The Battle for Regional Glory on a Stormy Night

First Half Highlights

Hoban leads Walsh at halftime, with a 7-0 score. Sophomore Brayton Feister has been a standout, surpassing 100 yards rushing with a 14-yard gain. He now has 102 yards on 14 carries with less than a minute to go in the second quarter. However, Hoban's Tylan Boykin had to be helped off the field with an injury after a run as a quarterback off a direct snap play. He is not putting weight on his left leg.

But the Knights didn't let that setback slow them down. Tylan Boykin came back with a vengeance, grabbing an interception for Hoban and giving the team the ball on their own 42-yard line with 8:19 remaining in the second quarter. This momentum shift gave Hoban a boost as they continued to fight for the lead.

Second Half Drama

Walsh Jesuit started the second half with a bang. Their starting offensive lineman Brayden Piersall was helped off the field with an injury with 7:26 left in the first quarter. Medical personnel spent several minutes examining him, and two Walsh teammates eventually helped him off the field while he kept weight off his right leg. This was a setback for the Warriors, but they didn't give up.

As the game progressed, both teams fought tooth and nail. Walsh senior QB Keller Moten was a key player, rushing for the game-winning, 9-yard touchdown with 39.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He has been a force on the field this season, completing 113-of-179 passes for 1,645 yards and 17 TDs with four interceptions and carrying the ball 127 times for 1,209 yards (9.5 average) and 22 TDs.

On the other side, Hoban's defense continued to shine. Ohio State recruit Eli Lee, a senior linebacker with over 110 tackles, 10 sacks, 35 tackles for loss, one TD and two forced fumbles, led the charge. Knights senior linebacker Tanner Mintz also had over 110 tackles with four interceptions, two TDs, eight sacks and four fumble recoveries.

Key Players and Their Stats

For Walsh Jesuit, junior wide receiver Milan Parris has 27 catches for 597 yards and nine TDs. Senior Aiden Henry has 41 catches for 565 yards and four TDs and threw a 26-yard TD pass on offense, 44 tackles (37 solos) as a safety on defense and has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. They also have three talented running backs in junior Marty Tobin (116 carries, 970 yards, nine TDs), senior Lucas Weaver (112 carries, 831 yards, nine TDs) and junior Carlos Smith (60 carries, 558 yards, eight TDs). The Warriors' offensive line is consistent with seniors Kodey Kish, Matthew DeSciscio and Luka Jeras and juniors Colton Crosley and Brayden Piersall.

Hoban's offense features sophomore running back Brayton Feister and blocking by senior linemen Joseph Burkeen and Nate Cross, junior linemen Sam Greer and Braylin Parker, sophomore lineman Rylee Pickering and senior tight end Tayte Crable. Feister has 235 carries for 1,673 yards and 22 TDs, and 11 receptions for 92 yards and one TD. Junior Trent Hayden is Hoban’s primary quarterback after splitting snaps with senior Ethan Roksandich earlier in the season. Hayden has completed 67 of 104 passes for 922 yards and nine TDs this season.

Hoban's defense is also filled with talent. Hill has more than 60 tackles with five interceptions (two returned for TDs), two sacks, 26 pass breakups and two kickoff returns for a TD. Senior lineman Nick Crawford has over 70 tackles with 17 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, a TD and one blocked punt. Boykin has over 50 tackles with four interceptions (one returned for a TD), 26 pass breakups and two punt returns for a TD.

Playoff History and Coaches

This is the 22nd Walsh football team to make the OHSAA playoffs and they have a 35-20 record in the playoffs. The Warriors won a state title in 1999 and were a state runner-up in 1998. The 1997, 1994 and 1993 teams each played in a state semifinal. Nick Alexander is in his sixth season as Walsh’s head coach and has a 51-19 record. He was named the Warriors coach in December of 2018 after Scott Beigie led the program for four years.

This is the 20th Hoban football team to make the OHSAA playoffs and they have a 60-14 record. The Knights were a state champion in 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 and a state runner-up 2023, 2022 and 2021. Tim Tyrrell is in his 12th season as Hoban’s head coach and has a 140-24 record in his 23rd year overall. He was hired in January of 2013 and has led Hoban to five state championships and three state runner-up finishes.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium. Stay tuned for live updates and analysis throughout the night.