Another regional final meeting is something never seen B-4

PREP FOOTBALL

FREMONT - To many on both sides, it was what they've come to expect. But lost in what's become the annual meeting between Hopewell-Loudon and Norwalk St. Paul was a first.

Friday marked the fourth year in a row the Chieftains and Flyers have met in the regional finals, the first time in Ohio prep history such a four-time meeting has occurred.

"Seriously? That's awesome," H-L coach Brian Colatruglio said after his Chieftains claimed a 42-21 win

"It's been so much fun because it's been such a chess match. They came out tonight and did some things we had never seen before and I think we threw some things at them that they hadn't seen before; it's hard to do when you keep playing teams over and over, especially with a coaching staff as good as theirs," he said.

"They're one of the best staffs, coach [John] Livengood's one of the best coaches in the state of Ohio," he said. "To keep trading punches with him and come out on top really justifies what we do, and how much time we put in makes it all worthwhile."

Trading punches - figuratively, at least - is something the teams have done for the past four seasons.

The home team has won each of the matchups, with games in 2006 and 2008 played in Fremont's Don Paul Stadium and games in 2005 and 2007 played in Tiffin's Frost-Kalnow Stadium.

Hopewell-Loudon claimed the games in 2005 (43-14) and 2007 (26-14) while St. Paul nipped the Chieftains 29-28 in 2006. Hopewell-Loudon won Friday's game 42-21.

"Three of the times it hadn't been very fun," said St. Paul coach John Livengood, who led the Flyers to their first-ever playoff win in 1996 - ironically against Hopewell-Loudon in the Chieftains' first-ever post-season trip.

"I think it's a testimony to both programs that we both end up here in Week 13 and we both have that kind of success in the first 12 weeks," Livengood said. "It's a compliment to both programs; both teams work hard and I think Brian does a great job over there and the kids play hard and he's got a nice group of athletes and great quarterback, and they just did a great job tonight."

And great jobs by both teams over the years.

St. Paul has reached the playoffs six years in a row and 12 out of the last 14, finishing second in the state in 1997, 1999 and 2004. The Flyers also reached the state semifinals in 1996 and 2006.

The Chieftains have made the postseason for the past seven years, with the last five coming during Colatruglio's tenure. Last year's team finished second in the state, while the 2005 squad fell in the state semifinals.

"Obviously it's just really special to have an opportunity - that's what I'd call it; just have the opportunity to be around this kind of success," H-L Athletic Director Brad Britton said. "Brian has done such an outstanding job with the program. Our coaches, our community and our kids just expect this to happen every year now. I think some people think it's pretty easy, but it's the furthest thing from easy.

"It's just something immeasurable that the whole school, the whole community takes great pride in," he said. "Everybody's just so excited and so proud of everything this program's accomplished the last five, seven years.

"It's been four straight years with these guys," Britton said, "but it's been seven straight years we've made the playoffs and I think that's an awfully tremendous honor in itself for a school our size."