Best Team Ever?

Colerain smoked Canton McKinley (on McKinley's home field) last night to win the Ohio Division I football title. Is this the best Cincinnati high school football team ever? Better than the Gerry Faust Moeller teams of the 70's and 80's? Better than the Carlos Snow lead CAPE teams of the 80's? Better than the Elder teams of the last few years?

CANTON - Colerain overcame a shaky start and thundered to its first Division I state football title here Saturday night.

The Cardinals routed Canton McKinley 50-10, despite fumbling five times (losing three) in the first 5:32 of the game. A crowd announced at 16,600 watched on a cold but clear night at Fawcett Stadium, McKinley's home field.

...Colerain (15-0), capping one of the most dominant seasons in Ohio prep football history, carried rankings of No. 1 in the state and No. 5 nationally by USA Today.

Best team ever in Cincinnati? The Cardinals won by an average of 39.8 points per game this year, averaging 46.3 points and allowing an average of 6.5. The average margin is the largest for a Cincinnati big-school state champ, ahead of 1976 Moeller's 37.5 average margin.

"I don't want to be arrogant about that," Coombs said. "I'll let other people judge that. I think our numbers speak for themselves."

The numbers Saturday included a 489-127 edge in total yards, with 463 of that rushing. Colerain held McKinley to 57 net yards rushing (including sacks), although all-state running back Ryan Brinson did net 93 yards on 18 carries with one TD for McKinley.