Avon Lake Defeats Berea-Midpark 35-21 behind Jeremy Dzik’s 3 TD performance

Photo by Anna Haberstro

Jeremy Dzik threw for two touchdowns and added another on the ground, and the Avon Lake Shoremen (4-1) climbed back from a 14-point first quarter deficit to defeat the Berea-Midpark Titans (2-3) 35-21 on Friday night at Fisher Field.

Avon Lake came into the game as five-point favorites according to Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50 (fantastic50.net), meaning they outperformed expectations after last week’s loss to Avon.

1st Half

Berea-Midpark started off hot, opening a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Their opening score came on a short field after a blocked punt by senior star Hudson Devins set up the Titans at the Avon Lake 39. After 4 plays, Devins punched in a two-yard touchdown run off the left-side. After another stop, the Titans struck on a big play, as senior quarterback Troy Shick found senior receiver Josh Medina over the middle, and after breaking a tackle, took the short pass 67 yards to the house.

Devins was all over the field on both sides of the ball for the Titans and was easily the most gifted player on the field. In the first quarter alone, Devins had a sack, tackle for loss, blocked punt, and a rushing touchdown.

However, Avon Lake responded with a scoring drive of their own in the waning moments of the first quarter. Dzik found senior wideout Keegan Rudduck on an inside post route after a failed coverage by Berea-Midpark which found no Titans defenders in the end zone.

Special teams continued to be the story of the first half, as Berea-Midpark committed holding on a potential punt return touchdown, and then shanked a punt, setting up Avon Lake on the Titans 26 in the 2nd quarter. The Shoremen took advantage, as Dzik hit Rudduck again for a 26-yard touchdown pass over the middle, a matchup that the Shoremen exploited throughout the game.

Dzik also proved to be a threat on the ground as well, scoring on an 8-yard touchdown rush off an RPO late in the 2nd quarter to give the Shoremen a 21-14 lead headed into halftime.

2nd Half

After having their passing attack shut down in the 2nd quarter, Berea-Midpark exited the locker room with a renewed strategy, marching down the field as Shick found Medina for their second touchdown connection of the game with Medina lined up in the slot.

Avon Lake came back and responded with a score of their own. The drive was highlighted by a 13-yard scramble by Dzik that evoked Josh Allen vibes as he juked a Berea-Midpark linebacker in the open field and capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jason Krukowski.

Berea-Midpark had the opportunity to climb back in the game in the early 4th quarter, down 28-21 with the ball at the Avon Lake 20. However, the Shoremen defense, led by senior defensive end Avery Viancourt, forced a turnover on downs. Viancourt was consistently in the Titans backfield both as a pass rusher and in the run game, however, his potential game-sealing sack was marred by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which extended the Titans hope late in the game.

The final scoring drive of the game came with Avon Lake starting running back Wade Nelson finding the end-zone on a 13-yard run off the left side, this after Nelson struggled to find consistent success in the beginning of the game as a runner.

Looking Ahead

Berea-Midpark is favored to win their next two games (Amherst Steele and Midview), which sets them up for a three-week gauntlet to finish the season against Avon, North Ridgeville, and Olmsted Falls.

Avon Lake faces the same two opponents over the next two weeks as Berea-Midpark in reverse order.

Scoring

1st Quarter

Berea-Midpark: Hudson Devins, 2 run (kick good, 8:26)

Berea-Midpark: Josh Medina from Troy Shick, 67 pass (kick good, 3:02)

Avon Lake: Keegan Rudduck from Jeremy Dzik, 16 pass (kick good, 0:16)

 

2nd Quarter

Avon Lake: Keegan Rudduck from Jeremy Dzik, 26 pass (kick good, 5:09)

Avon Lake: Jeremy Dzik, 8 run (kick good, 0:56)

 

3rd Quarter

Berea-Midpark: Josh Medina from Troy Shick, 27 pass (kick good, 5:25)

Avon Lake: Jason Krukowski, 4 run (kick good, 2:40)

 

4th Quarter

Avon Lake: Wade Nelson, 13 run (kick good, 8:21)