Top 5 Hoban Sporting Events EVER!

Two years ago, Visor Alumni, Luke Monteleone, wrote about his ‘Top Five Hoban Football Games’. So for my next online article, I have decided to one-up him and write about my top five Hoban sporting events since 2020. 

5: Hoban 47 – St. Vincent St. Mary 7 (November 11, 2022)

The game wasn’t very exciting, as rain poured down and temperatures reached below 40 degrees. However, The Akron Holy War returned to Infocision Stadium for the first time since 2019, which in my personal opinion lit a spark in the somewhat dim rivalry. The Knights dominated the entire game, as Hoban won their eleventh straight Holy War in what was the last matchup in the near future. Even with the rain, cold temperatures, and physical threat after halftime, both student sections powered through the entire game, which meant a lot to me with it being my last Akron Holy War. 

4: Hoban 41 – Massillon 20 (November 25, 2022)

Continuing their quest for their sixth state championship, the Knights faced off against the Massillon Tigers in the Final Four, with a chance to punch their ticket to Canton. The Massillon faithful showed up, as they always do, as initial reports said that the game had drawn a sold-out crowd at Infocision Stadium. I can remember walking into the stadium and seeing both crowds and being more excited for this game than any game in my life. Lamar Sperling continued his record-breaking season as Hoban continued to dominate Tigertown, and I will never forget celebrating with all of my friends in the Massillon parking lot as they continued to talk trash to us. 

3: Hoban 2 – Bloom Carroll 1 (June 13, 2021) 

Hoban baseball made their first state championship since 2013 and they matched up with the ninth-ranked Bloom Carroll Bulldogs. This baseball game had one of the best atmospheres of any sporting event I have ever been to in my life. For 10 innings, both clubs inched closer and closer to victory but they would be put to rest with some phenomenal defense. Ultimately, Michael Ciavolella hit a game-winning sacrifice fly and Dillon Walsh slammed the door in the bottom half of the 10th, winning the Knights’ first baseball state championship. 

2: Hoban 35 – Walsh Jesuit 34 (September 9, 2021)

This, in my opinion, is the best high school football game I have ever seen. Walsh was two years removed from a winless season and Hoban was coming off a state championship. The Knights lost many key starters, due to graduation, and the Warriors traveled to Dowed Field with tremendous confidence after Hoban’s defeat to Bergen Catholic the week before. In the first minute, you could see the drastic improvements made by the Warriors in such a short time. A sold-out crowd at Dowed Field never seemed to be silenced the whole game. Tensions rose culminating in one of the worst versions of vandalism, the Warrior student section ripping out Hoban bleachers. After David Vincent caught a touchdown in the first part of overtime, the Knights’ defense stuffed the Warrior running back short of the goal line, winning an epic battle between bitter rivals. 

Honorable Mention: 

Hoban 62 – Jackson 49 (March 5, 2022)

After defeating Cuyahoga Falls, North Canton Hoover and Aurora, the Knights basketball team made the District Championship looking to win their first Division I District title in program history. After a back-and-forth first half, Logan Vowles led the Knights to a dominant performance late, as Head Coach TK Griffith captured his first Division I District Title. 

1: Hoban 60 – Green 54 (March 9, 2022)

The 12th-seeded Knights, who had been counted out during their entire run, came into a stacked regional with St. Edward, Mentor, and their Regional Semi-final opponent the Green Bulldogs. Green controlled 95% of the game, leading 49-41 with 2:43 left in the game. The odds against the Knights were not looking good as the Bulldogs could hold the ball with no shot clock. The Knights slowly clawed back with Will Scott beginning the comeback. Hoban forced turnover after turnover and the Green crowd went silent as Jonas Nichols hit a game-tying three-pointer with less than a minute left. The game continued into overtime as the Knights pulled away, winning the craziest basketball game I have ever witnessed.