by Avon quarterback Jake Sopko led the charge as the host Eagles dominated Avon Lake on Friday night to win the first Silver Rail trophy between the rivals and its Southwestern Conference debut.
Sopko, a senior who is headed to play for the University of Cincinnati, threw for 272 yards, three touchdowns and ran for one as the Eagles beat Avon Lake, 31-7.
Avon, 2-0 and ranked seventh in the cleveland.com Top 25, forced Avon Lake to punt on its first drive and the Eagles scored on their first possession with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sopko to senior Will Heilman. The Eagles then caught their rivals off guard as they sneaked a successful two-point conversation to go up 8-0 with 3:02 left in the first quarter.
Avon Lake (0-2) failed to score again on its next drive, even after a costly Avon roughing the passer penalty on a third-and-long kept the drive alive for the Shoremen. The proceeding punt by Avon Lake’s Patrick Beckman looked to turn things around as it placed Avon at its 1-yard line. A few plays later, Avon running back Gerett Choat broke a 67-yard run to place the Eagles right back in scoring position. Shortly after a Sopko run from the 5 put the Avon ahead 15-0.
Following an Avon safety it was Choat taking a screen pass 54 yards for a touchdown to give Avon a 24-0 lead at the half. The Eagles scored nine points in 19 seconds to close the half.
Sopko continued the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown strike to Heilman to open the second half. The only Avon Lake score came late in the fourth with an 8-yard pass from Beckman to Carson Toy.
“We knew they were going to run a lot of cover three and cover zero so we knew what to put into the play book to beat that and ran it well,” Sopko said.
The Eagles travel to No. 18 North Olmsted next Friday, while Avon Lake will host Westlake.
Avon joined the SWC over the off-season after competing in the West Shore Conference. The win also earned the Eagles the Silver Rail trophy. The Avon Lions Club created the trophy, which is symbolic of the railroad tracks that separate Avon Lake and Avon.
