A quick flashback to Week 3, the Avon Lake Shoremen had just lost to their bitter rival the Avon Eagles in a blowout. At the time they were 1-2 and the once promising playoff team looked shaky. My, how everything has changed for Avon Lake and first year head coach Matt Kostelnik.
With a 28-24 victory tonight against the feisty Berea-Midpark Titans, the Shoremen improved their record to 6-2 and are now in the middle of the playoff hunt in the highly competitive Southwestern Conference.
“It was the second half of the Avon game that we found our stride on both sides of the ball and starting to make improvements,” Kostelnik said about the team’s turnaround this season. “Since then we have been able to find our groove, especially in the second half against Amherst.”
Shoremen quarterback Jack Mikolich overcame three costly turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) to lead what was the game-winning drive midway through the fourth quarter. He finished with 167 yards in the air, and ran for 63 more and a touchdown on the ground as well.
The 6’3″ junior had some big shoes to fill after Mark Pappas graduated last year.
“For our offensive to be successful we need to take what the defense gives us, and take the easy wins,” Kostelnick said. “We need to make our throws and let our athletes get the ball in space. Mark was great at that last year, and hopefully Jack has found his stride and continues to build off of good outings like last week against Amherst.”
Four third-down conversions on the opening drive of the game by Berea-Midpark led to pay dirt as Bryce Agnew took it in from six yards out. It was a great opening drive with a nice mix of run and pass, double-digit plays and four-plus minutes off the clock. Bryce Agnew and Luis Vega had several big plays to keep the drive alive.
A struggling Berea-Midpark defense stepped up huge on the first two Avon Lake drives of the game, forcing them to punt both times. They also tallied a sack and forced Mikolich to go zero-for-three passing as the Titans held a 7-0 lead at the end of one quarter.
The Titan attack fed off the momentum from their defense and scored on their opening drive of the second quarter, this time on a beautiful 31-yard boot by Nicholas Ruggiero to make it 10-0.
Down 10-0, the Shoremen finally got out of the blocks and put together a methodical drive of their own. The big play coming on a Konnor Riggs 28-yard bolt to put Avon Lake inside of the Titan red zone for the first time in the half. After a few goal line stops by Berea-Midpark, it would take a one-yard Mikolich dive off of a broken play to score, cutting the lead to 10-7. The first half ended with same score.
The Titans had 20 first-half first downs but only 10 points to show for it. Riggs of Avon Lake rushed for 110 yards in the first half and they only had seven points to show for it. A strange first half to say the least. The Shoremen did have a chance to score with one second remaining in the half, but Berea-Midpark blocked the chip-shot field goal to keep the upset hopes alive.
The Avon Lake Shoremen also threw an interception in the first half and continued to pile up self-inflicted wounds to start the second. After scoring on a Riggs’ touchdown on their opening drive to start the half and take their first lead of the game at 14-10, they forced a stop to get the ball back before shooting themselves in the foot again.
Mikolich fumbled the ball deep in Shoremen territory allowing the Berea-Midpark Titans to once again gain momentum. The Titans would cash in quickly on a one-play drive, as Jabriel Williams went in for the score from 11 yards out to place Berea-Midpark back on top, 17-14.
The teams would swap touchdowns one more time before the end of the third quarter as Berea-Midpark clung to a 24-21 lead after three quarters of play. Luis Vega picked off Mikolich yet again to close the quarter out.
Avon Lake would exorcise their turnover demons and retake the lead midway through the fourth quarter as Matt Sanders rumbled in on a fourth and goal from the one-yard line to give them the 28-24 lead with a little over five minutes left to play.
This time it was a costly Berea-Midpark turnover as Bycznski was picked off on their first play with the ball. The Shoremen then had a chance to ice the game, but the Titan defense came up huge with a stop deep in their own territory, stuffing Riggs on a fourth and one from the 15-yard line. The last second Berea-Midpark drive would fall just short however, as Avon Lake hung on for the 28-24 victory.
Next week Avon Lake will look for their sixth straight win as they host the dangerous rushing attack of the Olmsted Falls Bulldogs in a battle for SWC supremacy. The Titans will look to bounce back from a fourth straight loss as they travel to take on North Olmsted and Darren Anders. NEOSI will be at both games.
Box Score
Avon Lake 0 7 14 7
Berea Midpark 7 3 14 0
Scoring Summary
1Q TD run Agnew XP good. @7:16
2Q 31-yard FG Ruggiero @9:15
2Q 1-yard TD run Mikolich. XP good. @5:52
3Q 3-yard TD run Riggs. XP good. @8:21
3Q 11-yard TD run Williams. XP Good @5:39
3Q 1-yard TD run Sanders. XP Good. @2:40
3Q 8-yard TD run Williams. XP Good @0:40
4Q 2-yard TD run Sanders. XP Good. @5:06
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