As the clock struck zero and the players on the Akron Archbishop Hoban sideline stormed onto the field, Todd Sibley was stopped by a television crew to do an interview. This wasn’t a surprise; after all, the Knights’ star running back and 2017 Ohio State commit had just run for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the hours prior, lifting Hoban to its first-ever Ohio state championship.
“At first it started off as a dream,” Sibley said after the game. “Every high school football player’s dream is to win a state championship so it all started with a dream. We all put in the work, that was the first step, and then the next step was to go out and execute on the football field.
"We did that and we won a state championship so to watch that fall into place was great.”
It was Sibley and fellow 2017 commit Danny Clark who carried the Knights to the state title, a 33-20 victory over defending champion Toledo Central Catholic. Clark, the junior quarterback who has been committed to the Buckeyes since his freshman year, threw for 125 yards and two scores in the win. The pair of Ohio State commits were responsible for all four Hoban touchdowns.
“It still hasn't hit me yet, but to be able to go out there and succeed like we did today means a lot," Clark said after the game. "For everybody to try as hard as they did, it's just a blessing for how the night ended."
Sibley had 106 yards and both of his touchdowns in the first half. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound junior ripped off scoring runs of 55 yards and 22 yards. Clark’s two touchdown throws also came in the first half as Hoban led 28-14 at halftime.
Overall, Clark was just 4-of-12 passing, but attempted only three throws in the second half as the Knights were in control of the game. He had touchdown throws of 53 yards to former Michigan State commit Jonah Morris and 33 yards to Anthony Christian.
Under the lights at Ohio Stadium, on the same field the two will share in a few years in Ohio State uniforms, the pair of Buckeye commits were the brightest stars.
"To play in the Horseshoe, it's something else," Clark said. "I'm really happy for whoever made that change."
