by AVON LAKE, OH- Senior night in Avon Lake tonight sure was a shootout. Behind the performances Olmsted Falls’ Rocco Conti and Avon Lake’s Jeremy Dzik, the game was an absolute classic that resulted in a Bulldog win 56-31.
In the first quarter, Olmsted Falls came out firing. After a quick 3 and out, the Bulldog offense was on the field. With 85 yards of field ahead of them, the triple option was working quick and effectively.
Led by senior back Rocco Conti, the Bulldogs drove down the field. Marching into Shoremen territory, Derek Neckar weaved through the ALHS defense, bringing the Bulldogs down to the 3. Running a hurry up offense, Neckar got the ball right back and into the endzone to open the scoring 7-0 Bulldogs.
Following the OFHS touchdown, Avon Lake needed to answer, and indeed they did.
Saved by a couple of big penalties by the Bulldog defense, Avon Lake was deep into Bulldog territory. Following a pass interference call, Junior Wade Nelson picked up a gain of 10, setting up the Shoremen on the 2. After a failed QB sneak, Jason Krukowski barreled into the endzone to even up the game with 2:17 left in the first quarter.
On the kickoff, Derek Pinchek made a beautiful run to the 36-yard line. On the ensuing play, Rocco Conti opened up his massive night with a 64-yard touchdown run. The score was 14-7 Olmsted, but don’t worry Bulldog fans Conti was nowhere near done in the first half.
Following a big 3 and out for the Bulldog defense, Rocco Conti and company was back on the field.
As the first quarter ended, the Bulldogs were faced with a big third down to start the second quarter. On third and 7, Jack Pinchek stiff-armed and juked a 14-yard run down to the 2-yard line.
After a holding call on what seemed to be a Bulldog touchdown, OFHS lined up on the 16. Attempting his first pass of the night, Sophomore QB James Rosol hit Conti, which led to a beautiful spin and dive into the endzone by the star running back.
As 9:20 remained in the half, the ALHS faced a big third and 8 if they wanted to stay in the ball game. It seemed as if all the wind was out of the Shoremen sails, but Senior QB Jeremy Dzik had to say otherwise.
Running across the middle was Keegan Ruddock with no Bulldog defenders near him. Dzik hit him in stride for a 68-yard touchdown to make the game 21-14.
As it seemed momentum was swinging towards the Shoremen, AGAIN Rocco Conti changed the narrative. On Ian Walsh’s kickoff down to the 10, Conti received and was gone in a flash. With 9:04 left in the half, Conti’s 90-yard touchdown made it a 28-14 game.
5 minutes later, the Bulldog defense stood tall again. OFHS would get the ball back again, and Derek Pinchek again contributed to his efficient night.
Pinchek’s 30-yard run brought the Falls down to the 14. It seems as if I am repeating myself but make no mistake it was Conti again. The very next play Conti took a pitch to the crib for a 14-yard score to make the ballgame 35-14.
Again, the Shoremen needed to score to keep the game respectable at half. Driving with less than 4 minutes left, Dzik and company were in no hurry to let the Bulldog offense back on the field.
After multiple big-time completions to Matthew Stuewe, the Shoremen were down to the 15 with less than a minute left in the half.
When OFHS stopped the Shoremen offense, Coach Kostelnik sent the field goal unit onto the field. On Ian Walsh’s 32-yard attempt (which was good), the Bulldog D jumped offsides. Kostelnik made the gutsy call to send the offense back on the field for fourth and 5, and boy did it pay off.
Scrambling out of the pocket, Dzik hit Isaac Richardson on the run with 27 seconds left for the eighth total touchdown of the half. After the extra point was converted, the game was 35-21 Bulldogs.
If you thought the wild first half was over, you were wrong. Pinchek took the kickoff 51-yards, and after a 17-yard run by Conti (and a late hit flag), the Bulldogs attempted a 32-yard kick with 5 seconds left. To end the half, Noah Minadeo’s attempt was blocked by Jeremy Brausch, and time expired.
As the Falls received to start the second half, nothing changed. After a few tackles for losses, it seemed as if the Shoremen D was picking up the OFHS play calling.
This was not the case.
Taking 4 minutes off of the clock, Rosol had his second TD pass on his fourth attempt. With a risky fourth and 7 play call on the ALHS 7, Dillon Foulkes reeled in his first grab of the year. The result? A 42-21 game.
After a quick Shoremen 3 and out, ALHS was back on the field quickly. The first play of the ensuing Bulldog drive was an interception by Hayden Blosser setting up the Shoremen on the OFHS 45.
The very next play the duo of Dzik and Richardson put more points on the board. The 45-yard TD pass made the game 42-28 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
Later in the quarter the Rocco Conti onslaught continued. With 1:50 left in the third, Conti broke free for his fifth total touchdown of the game. Going into the fourth quarter the game was 49-28 Bulldogs.
The Falls let the clock tick as their run affair continued. With 7:17 remaining in the game, the bad man that is Rocco Conti barged into the endzone AGAIN for his sixth of the game.
As time winded down, Avon Lake drove down. Led by Anthony Benedict and Alex Affolter, the Shoremen settled for an Ian Walsh field goal.
The clock would soon hit zero and the final score was 56-31.
Tonight’s player of the game was an easy choice. Rocco Conti’s night ended with 241 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns, a 90-yard kick return touchdown, and a 16-yard touchdown reception, as well.
