Local did still add two more scores to the board. Winning, comfortably, 74-0.

After the game, I had to make my way up the long way to the pressbox. At Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, to traverse from the field to the pressbox means leaving the field at the opposite end from the pressbox. Snaking back to the middle of the stadium, and taking two different elevators up the full height of the structure, and then continuing along the press level to the pressbox. I had some time between games, and needed to finish photos and write a story of the first game.

#82 – Columbus Bishop Watterson v. Toledo Central Catholic

Now, this wasn’t a game I was planning to be on the field for. The afternoon games were going to be issues with logistically processing photos of both games and writing. Though, that was eased by co-opting Yappi (of Yappi.com) to use his article in exchange for photo usage. I also ate, and then made my way downstairs for the second half to get some field shots. But wasn’t too concerned. It was a great finish though.

This was my second time seeing Bishop Watterson (a 13-12 winner over Akron Buchtel in 2010), and 3rd time seeing Toledo Central Catholic (a 16-12 winner over Trotwood-Madison in 2012 and a 28-21 winner over Archbishop Hoban in 2022). And this one was a close one. With Watterson winning another state title, 19-14.

After the game, it was back upstairs to get the photos from Game 2 of the day processed. And get dinner. Swedish Meatballs, pasta, and broccoli. And a cookie bar.

I spent a bit of time talking to Yappi and my friend Dave, so didn’t get photos done as much as I wanted. But did head on down to the field for the start of Game 3.

#83 – Olentangy Liberty v. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller

This was my first time seeing the Olentangy Liberty Patriots play. They were one of the newer schools in Ohio and in their first state championship game. One of several schools from the booming Olentangy Local School District.

Moeller, however, I had seen 3 times previous. Going 3-0 in previous games. Twice winning state championships in 2012 and 2013 in Canton, as well as a Crosstown Showdown game in 2011 at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.

This was one of those games that seemed to defy expectations. Moeller struggled. And every time it looked like they might make the comeback, Liberty would knock away the chance. Winning, 28-14.

After the game, I stopped at Sheetz, and then over to the Super 8. I didn’t do any processing as it was already a late night. And Ohio’s schedule dictates an early start to get into the stadium and to be situated.

With the day’s schedule, I was focusing on the afternoon and night games. Which meant the morning game was not a high priority for photography.

#84 – Coldwater v. Kirtland

This was my 6th time seeing Coldwater, going 2-3 in state championship games. While Kirtland was my fourth time, seeing them go 2-1 also in state championship games. On paper this was going to be a great game. State behemoths at the Division VI rank. But Coldwater just wore them down and Kirtland could not answer as the gap widened throughout the game. Coldwater would win comfortably, 31-7.

I had gone downstairs to catch the end of the game for some field photography. And then took my lone ‘concessions voucher’ up to the concourse level and tried out the “Canton Clucker”.

It was small. And if I had paid the $8, I wouldn’t have been happy about it. But it tasted great. A spicy chicken patty–albeit small–on a small biscuit with bacon coleslaw. The pickles were overkill and unwanted.

The issue was the biscuit was cold and the sauce–which was very thick and stuck to everything it touched–was not that hot. Flavor profile, it was delicious. Not as hot as advertised. And an unmitigated disaster trying to eat this in a stadium setting.

After eating that, I headed upstairs to finish up the last bit of photos to process, and stayed upstairs for the start of the Division V game.

#85 – Liberty Center v. Ironton

Amazingly, this was my first time ever seeing Ironton play. A storied team from southern Ohio, and I had yet to cross them off my list. Meanwhile, it was my second time seeing Liberty Center, as I had seen them play in, and come up short in, the state championship in 2023.

I went downstairs and finished out the rest of the game. But took note of my lanyard that has stayed with me from North Dakota during the tumultuous Covid season of 2020. Along with my ARMY lanyard from earlier in Georgia this season.

As for the game, Ironton’s road uniforms bore a striking resemblance to the Browns uniforms. And they were quickly my favorite team of the day. And despite the darkened photo for my final tweet of the game, the field was quite bright and I had just really skewed the exposure setting somehow. Ironton won after being a pretty nailbiter finish, 28-17.

With one game to go, there was a mad dash upstairs after the trophy presentation. I had the entire Ironton game to process, get something to eat, and be down on the field as quickly as possible for the seventh and final game of the weekend.

#86 – Gnadenhutten Indian Valley v. Sandusky Perkins

And with the last game brought my last new team of the weekend. The Perkins Pirates of suburban Sandusky were new to me. Though I had seen a game at their home field. The St. Mary Central Catholic team, playing 8-man, had moved their home games from Cedar Point Stadium to their home field the year I attended a game in 2020. Indian Valley, meanwhile, I had seen when they hosted Tuskararwas Valley at their old home field in Midvale. They have since relocated their home stadium to a field behind their high school. Also, seeing them twice on the road. Once at Tusky Valley, and once at Uhrichsville Claymont. All on Thursday nights. And all three victories. But tonight was Saturday.

I ate my dinner while processing photos, a build-your-own-burger setup. Which weren’t that great for burger patties that were cooked earlier and then kept warm. However, the potato salad was exceptional and did not survive to be photographed.

Things didn’t go quickly with photographs, as I did not want any pre-Saturday night game photos left to process before I left the stadium. And with just a couple minutes until halftime, I stayed upstairs until halftime was near finished. And then made my way downstairs one more time.

This was a great finish. After tying at halftime, it was a back-and-forth contest where Indian Valley trailed 36-29 with over 8 minutes to go, scored on a one-yard touchdown. A fumbled recovered in the endzone. And then went for two and converted. Giving them a tenuous 37-36 lead. And held on for the win.

After the game, I had a quick hour or so drive home. But had to deal with getting out of the stadium. First upstairs to gather my things and put away the cameras. And then out to the parking lot. And then finally escape the stadium grounds that had you cornered into only one way to exit. And finally out US62 toward Alliance and zigzagging the familiar OH225 and US224 route home.

ECONOMICS

The only expenses on the weekend was half the hotel at $54 and $12 in food. $8 at Arby’s and $4 at Sheetz. For the weekend, I drove only 183 miles.

I saw four new teams.