Perry outlasts Liberty Center to win first OHSAA Division V state football title

A defensive stand in the final minutes was the difference for the Pirates

CANTON, Ohio - The Perry Pirates took the season one play at a time and when it came right down to it, that mentality paid off as they took home their first OHSAA football state title with a 21-14 win over Liberty Center in the Division V state championship game on Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

With Perry leading 21-14 in the final minutes, Liberty Center drove the the Perry 27 and faced a fourth down in the waning seconds.

When the pass fell incomplete at the Perry 7 with 17 seconds left, the Perry faithful could begin celebrating the state championship. Prior to the fourth down play, there was a timeout called and the message to the Perry players was simple.

"For our guys, it's just one more snap, play as hard as you can," Perry head coach Bob Gecewich said. "It's just a matter of - and the Liberty Center kids did the same thing - just digging down and giving it your best, the best that you have. And luckily we came up on the right side of it this go round."

A 60-yard touchdown run by Brayden Richards with 4:07 left in the third quarter ended up being the game-winner. The senior was taking snaps at quarterback on the possession.

"When I was quarterback, no matter what the play was, I would look at coach and he told me what to do," Richards said. "And that time he told me to run it and ended up being an okay play call." 

Prior to the final Liberty Center drive, the Tigers punted the ball down to the Perry 1 with 5:49 left int he game. The first play was an 11-yard pass from Walter Moses to Richards and then a 19-yard run by Richards moved the ball to the Perry 31. The drive ended up stalling at the Liberty Center 21, but the Pirates had done what they needed to do other than score.

"I should have caught the punt but I let it go because I didn't want to muff it, but it's okay," Richards said. "We should have got the touchdown but it's okay because we ended up winning so it's cool."

Richards finished with 124 yards rushing and a score on 11 carries and also completed three of his four passes for 61 yards and touchdown and caught two passes for 41 yards.

Moses was 9-of-14 for 219 yards and a touchdown.

Perry players celebrate winning the 2023 OHSAA Division V state championship. Photo credit: Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports

Luke Sivon caught both touchdown passes for Perry - a 42-yarder in the first quarter from Moses and a 37-yarder from Richards in the third quarter. He finished with seven catches for 139 yards.

For Liberty Center, Trenton Kruse had a 33-yard rushing touchdown and Colton Kruse had a 4-yard touchdown catch. Trenton Kruse led the offense with 164 yards on 25 carries.

A postgame press conference that was full of laughs for Perry crescendoed when Gecewich was asked what winning the state title means.

"It's going to be harder to find a week one and two (opponent) now," Gecewich joked before turning serious. "It's amazing. You guys are gonna think I'm full of it here. Yeah, you want to win a state title but I don't put a goal board up. Our goal board is to get better every single day."

-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh

Photo Gallery (photos by Jeff Harwell)

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