YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Ursuline football (12-1) is gearing up for a second consecutive regional championship appearance as they meet up with Gilmour Academy (12-1) on Friday.
“A lot of teams aren’t still playing, we’re one of three teams left in the area still playing and just means everything just one week at a time and keep going,” Ursuline junior Drake Campbell said.
The Irish football program and head coach Dan Reardon are no strangers to deep playoff runs.
“We have big goals as a football team and winning the regional championship is one of them,” Reardon said.
This go around, the Irish will look to right some wrongs and top last season’s regional runner-up finish.
“This is where we had a hiccup last year. So, you know, definitely a point of emphasis and a point of motivation,” Reardon said.
Ursuline’s season came to an end after a 31-14 loss to Chardon in the regional title game.
“I mean, obviously the loss at Ravenna last year left a bad taste in our mouth,” Campbell said. “This year it’s kind of sent the seniors off of the state championship and that’s been our goal here, is to win the state championship. It’s the same thing.”
They’re hoping this team is more like 2021, when the Irish last made it to the state championship game, and the now-seniors, like Tairan Davis were just freshmen.
“At the time, I didn’t really understand it, I knew it was like a big goal but like I really didn’t understand the culture and what it meant to be a state champion,” Davis said. “But now, since I’ve been in high school throughout the years, we’ve been close to it, so I’m hungry to get it.”
To do that, they will put a 12-game winning streak on the line against another 12-1 team in Gilmour Academy, with a shot at the state final four at stake.
“I mean, that’s a huge deal, not very many teams get the opportunity to do that,” Reardon said. “So, we have bigger goals than winning the regional championship, yet it is a huge step along the way and a daunting task.”
The Irish kickoff against the Lancers at Ravenna High School Portage Community Bank Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.
