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Given Aaron Brown's resume, it would be easy to assume that a high school state title would be something of an afterthought.
After all, Brown was a three-year starter and a first-team All-American at Ohio State. He's a member of the OSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He also went on to a six-year career in the NFL.
Still, when Brown discusses his career milestones, he speaks glowingly and with excitement about the time he and his Warren Western Reserve teammates won a state championship.
Brown was a junior on the 1972 WWR team which defeated Cincinnati Princeton to capture the Class AAA title in what was Ohio's first-ever high school football tournament.
Like others who were part of state championship teams, Brown says there is something "extraordinarily special" about reaching the pinnacle at the high school level.
"You're playing for your school, your family and friends, your neighbors," Brown said. "In Warren, Ohio in the 1970s, football was coveted. It was a special time and it was a special place."
"We were really treated like we were in college. Our facilities, our booster club, our supporters - everything was first-class."
Brown said the excitement leading up to the game was as thrilling as the game itself.
"They might as well have just closed the school down that week," Brown said. "The teachers, students and everyone in town were all so excited, that's all anyone wanted to talk about. There was so much anticipation leading up to that game."
"We went into the Rubber Bowl ready to play. We played in front of 10,000 or more fans every week at home so we were ready for the moment."
This past September, Brown and a large contingent of his teammates reunited at Mollenkopf Stadium prior to a Warren G. Harding game.
"There were a lot of hugs and tears," Brown said. "The bond that still exists after fifty years is quite special."
Pete Perry was a junior halfback on the 1999 Poland team which was the first in Ohio history to post a 15-0 record en route to a Division III state title. Poland defeated Bishop Watterson 20-13 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon in the finale.
Like Brown, Perry said the Bulldogs' success revolved around a tight-knit group.
"One thing that really stands out all these years later is how close we were as a unit," Perry said. "It wasn't as though the seniors were their own clique. It wasn't like we were separated by class. The seniors and sophomores were all on the same level, all one very close group."
While the excitement of a state final appearance led to a "chaotic state" within the community, Perry said he vividly remembers his coaching staff maintaining a sense of normalcy throughout the week.
"We did our best to stay in our same routine all week long, and that's something I would say to those who are playing this weekend," Perry said. "Don't do anything differently, stay who you've been all season long because that's what got you here."
"Everything surrounding our title game was different. We were playing in the afternoon. We were playing at Massillon, which was an iconic stadium. We were playing on turf, which was uncommon back then. But our coaches created a sense of calm and normalcy. We were quite relaxed."
Perry also recalls walking into the Massillon locker room, which was decked out in Poland colors. The show of support was orchestrated by then-Massillon coach Rick Shepas, who previously coached at Poland.
"That's something that always stuck with me," Perry said. "There was almost a sense of calm, as though we were playing at home."
Perry encourages this year's state final participants to enjoy the moment.
"Stay grounded and focused, but at the same time enjoy being there," Perry said. "I know in my case, as a 17-year-old I don't think I fully understood the impact of that moment. As time goes on, you start to realize how special it is."
Warren John F. Kennedy was a Cinderella story when it won the 1991 Division IV state title. The Eagles had lost three of their last four regular season games to fall to 7-3. Following a season-ending loss to Poland, coaches were making arrangements for players to turn in their uniforms.
An unlikely series of outcomes in games throughout the state put Kennedy in the fourth and final playoff position in its region. JFK opened the playoffs against rival Campbell, which defeated the Eagles 32-12 in the regular season.
In the rematch, Kennedy defeated Campbell 34-6. It would go on to win three more playoff games, outsourcing opponents 129-13. Kennedy defeated Steubenville Catholic Central 48-0 in the semifinals. In the title game, the Eagles beat Springfield Central Catholic 20-7.
"When we got in the playoffs, we had this 'seize the opportunity' mindset," said Shawn Terlecky, a junior on the team. "We just felt like we were going to take advantage of our new life."
"We went on a tear. We were utterly dominant. After we beat Steubenville Catholic, we felt like it didn't matter who we played in the final, we were going to win."
Terlecky described the '91 Eagles as a group that, from a football standpoint, "was mature beyond our years."
"We were self-driven, we held each other accountable, we were disciplined," Terlecky said. "Above all, each and every one of us wanted to please Coach (Tony) Napolet."
Terlecky noted that "a weeks-long celebration" followed the victory. JFK players appeared on a local radio show. The team was celebrated at several restaurants. Players were recognized wherever they went.
"That's something you don't forget," Terlecky said. "Football was so big in the area back then. It was a great feeling being a part of something special with your best friends."
Terlecky encourages players participating in this year's finals to "take it all in, don't discount the achievement and experience," while still concentrating on the task at hand.
"It's tough to say that it's just another game, but you have to stick to what got you there," Terlecky said. "Don't put pressure on yourself to do things you haven't done all year."
For most players who win a state title, the experience is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. For Paul Kempe, it became commonplace by the time he reached his senior season at Ursuline in the fall of 2010. The Irish won three consecutive titles from 2008-2010. At the time, Kempe became just the second quarterback in Ohio history to lead his team to three straight championships.
Kempe never took the victories for granted.
"If anything, you put more pressure on yourself each year," Kempe said. "When I was a senior, we really felt like we had to make our mark. Those senior classes before us paved the way. We felt like we had to follow in their footsteps."
"We had an incredible support staff at Ursuline. We had a great following from the Ursuline fans and the entire community. I remember the police and fire truck escorts. The lines of cars when we got back into town. For us, that was a big thing."
Ironically, Kempe's fondest memories of championship weeks aren't of the games themselves, but rather the nights prior to the games.
"We always had a team bonding experience the night before our title games, and they got quite emotional," Kempe said. "Players and coaches would reflect on the journey of the season. It was all about us as a team, a unit. It wasn't at all a meeting about the upcoming game, but boy did it get us ready for those games."
Kempe also encourages this year's title participants to "pause long enough to appreciate the moment."
"So very few high school players ever get to experience what these players will be part of this weekend," Kempe said. "You have to stay focused and mentally prepared for the game. You have a job to do and a goal to reach and you maintain that mindset, but at the same time you have to take a minute and realize what a special moment this is."
"This is something these players will remember for the rest of their lives."