The Clinton-Massie Falcons football team goal of reaching the state finals after last year's Final 4 loss to Kenton is just hours away from reality as they will face off against the #7th rank Red Devils of St. Clairsville this Friday afternoon at 3pm in the 2012 Division 4 Championship game.

The Falcons who are 14-0 & were ranked 4th in the final state polls is just 1 of three schools returning from a Final 4 berth in last years playoffs to get into one of this year's championship games (Toledo Whitmer in Division 1 & Coldwater in Division 5 are the others).

Falcons are making their 12th tournament appearance & their 11th in a row & have gotten to the championship game for the first time in school history after knocking off top ranked & 2010 state champions Bishop Hartley 45--21 last week aided by forcing 5 turnovers in the contest.   

St. Clairsville is also making their first trip to finals has made the Final Four twice before this year (1983 & 1986).

Clinton-Massie who won the Region 16 championship is 14-0 & has scored an unofficial state record 776 points this season smashing the old state single season mark by at least 45 points set by the 2001 Marion Pleasant football team & they still have 1 more game to play.

St. Clairsville is currently 6th in the single season scoring with 677 points. They are also 14-0 this season & Region 15 champions.

About the teams:
St. Clairsville Red Devils is led by Eastern Ohio Offensive Player of the Year & 1st team All Ohio receiver Dan Monteroso. The 6-4 senior has verbally committed to play at Boston College has 59 catches for 1340 yards & 17 TDs this season.

Monteroso, who was the All Ohio Division 4 Basketball Player of the Year last season while averaging 24 points a game & leading St. Clairsville to the State Semi-Finals, had 10 catches last week in the team 40-27 win over Division 4 defending champions Creston Norwayne for 264 yards & 2 TDs.

He also played on defense & had 5 tackles, a sack & 2 interceptions in the semi-final contest.

Quarterback Matt Kinnick is also a 1st team All Ohio selection after passing for 2991 yards & 37 TDs & ran for another 8 TDs.

The team's top runner is Jaylon Brown who was named 2nd team All Ohioan & ran for 1,700 yards & added 400 yards in receiving & scored a total of 39 TDs.

Defensively the Red Devils are led by 1st team All Ohio & Michigan recruit linebacker Michael Ferns with over 100 tackles this season.   

Head Coach is Brett McLean was named the Eastern Ohio District Coach of the Year as well as 1 of 3 All Ohio Coaches of the Year after leading the team to their 6th playoff appearance in his 11 years at the school.

Clinton-Massie is led by Head Coach Dan McShurley. His team rushed for almost 5,300 yards & scored 82 TDs on the ground this season.

Top players included the running duo of Bayle Wolfe (1st team Southwest District & 2nd team All Ohio) who has 1843 yards & scored 39 TDs this season & Wyatt Running (2nd team All District) with 1661 yards & 26 TDs this season.

The offensive line is anchored by Jake Weaver (1st team All District & 3rd Team All Ohio).

Kicker Callum Jones who unofficially is 94-99 in PATs set a new single season state record. Jones was named to 1st team All District & 2nd team All Ohio.

Defensively the team is led by Trent Smart who has verbally committed to Ohio University & has been named the Division 4 Defensive Player of the Year both in the Southwest District & on the All Ohio team.

The Falcons defense has given up only 81 points this season (average 5.8ppg) & had 5 shutouts during the season.

You can listen to the Division 4 state finals this Friday starting at 2:30pm on Buckeye Country & I Heart Radio from Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio near the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  

Stew Gardner & Roger Barber will be the broadcasters.