DANVILLE — Among them, they have 73 combined postseason trips, 20 state semifinal appearances and three state championships.
When it comes to Friday’s Division VII state football Final Four, consider Danville, Cuyahoga Heights, Norwalk St. Paul and Minster as Ohio’s postseason royalty.
The Blue Devils (12-1) take on the Cuyahoga Heights Redskins (11-1) at Orrville at 7:30 p.m. in one semifinal. St. Paul (13-0) battles Minster (9-4) at Lima in the other. The winners meet in Canton the following weekend in the state championship game.
“I hadn’t really looked at it that way,” Danville coach Ed Honaberger said Wednesday. “There are no easy outs anymore. All of these teams have a lot of playoff experience.”
That experience is key this time of year.
“Our kids are used to being in the playoffs. They take it more business-like. If a team is not used to it, it can be ‘bright eyes and big city,’ and maybe become a bit overwhelming,” Honaberger said. “This group doesn’t get fazed too much. When things go bad, we just move on. When we make a bad play, we go onto the next one. If we commit a penalty, we try to just chip away and get the yards back.
“It’s a real level-headed bunch.”
BIG OFFENSE: The clash between Danville and Cuyahoga Heights matches two explosive offenses. The fifth-ranked Redskins average 39 points per game and have scored 40, 46 and 42 in three playoff wins. The third-ranked Blue Devils score 33 per game and haven’t lost since Week Four.
Both teams escaped with thrilling regional title-game wins. The Redskins scored the winning TD with 13 seconds left to knock off previously unbeaten Dalton, 42-41. Danville topped Hannibal River, 29-28, with the winning points coming on a two-point conversion run by senior QB Skyler Durbin with 1:02 showing.
There is no doubt the Redskins pose the toughest opponent Danville has seen this season. Cuyahoga Heights lost in the Division VI state title game last year to powerhouse Marion Local, 21-17.
Northeast Ohio Lakes District Coach of the Year Al Martin’s team has lost just one game this season, 42-35, to Divsion VI powerhouse Kirtland (13-0) in Week Nine.
Senior receiver Dylan Drummond (6-0, 170), headed to Eastern Michigan next season, was the district offensive player of the year.
In the regional title game, Drummond caught 11 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns and has more than 1,000 yards receiving this season.
The Redskins also have a 1,000-yard rusher in senior Lucas D’Orazio (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), a first-team all-district pick. He runs behind an offensive line that features two all-district selections in senior Max Shafer (6-1, 231) and senior Jacob Derbin (6-0, 274).
“The best thing we can do defensively is eat up the clock when we have the ball,” Honaberger said. “Two years ago, we were a big-play team. This year’s team is much more methodical, driving the ball down the field. And when we are on defense, we need to get the big stops. They are going to score some points. We just need to get the stops at the right time.
“I think we will need to score 30-plus points to win this week.”
Defensive lineman Jonathan Teter (6-1, 241) was the district’s defensive player of the year. He was joined on the first team by lineman Christian Keith (6-1, 205, sr.), linebacker Chase McDaniel (5-10, 186, jr.) and defensive back Tyler Hughes (6-2, 189, sr.).
DANVILLE WEAPONS: Danville, which advanced to the regional semifinals last season, counters with weapons of its own in its spread offense, led by Durbin (6-5, 200), a first-team all-Central District selection. The dual-threat QB passed for 352 yards and two TDs in last week’s win.
For the season, Durbin has passed for about 3,500 yards and rushed for 1,000 more.
He was joined on the all-district first team by junior receiver Corbin Hazen (6-1, 197) and senior tight end Brice Berger (6-0, 200). The Blue Devils had one first-team all-district defensive performer, junior lineman Chris Greenawalt (6-0, 214).
