(11-20-20) New Bremen had a huge 2nd half, scoring 24 points, on the way to a D VII State Football Championship in Massillon. The Cardinals beat Warren JFK 31-0.

The Cardinals have come out of the depths of a losing program to one Coach Chris Schmidt has built into another MAC powerhouse.

For New Bremen it was their first ever football title, but it was the 36th for the Midwest Athletic Conference.

Scoring

2nd QTR

8:19 New Bremen – Hunter Schaefer 39-yard run Owen Gabel with the XP

3rd QTR

9:09 New Bremen – Mitchell Hays with a 2-yard QB keeper

6:02 New Bremen – Owen Gabel 20 yard FG

1:44 New Bremen – Dave Homan punt returns 45 yards, Owen Gabel with the XP

4th QTR

10:49 New Bremen – Mitchell Hays 19 yd TD pass to Daniel Homan
Owen Gabel with the XP

New Bremen Shuts Out Warren JFK for First State Title

MASSILLON, Ohio – In its first trip to the state championship game, New Bremen shut out Warren John F. Kennedy, 31-0, Friday for the Division VII state title at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Prior to this season, New Bremen (10-2) had four playoff wins in school history, but the Cardinals won six playoff games this fall, which included wins over top-ranked and defending state champion Maria Stein Marion Local in a regional final and No. 4-ranked Lima Central Catholic in the state semifinal.

The state title is the 36th football championship for the Midwest Athletic Conference, the most of any conference in OHSAA history. It is the 137th state title overall for the MAC.

JFK (9-3) had a big advantage in time of possession (29:22 to 18:38), but the Eagles lost two fumbles and gave up a punt return for a touchdown.

Neither team put up big offensive numbers. New Bremen totaled 247 yards of offense on 166 yards rushing and 81 yards passing. The Cardinals held JFK to 133 yards and had three quarterback sacks.

New Bremen sophomore Hunter Schaefer rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. After a scoreless first quarter, Schaefer’s scoring run came from 39 yards out with 8:19 left in the first half that gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead that would remain the same at halftime.

New Bremen broke it open in the third quarter when senior quarterback Mitchell Hays had a one-yard TD run with 9:09 left, junior Owen Gabel kicked a 20-yard field goal at 6:02 and sophomore David Homan returned a punt 45 yards for a score with 1:44 remaining that put the Cardinals up 24-0. Homan caught a 19-yard pass from Hayes with 10:49 left in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring.

Hayes was 5-for-6 passes for 81 yards. He also rushed for 60 yards on 18 carried.

JFK quarterback Cam Hollobaugh was 8-for-15 passing for 72 yards. The Eagles take home their fourth state runner-up trophy to go along with state titles in 1991 and 2016.

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