Toledo Central Catholic moves up, wins OHSAA Division III football title: Ohio high school football 2023 rewind

Toledo Central Catholic takes advantage of mistakes, defeats Bishop Watterson for 2023 OHSAA Division III football state championship

Detroit Toledo Central Catholic running back Marquan Braswell scores a touchdown against Cass Tech during the first half of CHSL Prep Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

As we get ready for the beginning of the 2024 Ohio high school football season, we wanted to take a look back at 2023 to see how the season ended in each of the state’s seven divisions with a rewind recap of the state championship game.

In this edition, we will take a look at the 2023 OHSAA Division III state championship game, which saw Toledo Central Catholic win the state title with a 27-7 win over Bishop Watterson.

Toledo Central Catholic 27, Bishop Watterson 7

A year after winning the OHSAA Division II football state championship, Toledo Central Catholic was once again at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on championship weekend, only this time they were in a different division.

TCC moved down to Division III, but the result was the same as it was the previous December with the Fighting Irish defeating Bishop Watterson 27-7 to claim a state title for the second straight year.

After falling behind 7-0 midway through the first quarter, Central Catholic went on to reel off 27 straight points to hosit the trophy.

Central Catholic took advantage of two mistakes by Watterson in the second quarter to take a 14-7 lead into the half. Kevin Arnold III came up with an interception that led to a 6-yard score by Marquan Braswell scored on a 6-yard run and then Central Catholic punted with less than two minutes left and it was fumbled by Watterson, recovered by the Fighting Irish. Central Catholic paid it off with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Terry Collins, Jr. to Sharard Vaughn III.

Another special teams play led to a score in the third quarter, as a bad snap on a Watterson punt led to the Fighting Irish getting the ball at the Watterson 23. Braswell scored from seven yards out just three plays later to give Central CAtholic a 21-7 lead.

Braswell finished the game with 169 yards rushing on 22 carries and also had a run of 72 yards in the fourth quarter that put the ball at the Watterson 5-yard-line, and Jaylen Watson finished the scoring with a 3-yard run a couple plays later.

The Central Catholic defense sacked Watterson quarterback AJ McAninch four times, led by Michael Cannings II with two and Ronald Collins III and Christian Jackson with one each. They also had a pair of interceptions, with Arnold III and Victor Singleton, Jr. each picking off a McAninch pass attempt.

2023 OHSAA Division IV state semifinal results

Toledo Central Catholic 27, Celina 14
Bishop Watterson 35, Chardon 7

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