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The Shoremen used a powerful, multi-back running attack to fight off an early challenge by Avon, blasting the Eagles by a final score of 50-25.  Senior QB Nick Firment chipped in with some timely clutch passing, throwing for a TD to Ryan Scherer and a two point conversion to Pat Stokes on a botched placekick attempt.  Avon Lake’s run game was especially dazzling out of the “Jet” formation with Kevin Mansnerus, Scott Shaffer, and Jeff Tell running sweeps and counters from the wings and Mike Haddad bruising his way up the middle on fullback traps. 

Avon kicked off to start the game and the Shoremen notched one first down on aa off-tackle run by Tell.  Andy Howell’s punt pinned Avon back at their own 13, but on their first play Eagle QB Ryan O’Rourke floated a bomb to Brett Jensen down the right sideline for an 87 yard touchdown.  But the Shoremen stormed back, with Mansnerus racing 28 yards on a jet sweep.  Tell followed with a 16 yard counter off jet action.  On 4th and 9 Firment dropped to pass, pulled off a Houdini-like escape from what looked like a sure sack, and found Haddad for a first down at the Eagles’ 11.  Two plays later Haddad bulled in from the 3 and Joe Prendergast tacked on the first of his six PAT’s to give A.L. a 7-6 lead.  Then, on Avon’s next series, O’Rourke hit Marquis Harrell with a little screen pass.  A bunch of missed tackles later,  the Eagles had a 1st & goal at the 8.  An eight yard O’Rourke TD toss and Harrell’s extra point put Avon up 13-7.  After the kickoff, an offensive pass interference penalty left the Shoremen in a deep hole with 3rd down and 22 from their 19 yard line.  Again, Tell sprung free on a counter from the jet formation and raced 59 yards to the 22.  Haddad picked up seven and then Shaffer swept left end for 15 yards & the score.  Prendergast split the uprights again and it was 14-13 Shoremen as the quarter ended.

In the second quarter, the Shoremen defense started to slow Avon’s passing attack, while the offense really got into high gear.  After forcing Avon to punt, the defense was right back on the field as the Eagles recovered a fumble at Avon Lake’s 12.  On third down, Dan Weimer picked off O’Rourke’s pass at the 4, ending the threat and really shifting the momentum of the game.  The Shoremen went on an 11 play drive featuring runs of 16 and 25 yards by Shaffer and capped by Scherer’s seven yard TD catch.  After the kickoff, A.L. recovered a fumble at the Eagles 23 and needed only two plays to score.  On the PAT attempt, Firment couldn’t handle a low snap and kicker Prendergast picked up the ball.  Joe pitched the ball back to Firment, who calmly rolled left and found Pat Stokes for the two point conversion.  But Von came back as the Shoremen DB’s bit on a pump fake and allowing O’Rourke to complete a long pass that set up the Eagles 1st & goal at the 6.  Three running plays pushed the ball across the goal line, and when the two-point pass attempt failed, the score stood 29-19 Shoremen with just a couple minutes to go before halftime.  The Shoremen offense only needed four plays to cover 74 yards following the kickoff as Haddad broke away for a 60 yard TD run.  The score at the half was 39-19.

The scoring pace slowed in the third quarter.  Avon went three and out on their first possession.  After the punt, the Shoremen put together a seven play, 58 yard drive with Haddad scoring his fourth touchdown of the night from five yards out.  That was the only scoring in the third quarter  as  Coach Dlugosz began to substitute freely. Each team tallied one TD in the final period.  Shoremen sophomore tailback Mike Mansnerus gave us a peek into the future of the Shoremen football as he raced 77 yards on a toss sweep on his first varsity carry.  Mike carried three more times to finish an 88 yard drive that closed out the scoring for the night.

 

Notes: 

·       Both Mike Haddad (167 yds) and Jeff Tell (159 yds) eclipsed the century mark rushing as the Shoremen averaged over 9 yards per carry.

·       Mike Mansnerus and Ryan Scherer each scored his first varsity touchdown.

·       Joe Prendergast was 6 for 6 on extra points in his first football action ever.  Joe played soccer his first three years at ALHS.

·       Pat Stokes’ two points represent the only scoring in his family’s history.

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Avon Lake

14

22

7

7

50

Avon

13

6

0

6

25

 

 

 

A

 

A.L.

First downs

 

11

 

19

Rush Yds

 

33

 

518

Pass Yds

 

313

 

49

Passes att-comp-int

 

27-13-1

 

10-6-0

Fumbles-lost

 

1-1

 

3-1

Penalties

 

2-10

 

6-35

A – Jensen 87 pass from O’Rourke (kick failed)
AL – Haddad 3 run (Prendergast kick)
A – Gregory 8 pass from O’Rourke (Harrell kick)
AL – Shaffer 15 run (Prendergast kick)
AL – Scherer 7 pass from Firment (Prendergast kick)
AL – Haddad 15 run (Stokes pass from Firment)
A –  Robertson 1 run (pass failed)
AL – Haddad 60 run (Prendergast kick)
AL – Haddad 5 run (Prendergast kick)
A – Stotko 1 run (kick failed)
AL – Mike Mansnerus 1 run (Prendergast kick)