Best of the Week 2022-2023: Excellence in College Prep

2022 FOOTBALL TEAM BECOMES BACK TO BACK STATE CHAMPIONS

St. Edward High School's Football Team brought home their sixth state championship with a back-to-back state title as the OHSAA Division I 2022 Football State Champions. After a hard-fought battle, the St. Ed's community welcomed our Football Eagles home with a celebratory rally on Monday morning. Head Football Coach Tom Lombardo addressed the crowd while senior captains Michael Kilbane '23, Grady Lentz-Pieffer '23, and Ricky Wolverton '23 took the stage to show their appreciation for the school's support. "Being a state champion is an unreal experience. Going out as a senior and being able to experience the feeling of winning a state championship twice is one of the best feelings I could ever have," says Ricky. "Going into the game, I thought back on when I was in 8th grade watching the 2018 Ed's vs. Colerain game. After St. Ed's won, I knew this was the place I wanted to be and that I would work as hard as possible to feel what the players on the 2018 team felt."

"Our teammates were the best and stepped up to countless challenges all year. We fought through a lot of adversity and didn't let the past slow us down," says Grady. "Coach Lombardo always says, 'Chase perfection to achieve excellence.' I think we chased perfection all year long to achieve excellence of becoming state champions once again, and lifting Coach Lombardo on my shoulders at the end of the game, knowing we had accomplished something incredible as a team, was my most memorable moment."

"During the playoffs, we focused on the theme 'our time,' but to focus on the moment, we changed it to 'our night' on December 2," says Coach Lombardo. "We continued the tradition that was set by so many before us and our team's resiliency was what impressed me the most. We played one of the toughest schedules in the country and the best in Ohio and we prepared for each week like it was for a state championship game."

Congratulations to the St. Ed's 2022 Football State Championship Team! Click here to purchase your 2022 Football Championship apparel in time for the holiday season. Current St. Ed's parent George Vlosich at GV Art + Design created a custom design to commemorate St. Ed's Back to Back State Championship, so be sure to get this special championship apparel today!