CANFIELD CROWNED CHAMPIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

CANTON, OH- The Canfield Cardinals played on the big stage in the division three state championship game at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium. Canfield faced a very big Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs team that came in winning 14 straight games after a week one loss. Senior quarterback Broc Lowry led the Cardinals both on the ground and through the air with four touchdowns to guide the Cardinals to its first ever state championship, 35-14.

The Cardinals got on the board first with a 13 play, 57 yard drive capped off by a Lowry touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. The Cardinals would strike again late in the first half with a 7:03 drive, with Lowry scoring another rushing touchdown from three yards out to lead 14-0. The Bulldogs put together a game saving drive at the end of the second quarter, driving 64 yards down the field in just 2:42 to score there first TD on a 3 yard reception by Brodyn Bishop. The Bulldogs scored with :15 seconds left in the half to cut it down to 14-7.

Both teams would punt on there opening drives of the third quarter, but the Cardinals scored late in the third with Lowry’s third rushing touchdown to make it 21-7. The Canfield defense would force a quick punt late in the third quarter, to send the game into the final 12 minutes up 21-7. Canfield came out of the timeout with some trickery, Canfield wide receiver Paul Bindas received a hand off, then pitched it back to quarterback Broc Lowry who took it 69 yards down the sideline to the house.

The Bulldogs put together a drive to the Canfield 22 yard line, until defensive linemen Caden Kohout picked off the quarterback and took it all the way to the Bloom-Carroll 30 yard line. Canfield took advantage of the turnover with another touchdown, this time from Lowry to Dom Marzano to make it 35-7 with 6:06 left in the fourth. Bloom-Carroll would score one more time with a Chase Plantz one yard touchdown run to make it 35-14. The Cardinals took a knee on the next drive to win the programs first ever state championship by a final of 35-14.

Head Coach Mike Pavlansky has been the head football coach at Canfield for 22 years. Here are the emotions and thoughts of coach Pav after the state championship victory:

Broc Lowry led Canfield throwing for 95 yards and a touchdwon, while killing Bloom-Carroll on the ground with 24 rushes for 121 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tailback Danny Inglis had 14 carries for 63 yards and 4 receptions for 43 yards. The Cardinals finished the season 14-1, and will go down in history as the first ever Canfield team to win a state championship.