CLEVELAND, Ohio — Many of Kirtland’s football players were learning to crawl or walk. Some had not even been born yet the last time their school failed to play for an OHSAA football regional championship.

Friday marks the 16 th straight time the Hornets (12-0) are at this stage under coach Tiger LaVerde, whose team heads to Louisville to take on seventh-seeded Sugarcreek Garaway (11-2) in the Division VI, Region 21 final.

The Pirates are a familiar foe for Kirtland, which beat them in a 2023 state semifinal. Both teams were scoreless at halftime. The Hornets pulled away, 17-0 . Quarterback Jake LaVerde was a sophomore on that team. He returned two weeks ago from injury to help Kirtland back to another regional final.

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