OHSAA football state final live updates, Orange vs St. Xavier

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Representing a school that opened in 2008, the Olentangy Orange football team makes its state championship game debut Dec. 5.

The Pioneers take on Cincinnati St. Xavier in the Division I state final at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

In case you missed it, Watterson repeated as Division III state champion earlier in the day.

This is the first meeting between the teams. Follow along here for live updates and analysis.

St. Xavier turns over Orange on downs

Orange QB Levi Davis rolls right on fourth-and-2, has no room to run and has his pass is batted down. St. Xavier takes over at its 8-yard line with 7:45 left in first quarter.

Zane Konczak intercepts Jackson Frey

Orange takes over at the St. Xavier 44-yard line. Levi Davis’ 25-yard scramble on third down extends the drive.

We’re underway in the Division I state final

Orange has kicked off. St. Xavier has the ball at its 27-yard line, and Jackson Frey is sacked on first down.

Olentangy Orange goes for first OHSAA football championship

The Pioneers (14-0) will try to win their first state title against a program that’s no stranger to reaching this game. This is the eighth championship game appearance for St. Xavier, which won titles in 2005, 2007, 2016 and 2020.

St. Xavier’s coach, Steve Specht, led the Bombers to all of those championships and has never lost a state final, having taken over the program in 2004. On the other sideline, coach Wes Schroeder is 23-3 in his second season at Orange after going 38-8 in four seasons at Division III Granville.

Orange’s defense, which allows only 9.7 points per game and is coming off a 28-0 shutout of Lakewood St. Edward in a state semifinal, faces an offense led by a quarterback who has a familiar name in central Ohio.

Senior Jackson Frey, a transfer from Bexley, has completed 166 of 267 passes for 2,402 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He is the son of former Ohio State quarterback Greg Frey, who attended St. Xavier. 

Orange senior defensive back Treyton Schroeder, a leader on the field and in the locker room, has 45 tackles and a team-high eight interceptions. Another senior defensive back, Zane Konczak, has 38 tackles and six interceptions.

The leading tacklers for Orange are junior linebacker Brennan Kesler (117), senior linebacker Kingston Johnson (97) and senior linebacker Jaxen Miller (82). 

St. Xavier’s defense features two of the top recruits in Ohio in senior linebackers Kobe Clapper (Notre Dame) and Aden Reeder (Michigan).

Speaking of top recruits, Orange senior quarterback Levi Davis is an Ohio Mr. Football finalist and an Ohio University signee. He has passed for 2,093 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions and rushed for 1,018 yards and 18 scores. 

Senior running back Lucas Fickel has rushed for 1,947 yards and 30 touchdowns on 278 carries, and senior receiver MC Walker has 44 receptions for 632 yards and five scores.

Davis and Schroeder also were key contributors to Orange’s first boys basketball state championship last winter.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OHSAA football live updates, Orange vs St. Xavier state final

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