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11/21/05
11/21/05
Coldwater, Carroll chasing first state titles
By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News
All that's missing is a state championship trophy.
Other than that, two area high school football teams have done it all. League titles. Playoff victories. Deep postseason runs.
Carroll and Coldwater also have longtime coaches who know the variables.
"It's very difficult," Carroll coach Steve Bartlett said. "You've got to be good. You've got to be lucky. You have to stay healthy. It's a combination of things."
The Patriots won the Division II, Region 8 title Friday night by defeating previously unbeaten Springboro 20-7 in a rematch of a 23-0 loss.
Coldwater won the D-IV, Region 14 crown by dominating Huron, 28-0. In fact, coach John Reed's Cavaliers have outscored their playoff opposition 101-6 in three games.
Carroll (11-2) plays Toledo Central Catholic (12-1) in the state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dublin Coffman Stadium.
"They beat Avon Lake (35-14)," Bartlett said. "So they must be pretty good."
The Patriots have made the playoffs five straight years and six of the past seven. Carroll is in its second straight state semifinal and 40th game in three seasons.
The Cavaliers (13-0) play Monroe (12-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Welcome Stadium. Coldwater has made the postseason eight consecutive years.
The Cavs were state runners-up in 1998 and 2000 and made the state semis in 2001 and 2004. This is Cavalier's 41st game in three years.
Fans who watch the Monroe-Coldwater game will see Ohio State-bound Ross Homan, a force at 6-foot-1, 229 pounds. Homan was first-team All-Midwest Athletic Conference at running back and linebacker. Several MAC teams have won state football titles, but the Cavaliers are looking for their first.
If Coldwater advances to the state title game, it would play the Youngstown Cardinal Mooney-Bellaire winner. If Carroll wins, the Patriots would face Tallmadge or Canfield — just don't tell Bartlett.
"It's a one-week season now," Bartlett said. "My only thoughts are about Toledo Central Catholic. I don't know who we'd play. I don't even care. If we get that far, we'll go to work on them."
Contact Mark Gokavi at 225-6951.
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