Indian Valley completes season undefeated, crowned state champions

 

(Gene Simmons - Ohsfbmedia.com)

By Gene Simmons | x.com

CANTON, Ohio--They may have played the last game on championship weekend but they saved the best for last as Gnadenhutten Indian Valley held on to capture the OHSAA Division IV title in front of the largest crowd in attendance 37-36 over Sandusky Perkins.

In a shootout game where it was over 800 yards of offense and over 70 points for the game, it did not disappoint with 7,350 in the stands.

In a defensive slugfest during the first quarter of action, neither team could get rolling offensively as Perkins would score the only points  on a 9 play 57 yard drive that would finally get in the end zone with a 40 yard pass from Sam Schweinfurth to junior wide receiver Blake Parker at the 7:55 mark to go up 7-0, after a successful point after.

That would all change as 37 total points were put on the board as Indian Valley's Grady Kinsey would score three of his five touchdowns in the quarter all rushing touchdowns from 1, 12 and 2 yards out.

Perkins scoring came off the arm of Schweinfurth to senior wide receiver Braylon Carter and Blake Carter for 54, 70 and 26 yards, this would end the half tied 22 all. 

(Chuck Cordes - Ohsfbmedia.com)

Opening up the second half of play the back and forth scoring would slow down just a bit as Perkins only put out 38 yards rushing for the quarter but put out 110 passing to 65 and 50 for Indian Valley.

The Braves had the one weapon that was Mr. Football finalist Grady Kinsey that Perkins just did not have an answer for, small schools play a lot of platoon players because of total numbers and that would be the key for Valley to stay in the game.

Coming into the 4th quarter the Braves were trailing 36-29, defense would hold the Pirates scoreless and would put Kinsey in motion as they would amass 104 rushing yards as Kinsey would score after a fumble but recovered own fumble at the 1 yard line scoring and adding a 2-point conversion to go up 37-36.

(Gene Simmons - Ohsfbmedia.com)

Perkins would score but eventually being overturned due to ineligible receiver down field and would eventually turn the ball over on downs and give the Division IV state championship to the Indian Valley.

The first football title in Tuscarawas County and Indian Valley football program.