PARMA (Crawford County Now) — Kirtland showed why it’s an elite program.

The Hornets’ powerful rushing attack netted 413 yards and 7 touchdowns in a 49-22 win over Colonel Crawford in a Division VI state semifinal on Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium Friday night.

“I just told our seniors that I’m proud of them. Our 16 seniors here at the end won more games, then multiple games and took us here,” Eagles head coach Jake Bruner said.

That class recorded 42 wins, with eight of those coming in the postseason, along with the first regional championship.

Colonel Crawford finished its best season in school history at 13-2.

“Football is a game of inches. We just got behind and got hurt with penalties. But our kids fought.”

The Hornets struck early with Ty Bledsoe’s 8-yard run and quarterback Jake LaVerde’s 6-yarder to take a 14-0 lead.

The first drive set the tone, covering 79 yards on 10 plays.

John Silvestro ran for 225 yards to lead the way out of a Maryland-I formation. Bledsoe added 153 yards from his fullback position.

Kirtland (14-0) plays next Saturday in the state Division VI championship against Hopewell-Loudon. The Chieftains topped Coldwater 20-18 in Wapakoneta.

This marks the ninth straight season the Hornets will play for a state title.

“The offensive line did a great job,” Kirtland head coach Tiger LaVerde said. “Defensively, we played great in the first half, but we need to clean some things up.”

Kirtland committed 6 penalties for 70 yards and Crawford was flagged 8 times for 60 yards.

“Ty and John ran the ball hard. The goal is to make it to Week 16 and then finish,” he said.

Silvestro added runs of 1 and 6 yards as Kirtland took a 27-0 lead into the half.

But the Eagles showed no quit.

“We should have had another touchdown there at the end and they called (offensive) pass interference on us. We fought till the end. The chips were down and our kids fought back in the second half,” Bruner said.

Connor McMichael ran in from 8 yards out to get CC on the board three minutes into the second half.

However, Kirtland’s ground game was virtually unstoppable as LaVerde and Silvestro added three more scores.

“We need to take the next step. I’m excited for the future; but I’m sad for the seniors because I know how badly they wanted it and how unselfish they were as a group and all they’ve done for us.”

Bruner said the 210-pound LaVerde makes the Kirtland offense function.

“It starts with the LaVerde kid. You couldn’t tell tonight, but we were very concerned about him. He’s probably the best player in Division VI football.

“They were able to get us inside a lot, they’re very quick … and they’re tenacious. You gotta get some holding calls on them, and we couldn’t get one called despite us yelling and screaming all night,” Bruner said.

“That fumble early we thought that was live ball, but the officials thought it was down — we just couldn’t get those calls tonight. But give them credit, they’re well-coached, they play hard. Coach (Tiger) LaVerde is a great coach and an even better human being.”

An early Kirtland fumble appeared to be recovered by Crawford, but the officials ruled otherwise.

“They thought it was down. We just couldn’t get it going tonight. Give them credit. They’re well coached and those kids play hard.”

It was a memorable season for Eagles Nation.

“That was a dream,” all-Ohio senior defensive end Payne DeGray said. “These are the games we want to play. We don’t want to play bad teams; we want to play good teams. We may have lost tonight, but I’d say it was probably one of the most fun games in my life going out there one last time with my boys in this type of weather.”

The frigid conditions and snow piled behind the end zones made for a unique environment.

“It was fun, they’re a great competitor,” senior running back Connor McMichael said. “Coming into the Final Four, you’re not gonna go up against a cupcake team. You’re gonna go against the best in the state, and that was a fun time.”

Joseph Zizzo missed a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter. With 2:05 remaining in the game the Eagles were stopped shy of the goal line by the Kirtland defense.

Brayden Holt threw for 182 yards in his final game, hitting seven receivers. Parker Weithman had 7 catches for 82 yards.

“And as sad as it is right now, when they wake up in a couple days, and they’re gonna hurt a little bit, but they’re gonna be awful proud of the season they’ve had,” Bruner said.

“And they’ll get to look back at all the great memories we’ve had together, all the locker room stuff that goes on. This group put Colonel Crawford back on the map in football.”

McMichael, who rushed for 110 yards on 20 carries, summed up the bittersweet ending.

“I’m gonna miss the fans, the people, the coaches. This team has been everything to me.

“Football is my sport. It’s literally what I do, and it’s my last time playing. I’m gonna miss everything about this.”

Box score

Score by quarters

Colonel Crawford      0            0         14         8   — 22

Kirtland                     14           13         22        0   — 49

Scoring summary

First quarter

K — Ty Bledsoe 8 run (Marco Valentic kick), 8:09.

K — Jake LaVerde 6 run (Valentic kick), :28.

Second quarter

K — John Silvestro 1 run (Valentic kick), 6:45.

K — Silvestro 6 run (kick failed), :42.

Third quarter

CC — Connor McMichael 8 run (Joseph Zizzo kick), 8:46.

K — Silvestro 16 run (Valentic kick), 6:31.

CC — McMichael 14 run (Zizzo kick), 3:45.

K — Silvestro 60 (LaVerde run), 2:12.

K — LaVerde 16 run (Valentic kick), :00.

Fourth quarter

CC — Peyton Baker 16 run (Dom Dean pass from Baker), 6:57.

Individual statistics

Passing

Colonel Crawford: Brayden Holt 15-22-0 182, Peyton Baker 3-5-0 35, Roen Thew 0-1-0 0, Parker Weithman 0-1-0 0; Kirtland: Jake LaVerde 1-2-0 10.

Rushing

Colonel Crawford: Connor McMichael 20-110, Peyton Baker 7-40, Roen Thew 1-4, Brayden Holt 3-(-11); Kirtland: John Silvestro 19-225, Ty Bledsoe 14-153, Jake LaVerde 7-35.

Receiving

Colonel Crawford: Parker Weithman 7-82, John DeGray 3-46, Tyler Lash 2-38, Dom Dean 1-24, Roen Thew 3-21, Connor McMichael 1-4, Jacob Cochran 1-2; Kirtland: Tommy Caimi 1-10.

Team statistics

CC               K

First downs                  20               17

Rushing                     31-143         40-413

Passes                       18-29-0         1-2-0

Yards passing             217               10

Total yards                  360             423

Fumbles-lost              0-0               1-0

Penalties                     8-60            1-70

Punts                           1-42.0          0-0.00

State playoff scores

Division I

Cincinnati St. Xavier 21, Middletown 6

Olentangy Orange 28, Lakewood St. Edwards 0

Division II

Avon 38, Walsh Jesuit 7

Cincinnati Anderson 29, Sunbury Big Walnut 22

Division III

Toledo Central Catholic 21, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 20

Columbus Bishop Watterson 41, Tipp City Tippecanoe 9

Division IV

Cleveland Glenville 26, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 21

Shelby 42, Cincinnati Indian Hill 7

Division V

Wheelersburg 24, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney 10

Liberty Center 42, Lewiston Indian Lake 10

Division VI

Kirtland 49, Colonel Crawford 22

Hopewell-Loudon 20, Coldwater 18

Division VII

St. Henry 13, Columbus Grove 10

Hillsdale 41, McDonald 14