Prior to Avon’s home game on Sept. 19, it honored the Eagles’ Hall of Fame Class of 2025. One of its members was Firelands coach Ryan O’Rourke.
While the Falcons’ all-time winningest coach was preoccupied with leading his team to a 50-20 win against Oberlin, the Eagles honored coach Mike Elder’s first of many great players.
“(Sept. 19) made me reflect on how blessed and lucky I have been to coach so many great players and teams. Ryan O’Rourke was the first of those greats, since I’ve been at Avon,” Elder said. “I was so happy for him and his family … and it is well-deserved.”
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Along with O’Rourke, Avon inducted Jim Bayley (class of 1954), Denise Wearsch Lahoski (1991), Dessa Dzubak (1989), Mari Dunderson Ramos (1989) and Mike Morgan and the 2008 football team, which O’Rourke played on.
“I am very appreciative for the honor,” O’Rourke said. “I’ve never given it too much thought, but it is really cool to be recognized. The special thing to me is that (2008 team). I think it was really deserving, especially as a quarterback. You rely on so many other people. It was really cool to see the entire team be recognized as well.”
Although O’Rourke was unable to make an appearance, his father, Tim O’Rourke and son (Thomas) represented him in Avon.
Before coaching at Firelands, O’Rourke was a highly decorated Eagles quarterback.
Elder said O’Rourke was the first great player to fully commit to his leadership, as he first met resistance early on in 2007 (3-4 in the first seven games).
“I was trying to establish a program and credibility,” Elder said. “A lot of guys were resistant to buying in initially. Ryan O’Rourke never (resisted). He was a guy that trusted, believed and lent me his credibility until I established my own, because he was the undisputed leader of that team. Because of him trusting me, my program and coaching staff, we went on to win the final three games of his junior year. … Going into the offseason, we used that momentum going into his senior year.”
He was named Division III first-team All-Ohio, Northeast Ohio Offensive Player of the Year, Lorain Morning Journal Player of the Year, and Lorain County Golden Helmet award winner in 2008.
“We’ve built a program here at Avon. The foundation was built on the backs of people like Ryan O’Rourke. He certainly laid the first few bricks of the foundation that we currently have,” Elder said.
In 2008, he led Avon to a perfect regular season, a West Shore Conference championship and went 12-1. Its Division III, Region 10 final appearance was considered the second-best season in school history.
O’Rourke is one of six Avon players to win the Golden Helmet Award.
Following a college football career at Slippery Rock and Baldwin Wallace, he was named the Falcons coach in 2017.
Baldwin-Wallace quarterback Ryan O’Rourke eludes a sack and throws around Mount Union defensive lineman Frank Orteca in first quarter action of Mount Union’s 41-13 win over Baldwin Wallace at George Finnie Stadium in Bera, Ohio, Saturday, November 6, 2010. MORNING JOURNAL/NATE PARSONS
Fast forward to 2025, he hits as Firelands’ all-time winningest coach with 42 wins.
“I look at Firelands as the challenge of what Avon was for so many years,” O’Rourke said. “It is hard to win consistently anywhere. We had our good years and down years. We have raised the floor at Firelands. Now, we are looking at how we raised the ceiling of what this program can be.’
Over the years, O’Rourke and Elder have stayed in touch. Elder said he checks for Firelands scores on Saturday mornings.
“I am proud of him and I cheer for him every Friday,” Elder said.
O’Rourke looks to have his Falcons go on a run in the second half of the regular season, as his team improved to 2-3 (2-0 in LC8).
Firelands won its second straight game and will take on Clearview on Sept. 26.