CLEVELAND, Ohio — One of Ohio’s top linebackers meets one of its top running backs.
Glenville’s Cincere Johnson will be on one side. On the other, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley running back Grady Kinsey. He is not only a Mr. Football finalist from a year ago, but also an Air Force commit. Johnson is headed to Ohio State and the reigning All-Ohio Defensive Player of the Year in their division.
Their teams will play Friday night at Minerva High School’s Hines Stadium in the OHSAA Division IV state semifinals.
Both got to this round of the playoffs last year on opposite sides of the bracket. Glenville lost to Sandusky Perkins, 13-11, which went on to drop the state-title game to Kinsey and Indian Valley in a 37-36 classic at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Tarblooders (10-3) not only seek a return to Canton but their third state championship in four years.
“I’m excited for the seniors,” Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr. said Friday after their 35-7 win vs. Perry in the regional finals. “I just don’t want to get too excited. We got two more weeks. We got a tough one next week with that back.”
As Ginn’s defense took care of the top-seeded Pirates in Region 13, Indian Valley (12-0) ran past New Lexington to end its season with its first loss. Kinsey rushed for 187 yards, 234 total yards, and three touchdowns. He also set the state’s record for career touchdowns with 136. Canal Winchester Harvest Prep’s Daniel Bangura held the previous record of 133 touchdowns through 2017.
This season, Kinsey has 2,585 yards rushing and 40 TDs (41 counting one as a receiver). He doubles as the Braves’ leading tackler with 108 hits, 66 solo and seven tackles for loss.
They are full of two-way standouts, as quarterback Ryker Williams (1,146 yards passing, 14 TDs to five interceptions) also is second on the defense in sacks (five) to fellow junior Titan Peterman (six).
Glenville, meanwhile, has few players going both ways.
Ohio State defensive tackle commit Jamir Perez will double as an offensive tackle and C.J. Newell, a third-year starting safety, will work in with the Tarblooders’ running backs. Newell rushed for 1,000 yards last year, but has concentrated mostly on his defense this season. He is one of three Bowling Green commits on the team, including receivers Joseph Saffold — who committed to the Falcons over the weekend — and Pauly Sadler.
Saffold helped ignite the offense last week vs. Perry with 77 yards on five receptions, including a 57-yard touchdown. Senior quarterback Arvell Nelson Jr. threw for 114 yards on 8-of-16 passing with TDs to Saffold and Sadler.
The Tarblooders rushed for 218 yards, as Newell scored three times in the first half and Romell Phillips added 62 yards on eight carries.
“If you don’t have a defense and a running game, you don’t have a team,” Ginn said. “I’m just happy that God has blessed us to have a team that has some kids that I’ve had ever since they were 7, 8 years old.”
Ultimately, Glenville’s defense could be the factor Friday night. Johnson said he isn’t satisfied with what they have accomplished so far, and that mindset started with the state championships they won when he played as a freshman and sophomore. This season, he had 112 tackles with 8.5 sacks and 21.5 TFL against a schedule that included Avon and St. Edward — two teams that are in state semifinals this week — plus Archbishop Hoban and Massillon.
Glenville has not given up more than seven points in any of its first three playoff games; those seven points came last week on a kickoff return by Perry. Indian Valley has not scored fewer than 34 points in any of its three postseason games.
Shelby (13-0) vs. Indian Hill (13-0)
Another Mr. Football contender could be waiting next week in Canton for Glenville or Indian Valley. Senior quarterback Brayden DeVito has Shelby in the state semifinals for the first time since 2017.
That’s the only time the Whippets have made it this far, while Indian Hill has never climbed out of a region.
DeVito threw four TD passes, rushed for one more and gained more than 400 total yards in Shelby’s 41-7 rout of Galion. Indian Hill’s first regional crown came with a 165-yard rushing night with four TDs from Evan Riggs in a 41-14 win against Germantown Valley View.
The state championship
This week’s winners will meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
How to watch
Spectrum will broadcast all remaining playoff games. More details and links to each broadcast to watch online can be found by clicking here to the OHSAA’s website.
