by Vince McKee wrote a book about your great rivalries with Avon Lake and Hoban. Come on out, meet him and pick up a copy.
AVON, OH — The Avon Eagles opened their postseason campaign in dominant fashion Friday night, defeating the Cleveland Rhodes Rams 38-8 in the second round of the Division II, Region 6 playoffs.
Playing under cold, wet conditions with light rain throughout the evening, the No. 3-seeded Eagles (9-2) used a dominant defensive performance and an opportunistic offense to take control early and never look back against the No. 11-seeded Rams (7-5).
Avon, coached by Mike Elder, took advantage of Rhodes’ struggles with ball security, consistently giving its offense favorable field position. The Eagles’ defense and special teams set the tone early, including a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, as Avon built a commanding 38-0 halftime lead.
Avon wasted little time making its presence felt defensively. The Eagles opened the game by forcing a three-and-out before defensive back Nick Lombardy blocked the ensuing punt. Defensive back Adrian LaBlanca scooped up the loose ball and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown, giving Avon an early 7-0 advantage.
The Eagles’ defense continued to apply pressure, forcing another three-and-out and giving the offense an opportunity to extend the lead. Avon moved the ball into the red zone and threatened to find the end zone, but Rhodes came up with a crucial defensive stop to prevent the Eagles from adding to their advantage.
The Rams’ offense, however, struggled to find its footing. Facing a third-and-five inside their own 20-yard line, Rhodes quarterback Ty’Ron Corpening dropped back to pass before the entire Avon defensive line collapsed around him. The Eagles came away with a strip sack, setting up the offense with excellent field position at the 13-yard line.
Avon quickly capitalized. Quarterback Trevor Skyora connected with wide receiver Fin Jerdonek on a 10-yard touchdown pass to the back-right corner of the end zone, extending the Eagles’ lead.
The Eagles continued to find success on the ground. With the ball near midfield, running back Jairel Fenton broke off consecutive gains of 13 and 16 yards, setting up a 24-yard touchdown run by running back Michael Colburn. Avon carried a commanding advantage into the second quarter.
Rhodes put together its most promising offensive possession of the first half, marching into the Avon red zone. One of the highlights came on a fake punt, as punter Jayshawn Parish connected with Kameron See on a 10-yard screen pass to keep the drive alive.
However, the Rams were unable to finish the possession with points. Rhodes quarterback Ty’Ron Corpening threw an interception to Avon Linebacker Nathan Peters, giving the Eagles possession at their own 10-yard line.
Avon responded with another productive offensive drive. Running back Dean Andress provided a major spark with a 36-yard run, moving the Eagles into scoring position. The drive eventually resulted in a 21-yard field goal by kicker Merrick Dunn.
The Eagles continued to capitalize on Rhodes’ mistakes. Following a muffed kickoff, Avon recovered the football and quickly turned the opportunity into another touchdown. On the next play, quarterback Trevor Sykora found wide receiver Gavin Koehler for a 20-yard touchdown reception, extending the lead to 31-0.
The Rams’ struggles continued on their next offensive possession, as a mishandled handoff resulted in another fumble and gave Avon the football back.
With another short field to work with, the Eagles wasted little time finding the end zone. Quarterback Trevor Sykora connected with wide receiver Fin Jerdonek for an 18-yard touchdown, pushing the advantage to 38-0 heading into halftime.
Avon continued to move the football as the fourth quarter got underway, putting together another promising drive and threatening to add to its lead. However, Rhodes came up with a defensive takeaway when defensive back Niyovyose Alphonse intercepted a pass from Avon quarterback Casey Birth.
The Rams wasted little time taking advantage of the opportunity. On the very next play, Rhodes quarterback Ty’Ron Corpening broke free for an electrifying 80-yard touchdown run down the sideline. His speed allowed him to outrun the pursuing Avon defenders and finally put the Rams on the scoreboard.
Rhodes converted the ensuing two-point attempt, bringing the score to 38-8. Despite the late touchdown, the Eagles’ first-half dominance proved too much to overcome as Avon secured the victory.
The Eagles delivered a complete performance in the second round of the playoffs, using their defense, special teams and balanced offensive attack to advance in the postseason. The wet and slippery conditions appeared to create problems for Rhodes throughout the night, as the Rams struggled with ball security and had difficulty establishing consistency offensively.
Avon took full advantage, generating turnovers, creating short fields and even finding the end zone on special teams. Defensively, the Eagles consistently disrupted the Rams’ offensive rhythm, limiting their opportunities to sustain drives and putting pressure on the quarterback.
Offensively, Avon found success through both the passing and running games, keeping the Rhodes defense on its heels.
With the victory, Avon advances to the next round of the Division II, Region 6 playoffs.
Players of the Game
Avon Eagles – QB Trevor Sykora
● Passing: 5-of-14, 94 yards, 3 touchdowns
● Rushing: 9 yards
Cleveland Rhodes Rams – QB Ty’Ron Corpening
● Rushing: 8 carries, 142 yards, 1 touchdown
● Passing: 0-of-5, 0 yards, 1 interception
