CANTON — Hillsdale won’t have to play Marion Local again in the Division VII state championship game.
But Falcons’ coach Trevor Cline knows the Midwest Athletic Conference will be well represented on Saturday at 10:30 am. at Tom Benson Field in Canton.
That’s because the St. Henry Redskins (13-1) — the MAC team that finally ended Marion Local’s 76-game winning streak in the regional finals — are back in the state finals again for the first time since 2006 and for the ninth time in school history.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity play another MAC school,” Cline said. “We understand that the MAC is the standard and that is what we’re trying to get to. … Our guys will be ready for the moment.
“This is what we’ve worked for since the day after the state championship last year,” he said after his Hillsdale team knocked off previously unbeaten McDonald in the state semifinals on Friday night.
Winning state championships is something familiar to the MAC in general, and St. Henry in particular. The Redskins have six state football titles, seven volleyball state titles, four state basketball championships and three state baseball titles.
St. Henry has produced three NFL players — Jeff Hartings, Jim Lachey, and Bobby Hoying.
But it’s been ridiculously hard to get back to the football state title game in the last two decades for St. Henry, a school in the Mercer County village of about 2,600 people that was laid out in 1837 and incorporated as a village in 1901.
There are some who say winning a MAC title is harder than winning a state title in a league that has produced 44 football state champions over the years, including Marion Local, Coldwater, Minster, Versailles, Fort Recovery and Delphos St. John.
There are years when three MAC teams are playing for state titles on the final weekend. This year is an anomaly. St. Henry is the only MAC team competing for a football championship, the first time that’s happened in the last 22 years.
The effort it takes to survive the MAC is not lost on St. Henry coach Josh Werling, a cornerback on the Redskins’ team that last won a state title in 2006.
His team lost to Marion Local at home in Week Three of the 2025 regular season, 21-14. It avenged that sole loss with a 24-7 playoff win at in a game played at Troy.
Werling hoped people would remember that game for more than the end of Marion Local’s state-record winning streak.
“I’m just so darn proud of this team,” Werling said. “That’s a great Marion Local community. That’s a great program. Everybody knows the history there. But I hope people don’t solely talk about Marion losing the streak. I hope they talk about the St. Henry Redskins.”
“Football comes down to certain plays and this time we made them,” said the coach, who took over the program in 2024.
St. Henry had to make even more plays in the state semifinals during a 13-10 win against Columbus Grove.
In that game, senior quarterback Charlie Werling (6-2, 210) threw TD passes on St. Henry’s first two drives and the defense blanked Columbus Grove in the second half.
Werling was one of six St. Henry players selected for the first-team All-Northwest District squad and was chosen as one of three Offensive Players of the Year. The Redskins had three first-team selections on offense and three on defense.
Charlie Werling ran for all three TDs in the playoff win over Marion Local.
“Holy smokes,” Josh Werling told Press Pros Magazine after the Columbus Grove game. “I’m just so proud of our kids. We’re going back to state for the first time in 19 years, and I could not be prouder of that group.”
Hillsdale players and fans have been waiting for another state title shot
Hillsdale fans have felt the same way all season in a group that committed itself to getting back to Canton after last year’s title game loss.
“After the experience of last year, we knew what we needed to do to get to this point,” said running back Owen Sloan, who finished with 240 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in the win against McDonald.
“We’re prepared for it now.”
Cline, in his eighth year leading Hillsdale, said the 41-14 win in the state semifinals was his team’s best performance to date.
“Even though we might not always be the biggest team on the field, they sent the statement tonight that they were prepared to do everything they could do to get back to Canton,” he said afterward.
The Falcons impressed the opposition.
“They’re balanced and they’ve got weapons all over the field,” 26th-year McDonald head coach Dan Williams said. “(Sloan) is really good and their line played really well, too.
“They can beat you in different ways … and they played good defense.”
2025 OHSAA Football State Championships
Designated home team listed first.
All games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton.
Division II
Avon (13-1) vs. Cincinnati Anderson (14-0), Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
Rematch of last year’s Division II championship game (Avon won 20-13)
Third championship game appearance for Avon (one state title in 2024)
Fourth championship game appearance for Anderson (one state title in 2007)
Division IV
Cleveland Glenville (11-3) vs. Shelby (14-0), Friday, Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m.
Fifth championship game appearance for Glenville (two titles, 2022 and 2023)
First championship game appearance for Shelby
Division III
Toledo Central Catholic (11-4) vs. Columbus Bishop Watterson (13-0), Friday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m.
Third-straight year these two teams have met in Division III state championship.
TCC won 27-7 in 2023 and Watterson won 19-14 in 2024.
Eighth championship game appearance for Toledo Central Catholic (five titles, most recent in 2023)
Eighth championship game appearance for Watterson (three titles, most recent in 2024)
Division I
Cincinnati St. Xavier (11-2) vs. Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (14-0), Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Eighth championship game appearance for St. Xavier (four titles, most recent in 2020)
First championship game appearance for Olentangy Orange
Division VII
St. Henry (13-1) vs. Jeromesville Hillsdale (13-1), Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10:30 a.m.
Ninth championship game appearance for St. Henry (six titles, most recent in 2006)
Second championship game appearance for Hillsdale (no state titles)
Division VI
Kirtland (14-0) vs. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (13-1), Saturday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.
14th championship game appearance for Kirtland (seven titles, most recent in 2023)
Third championship game appearance for Hopewell-Loudon (no titles)
Division V
Wheelersburg (14-0) vs. Liberty Center (14-0), Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Third championship game appearance for Wheelersburg (two titles, most recent in 2017)
Sixth championship game appearance for Liberty Center (one title in 1997)
