Cleveland celebrates Glenville High School football team's state championship

Sports

Cleveland celebrates Glenville High School football team's state championship

91制片厂 | By Kelly Krabill

Published December 8, 2022 at 5:45 PM EST

Glenville High School's varsity football team head coach Ted Ginn gives a victory speech at a rally for the team's IV State Championship.

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Glenville High School's varsity football teams head coach Ted Ginn gives a victory speech at the teams state championship rally.

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Fans at Cleveland Public Hall cheer at the rally to honor Glenville High School's football team's state championship.

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Glenville's varsity football team walks into the rally while fans cheer.

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Head Coach Ted Ginn holding a gifted plaque to the team.

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Head Coach Ted Ginn Sr. holds a plaque given to the team as a gift.

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Mayor Justin Bibb gives Glenville High School's varsity football head coach Ted Ginn a key to the city of Cleveland.

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Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb gives Glenville High School varsity football head coach Ted Ginn Sr. a key to the city of Cleveland. City Council President Blaine Griffin and Councilman Kevin Conwell also pose.

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Fans decked out in Tarblooders red and black took pictures at the rally.

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Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon honors Ted Ginn Sr. at the rally.

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Glenville High School's varsity football team joins in singing.

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A picture of the Cleveland Public Auditorium

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Cleveland Public Auditorium might be the next home to the Cleveland Charge.

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Glenville High School alumni Lois Smart Helmick, alumni president board Sha-ron Lee and alumni scholarship chair Donna Reed greet the team at Glenville High School.

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Glenville High School alumna Lois Smart Helmick, alumni board president Sha-ron Lee and alumni scholarship chair Donna Reed greet the team at Glenville High School.

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A few hundred people rallied at Cleveland Public Auditorium Thursday to celebrate Glenville High School's historic Division IV state high school football championship.

The Tarblooders beat the Wyoming High School Cowboys 26-2 on Saturday, becoming the first Cleveland Metropolitan School District football team ever to win a state football championship. The victory capped a perfect 15-0 season for the team.

鈥淎 lot of praying, a lot of sacrifice to get here, a lot of things we had to overcome to stay focused and to win 15 games,鈥� said head coach Ted Ginn Sr.

Before the rally, buses and cars lined up in front of the high school on Cleveland's East Side, where families, educators and alumni greeted the team. Passing cars honked, and cheering fans followed the procession of buses to join a rally downtown.

鈥淚t brings tears to my eyes,鈥� said Valerie Johnson, a 1968 Glenville High School alumna. 鈥淚 just get welled up. It鈥檚 just exciting. There鈥檚 no words to describe the feeling that I have.鈥�

The motorcade traveled from St. Clair Avenue to Lakeside Avenue, where the city honored the team.

鈥淚t feels good to accomplish such a great honor, to win state and make the city proud, district proud,鈥� Ginn said.

91制片厂's Conor Morris contributed to this story.