Midview to compete for OHSAA Flag Football title on May 16
Midview High School earned the right to be among the eight schools to compete for the inaugural Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Girls Flag Football Championship, which will take place Saturday (May 16) at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Staidum in Canton. The opening games of the single-elimination tournament will begin at 12 p.m. with the semifinals at 1 p.m. and the championship game at 2:30 p.m.
Midview, a first-year program under the direction of Head Coach Seamus Higley, qualified with a runner-up finish at the Browns Regional Championship on May 11. The Middies enter Saturday's state tournament with a 13-1 record and will face a Princeton High School in the OHSAA quarterfinal.
For senior wide receiver and defensive back Leah DiFranco, Saturday's event is a full circle moment. "Making it to the Final Four my freshman year [in girls basketball], I thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but here we are playing for a State Championship Saturday," said DiFranco. "It's even crazier we play the same school (Princeton). Having already experienced a State tournament atmosphere helps because I know the moment isn't too big for our team. I just need to relay that message to them to hopefully calm a few nerves. We understand the pressure and excitement that comes with it, but at the end of the day it's the same sport we've been playing for the past few months."
Junior Avery Bunner is the lone Middie on the team who has experienced the thrill of winning an OHSAA title as the wideout and defensive back is a member of the Midview Cheerleading squad, which took home the state's Division II Game Day championship this past winter. "Competing for two state championships is something that I thought would ever happen to me," said Bunner. "To be able to achieve that twice in one year tells me that the hard work we put in everyday actually pays off and pushes me to work even harder. It taught me how to perform when the pressure is the highest. One thing I can teach my teammates is the big stage doesn't have to feel scary if you put in the work. More than anything I want my teammates to enjoy it. Competing for a state title is something that very few high school athletes get to do. Don't just focus on the outcome so that you forget how special the moment really is."
What: OHSAA Girls Flag Football Championship
Who: Midview High School and three other Browns Regional semifinalists along with the top four teams from the Bengals Regional Tournament.
When: Saturday (May 16) at 12 p.m.
Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (1835 Harrison Ave NW, Canton, OH 44708)
Tickets: Admission is FREE for all spectators
What's at Stake: The winner of the eight team tournament will be crownded the first ever OHSAA Girls Flag Football Champions
Parking: Honor Lot, Respect Lot
Entrance: Southwest Gate
Gates Open: 11 a.m.
Concessions: Available for purchase
Merchandise: Available from E.A. Graphics
Game Format: Single-elimination tournament
