Five in the finals

FORT RECOVERY — Herb and Charlene Homan made a Saturday out of watching two of their grandsons play in the Ohio football state finals last season.
This year, they have five grandchildren at three schools vying for state titles.
“It’s definitely an honor,” Charlene said. “We’re really proud of every one of them. They’ve worked hard at it and they’ve come a long way.”
Seeing Zach Homan, a senior at Coldwater, play in the state championship game is nothing new. This is Coldwater’s fourth consecutive trip to the title game, and the Cavaliers are three-time defending champions. Coldwater (14-0) plays Canton Central Catholic (10-3) at 10 a.m. Friday in the Division V final.
Derek Ruhenkamp, a sophomore at Marion Local, is making his second trip to Ohio Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University. His Flyer team (13-1) has won four straight Division VII championships, and will vie for a fifth title in a row when it plays Kirtland (13-1) at 10 a.m. Saturday in Division VI.
Perhaps the biggest thrill of it all for the Homans is getting to watch three of their grandchildren — senior Ross Homan, junior Cole Dues and sophomore Will Homan — play for the Fort Recovery Indians in the Division VII final.
“That is just as great as it can be,” Charlene said. “We’ve watched since the very beginning.”
Their oldest son, Ken, was in seventh grade when the football program started at Fort Recovery in 1992. They’ve been in the stands during the tough times. They’ve been there as the team improved but the record didn’t quite show it.
Now they’ll be in attendance when the program makes its first appearance in the state finals at 3 p.m. Friday against Mogadore (13-1).
“It’s fantastic now we can see them be successful,” Charlene said. “Working as a team makes them so great. They work together so well. Seeing the teamwork is unbelievable.”
Will Homan, who has emerged as a threat after starting running back Kyle Schroer went down with an injury in the regional semifinal, is grateful for the opportunity to play for a state championship like his cousins Zach and Derek have.
“It’s awesome we’ll all be there,” he said. “We’re all pulling for each other now.”
That wasn’t always the case.
As with playing against any family member, Ross, Will and Cole always wanted to beat up on their cousins, but it turned out to be the other way around. Fort Recovery hasn’t played Coldwater the last two years, and Marion Local is 3-0 against the Indians in the last two seasons.
“We played Marion Local (Oct. 16) and in the fourth quarter I looked up and my cousin Derek was playing punt coverage,” said Will Homan, a gunner on the punt team. “I just smiled at him. We joke about it. It’s fun being able to play cousins.”
“It makes you want to hit them a little more,” Ross said. “It was always a competition before. It still is, but in the fact that we’re all there now and all three want to win. Three schools, five of us together.”
Ross, too, is happy to be a part of a family gathering at the ’Shoe.
“Obviously Marion (Local) and Coldwater are two state-dominant schools,’ he said. “But to have another team like us rise up in the last year or two, that is an awesome feeling.”
They’re also grateful to finally be playing in the title game.
“Watching them on TV, dreaming of being there … now we are,” Will Homan said.
Herb and Charlene Homan have lived in Fort Recovery for nearly five decades. Their five children have gone through Fort Recovery schools, so their blood runs with a purple tint. But there’s a little black, orange, blue and yellow too.
“When they play each other we go neutral,” Charlene said. “When they play each other … we root when they do something good. Just root for your grandchildren.”
Their family stretches outside of Mercer County and into Auglaize County, too. The Homans have a son who lives in Minster with young grandchildren who they hope will someday play on the gridiron for the Wildcats, who won last year’s Division VI state championship.
“Half hour and we can be anywhere,” Charlene said. “We keep busy between the four schools.”
Charlene said she and her husband will be in Columbus both days, first to watch Coldwater and Fort Recovery play back-to-back on Friday. They will return home after the Indians’ game and make the drive back Saturday morning for the Marion Local tilt.
“We wish them all good luck,” she said. “(We’re) just hoping and praying they all do a good job and bring home trophies.”