The National High School Football Council Classic kicked off at 7 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, where GlenOak High School faced Cleveland Heights in the final of a three‑match series that pits two programs with former Pro Football Hall of Famers against each other.
Cleveland Heights opened the scoring with a 50‑yard touchdown pass from sophomore Jaden McDonald, a play that was followed by a blocked extra point from Romel Duncan, leaving the score tied at 6‑6. GlenOak answered with a 27‑yard field goal by Joey Kelly, giving the Eagles a 6‑0 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Anthony Kaplanis Jr. caught a touchdown pass, and Joey Kelly’s extra point pushed the lead to 13‑6 in favor of GlenOak with two minutes remaining.
The fourth quarter saw a cascade of turnovers and big gains. Junior Khalin Walker recovered a fumble at his own 40 with nine minutes left, setting up a 15‑yard completion to Caydren Saunders and a personal foul that put GlenOak at the 13. Drew Delp then rushed to the 1, and LeLand Snell Jr. powered in a touchdown that extended the lead to 20‑6 with 6:17 left.
Cleveland Heights drove to the GlenOak 10 but were penalized for a personal foul, creating a fourth‑and‑goal situation. Earlier, Evan Crissey intercepted a deep pass and returned it to the GlenOak 41, securing possession for the Eagles at the start of the quarter. Jamel Hall was sacked by Ryan Moody, yet a defensive holding call and a completion to Caydren Saunders kept the drive alive.
Defensively, Romel Duncan and Drew Delp made a crucial tackle on third‑and‑one, while the Eagles’ defense forced a key turnover that helped preserve their advantage.
Game Highlights
Hall of Famers Dan Dierdorf of GlenOak and Tom Mack of Cleveland Heights, both former NFL standouts, watched from the sidelines as their alma maters battled, with Dave Robinson, a Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer, also in attendance.
First‑year head coach Matt Dennison, who grew up in a football‑centric family, has been working to establish GlenOak as a competitive Federal League program, a goal evident in the team’s resilient performance.
The contest underscored the growing reputation of GlenOak’s football program and highlighted the lasting impact of its distinguished alumni on the field.