Finotti, St. Edward savor journey to second Division I football title

COLUMBUS -- When Lakewood St. Edward won its first football state championship in 2010, coach Rick Finotti acknowledged he didn't have much time to take in the view. Shortly after the Eagles beat Huber Heights Wayne 31-21 in Saturday's Division I final at Ohio Stadium, Finotti sounded like he was going to take a couple minutes to savor this one.

"When we got the first one we were too tunnel vision about it," Finotti said. "It was like climbing a mountain. We didn't have time to take a picture or observations about where we were. It was about climbing. Then you get a couple years and success seeps in. You lose a couple coaches and players. Then this group comes along and refocuses us on the second one."

Even though it is the 48th state championship in any sport for St. Edward, the school did accomplish something that has happened only two other times --€“ win a title in boys basketball and football in the same calendar year. St. Ignatius did it in 2001and St. Henry accomplished it in 1990 and 2004. Five members of the basketball team also play football.

Senior Andrew Dowell credited last year's seniors in basketball and those experiences for helping him in football.

"We're very competitive and it definitely made us want to get one in football. I'm glad we were able to do that," he said.

Added Finotti: "A lot of it is our best athletes in the school contributing across a variety of programs. It really helps you achieve and it carries over. You win in basketball and wrestling and you bring that winning attitude to the next sport and you gravitate towards that and feed off that. I see it happening in the hallways."

After five games of mostly track meets with a couple of runaways sprinkled in, the Eagles and Warriors delivered a complete game that appeared to be on course for a repeat of the 2010 final when St. Edward rallied in the final minute.

There were some clutch plays on offense, both defenses were stout and each team had a big play on special teams. The stats that tell the difference in the game though are third- and fourth-down conversions. The Eagles were a combined 13 of 24, including making all five on fourth down, while the Warriors were a combined 4 of 15.

With a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, St. Ed got some breathing room with 11 minutes, 10 seconds remaining when Brett Kean connected with Frank Geib for a 4-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal. After Wayne drew within 24-21, St. Ed put together another drive to put it away when Kean had a 5-yard touchdown to Mike O'Malley. The key play of the drive though was a 22-yard completion to David Dowell on fourth-and-8 from the Wayne 29.

"A lot of these are won in red zone and the goal line and especially on fourth down. That's the greatest compliment you can have from the quarterback and the offense," Finotti said.

Cole Gest had 158 rushing yards on 26 carries with a touchdown while Kean was 17 of 31 for 164 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

The win by St. Edward marks the 13th time that a Cleveland-area school has won the state title in Ohio's largest division.