Akron Hoban routs Winton Woods in the Division II finals

CANTON, Ohio - The Akron Hoban Knights are state champions for a third straight season. Making the move up to Division II this year, Hoban showed no ill effects from the step up in competition, navigating a tough schedule to go 14-1 with a 42-14 exclamation point over Winton Woods on Thursday night in Canton.

The Knights jumped all over Winton Woods before the Warriors even knew what hit them. On the game's first play from scrimmage, freshman quarterback Shane Hamm hit senior receiver Garrett Houser in stride for a 73-yard touchdown. The Knights would then force a three and out on Winton Woods' first possession and would block the punt, pick it up, and return it for a touchdown taking a 14-0 lead less than two minutes in.

The lead would balloon to 21-0 before Winton Woods would get on the board on a 16-yard touchdown catch by Cornell Beachem. But the Knights seemingly had an answer for everything. They quickly responded to Beachem's touchdown with a six-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by Tyris Dickerson.

Winton Woods' Raequan Prince would return the ensuing kick for a touchdown to cut the deficit back to 14, but Hoban would tack on two more touchdowns, both passes from Hamm to Mason Tipton, to take the 42-14 lead into halftime.

Hamm would finish the game with 243 yards and four touchdowns. Hauser collected four receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Lost in the shuffle of the blowout, Winton Woods sophomore running back Miyan Williams carried 20 times for 175 yards.