When you’re aiming for big goals, it’s important to not lose the steps it takes on the way to get to the top.
For the Avon Eagles, they were able to see the forest through the trees and overcome a tough first-half challenge, hosting and defeating their rival, Avon Lake, 43-12, on their way to a 10th straight Southwest Conference title with at least a share and fourth straight Silver Rail trophy.
Execution in the red zone is how the Eagles were able to keep control of this game.
Avon (8-1, 6-0) came up with three key goal-line stands and made life tough for Avon Lake (3-6, 3-3). Avon Lake had a chance to keep the momentum swings going, getting down to the red zone. Trevor Maly of the Eagles stepped up with a big pass breakup as the Shoremen opted to go for it on fourth-and-three in the red zone to keep Avon up, 14-9.
Avon defenders converge on Avon Lake quarterback Dawson Tenbrink on Oct. 17. (Shane Pabon – for The Morning Journal)
At the end of the first, Avon Lake drove down to Avon’s 2-yard line with a first down. With their backs against the wall, an interception by the Eagles’ Caden Clapham on the 2 kept Avon in the driver’s seat at 21-9 before half.
With the Shoremen getting the ball to start the second half, it was the Eagles’ red-zone defense once again that suffocated any offense that tried to break through. Vincent DeTillo and the Avon defensive line formed a force field. Avon Lake’s Aiden Stewart nailed a field goal this time on a fourth-down attempt to bring the Shoremen back within 21-12.
The other big difference in the game was when the Eagles were in the red zone. Down, 6-0, after a fumble on the second play of the game, the Eagles trusted Michael Colburn to keep pounding the rock into the line and eventually crossed into paydirt on third-and-goal for a touchdown to go up, 7-6.
Showing confidence and strength with the lead, Avon opted to go for the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the eight with 3:29 left in the third quarter. It paid off with quarterback Blake Elder connecting with Fin Jerdonek for an eight yard touchdown and then converted the two pointer, pushing Avon’s lead out to 29-12.
Grant Barr was key in setting up the Eagles in the red zone, hauling in a 47-yard pass where he seemingly caught the ball through a defender and refused to be dragged down for at least an extra five yards. Barr hauled in a pair of touchdown catches of his own in the game, putting Avon up, 14-9, after Avon Lake went back ahead, 9-7, on Stewart’s first field goal. Clapham’s one-handed catch on third down, and another third down grab by Jakob Weatherspoon, set up Barr to find the end zone on a 24-yard pitch and catch to make it a 21-9 lead at half for Avon.
The Shoremen came out strong, capitalizing on a short field after a fumble recovery on the second play of the game. That allowed Dawson TenBrink to find AIden Stewart for a pair of big catches, and then a touchdown throw to Michael Summerfield to go up 6-0 just five plays into the game.
Avon Lake got impressive third-down catches by Ezra Jones, Stewart and freshman Christopher Gaulding, who brought in a jump ball on what looked like a promising drive before Clapham’s interception midway through the second half.
It wasn’t all defense for the Avon. Eagles receivers made great plays on the ball seemingly all night long on both sides. Caden Bennnet hauled in a 25-yard touchdown catch in stride in the back of the end zone over multiple defenders to put Avon up, 36-12, as the third wound down.
Avon finishes out its regular season on the road at Elyria. Avon Lake will host Midview in Week 10, likely on the outside looking in on the Division II, Region 6 playoff race.
THE SCORE
Avon 43, Avon Lake 12