AKRON — If it’s a Division II state semifinal in high school football, there’s a good chance Archbishop Hoban and Avon will be playing. The two renew their fight Friday when the Knights (12-2) and Eagles (14-0) square off for the sixth time in eight seasons with a spot in the state final on the line.
The winner plays either Cincinnati Anderson (14-0) or Big Walnut (13-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Follow along here for live updates, highlights and in-game analysis:
This rivalry has been completely one-sided in the past as Hoban has won every contest.
The Knights went on to win state titles in 2017, 2018 and 2020 after wins over the Eagles. Hoban finished as state runners-up in 2021 and 2023 after beating Avon.
The Knights are making their ninth state semifinal appearance in the last 10 seasons. This is the 11th time Hoban has reached the state semifinals in school history and 20th time it has reached the playoffs. The Knights own five state titles (2015-18, 2020) and finished second three times (2021-23). The Knights are 61-14 in the postseason. Coach Tim Tyrrell is 206-75 overall and 141-24 at Hoban.
Hoban’s defense has allowed 40 total points in four playoff games and features senior Eli Lee (Ohio State recruit), Tanner Mintz, Tylan Boykin (Eastern Michigan recruit), Elbert Hill and Payton Cook. Hoban’s offense features sophomore RB Brayton Feister, who runs behind a line led by Nate Cross and Sam Greer as well as tight end Tayte Crable.
Cross committed to Kent State on Sunday and Crable committed to South Florida last month. Hill has scholarship offers from around 30 colleges, including Ohio State, Tennessee, Oregon, Michigan, USC, Alabama and Notre Dame. Greer is heavily recruited, too, including offers from Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Miami and Oregon. Feister’s scholarship list includes offers from Wisconsin and Kentucky.
Greer, Feister, Nick Crawford, Lee, Mintz, Hill and Boykin were first-team all-district selections.
The Eagles have made the state semifinals six of the last seven seasons and have reached the semifinals nine times but have only reached the final in 2011, when they lost 42-28 to Trotwood-Madison in Division II. This is the 18th time Avon has reached the playoffs. Avon is 41-17 in the postseason. Coach Mike Elder is 250-54 overall and 200-31 at Avon.
The Eagles are led by quarterback Nolan Good, Kent State commit and Northeast Lakes District Offensive Player of the Year. Offensive tackle Jeremiah Kelly is a Cincinnati commit. Cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon has offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Wisconsin among his 17.
Good, Kelly, Weatherspoon, receiver Matt Maxey, tight end Ty Beerbohm, center Connor Bingham, defensive end Sam Toniolo, defensive lineman Jason Gillespie and linebacker Owen Garcia were first-team all-district selections.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival. Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.
