12/02 - 11:00 AM Football Final Complete Box Score »

See a photo gallery from the game here.

MASSILLON, Ohio — Moments before taking the field Friday morning, Kirtland football coach Tiger LaVerde told his football team: "It's just a game. Have fun. You've wanted this since you were 4 years old."

Less than three hours later, LaVerde was throwing his own 4-year-old, Jacob, high over his head and catching him while his jubilant teenage players celebrated the school's first state football championship in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

And then Damon Washington said it.

"I've wanted this moment since I was a little kid," he said.

The second-ranked Hornets polished off a perfect season in the most perfect way, beating ninth-ranked Coldwater, 28-7, in the Division V championship game.

Kirtland (15-0) is the first Lake County public school to win a state football title.

"These guys love the game of football and have been playing since the first or second grade," LaVerde said. "It's really exciting to see it all pay off like this."

Coldwater (11-4) is the first team to lose three consecutive state finals. It lost the past two years to Youngstown Ursuline, which did not qualify for the playoffs this fall.

In a game filled with frame-worthy moments, the Hornets presented a crowd of 6,662 with two memories that will endure long after the celebratory rallies fade: a historically strong defense and a gutty senior leader, Christian Hauber.

Kirtland shut down one of the state's best offenses, which seemed to come as little surprise from a unit that allowed 20 total points in the first half all season, and just 41 points by its first-string defense total.

The Hornets set the tone early, taking a 14-0 lead while stopping Coldwater's first two drives on downs at the Kirtland 30 on an overthrown pass, and at the Kirtland 38 when Hauber stuffed a fourth-and-1 run.

"We knew this would be a great defense, and every guy did their job," said Hauber, a middle linebacker/fullback. "I'm not surprised that we held them to seven points."

In another prescient moment for LaVerde, he warned his players this game might be a detour from their cruise through the first four weeks of the playoffs in which the Hornets compiled a 178-22 scoring margin.

"You guys got to this point by dusting everybody. We haven't had a close game. You know what? I hope we do face some adversity, because that's when you find out what you've got in here," LaVerde said, pointing to his gut, in the locker room before the game.

Adversity did indeed come, in the form of a left ankle injury to Hauber, an Air Force recruit who was named the Division V Ohio Co-Defensive Player of the Year this week. Hauber returned in the second half, walking gingerly but running hard enough to gain 112 of his 196 total yards. Hauber finished with 30 carries and two touchdowns. He played all but two downs in the second half.

"I didn't feel it out there," he said. "When I'm running, my adrenaline is going, and I can't feel it."

Coldwater cut the lead to 14-7 on quarterback Austin Brun's 7-yard run in the third quarter. The 6-4 senior finished with 313 yards combined passing and rushing.

Kirtland answered with the drive of the game. Hauber gained 71 yards on the early fourth-quarter possession, including a 39-yarder after a holding penalty setback. His 5-yard touchdown gave Kirtland a 21-7 lead with 8:44 remaining.

"That drive changed the momentum quite a bit," LaVerde said.

Junior tailback Washington, the lightning to Hauber's thunder, had 147 yards rushing on just 18 carries and scored two TDs, including an 81-yard sprint for the game's final score with 4:10 to play.

As usual, Kirtland ran about five basic plays out of its stacked-I formation, but with a new twist. Junior quarterback Scott Eilerman caught Coldwater off-guard by keeping the ball on several successful option plays. He gained 62 yards on eight carries. Eilerman threw just four passes, completing one.

"That's a good scheme," Coldwater coach Chip Otten said. "They were able to get some movement."

With another stellar game by an offensive line of tackles Bob Matthews and Erick Zuberer, guards Tim Blankenship and Ben Nye, and center Mike Cymbal, Kirtland became the seventh team in finals history to run for more than 400 yards -- it had 413 on 59 attempts. Tight ends Jake Finkler and Evan Brettrager and upback Joe Godec also were key blockers.

"Getting 400 yards rushing against a great defense, that's incredible," LaVerde said. "The five guys up front were incredible."

Kirtland returns starters at 11 positions next season.

"We've set a standard here which is hard to follow, but it's certainly motivation for years to come," Finkler said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD