by Olmsted Township, OH — Avon senior quarterback Sam Detillio threw 6 touchdown passes, senior receiver Ethan Holbrook corralled 5 of them, and many big plays helped the Avon Eagles pull away to beat Olmsted Falls 63-42 on Friday night in a pivotal SWC showdown.
FIRST HALF
Slow starts in the opening minutes for both teams couldn’t have set up a more unexpected ball game. The Eagles were ultimately able to strike first as Sam Detillio began his huge night through the air by hitting his number one target Ethan Holbrook for the 19-yard score, putting Avon up 7-0 mid-way through the inaugural quarter.
The Bulldogs knew coming into tonight’s game that it was in their best interest to play from in front. Responding very quickly to Avon, senior running back Michael Candow found the endzone from 50-yards out to tie the game at 7 a piece. Candow was huge for the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball in the first half but was unfortunately knocked out of the game from what looked to be a right shoulder injury early in the third quarter.
After a solid defensive stand from the Bulldogs, the Olmsted Falls offense was back out firing on all cylinders, scoring once more in the first quarter. Standout senior running back Rocco Conti capped off a 3-play 90-yard drive, by taking in a 21-yard reception from sophomore quarterback, Jimmy Rosol. That score put the Bulldogs up 14-7 with time expiring in the first.
After a very even back-and-forth first quarter, the Avon offense really kicked it into gear and dominated the second quarter. Gavin Ehrhardt got the scoring affairs going as brought in the screen pass and took it to the house from 19-yards out.
Sam Detillio followed that score up with another tremendous touchdown haul as he hit Ethan Holbrook again, this time from 25-yards out. Holdbrook made undoubtedly the highlight of the night as he ran a skinny post route beating his defender and making a miraculous one-handed snag in the back of the endzone. A pitch-and-catch worthy of this evening’s Sports Center top 10 plays.
Standout junior running back Jakorion Caffey finished the three-touchdown quarter for the Eagles with a 1-yard touchdown run up the gut to give Avon a 28-14 advantage over Olmsted Falls at intermission.
SECOND HALF
It didn’t take long for Avon to get their high-powered fast-paced offense back in the endzone to begin the second half. Starting with the football, they were quick to march it down the field as Sam Detillio threw his fourth touchdown pass of the night finding Ethan Holbrook for a 16-yard score. With 9:24 left in the third quarter, Avon led 35-14 in full control.
After a Joe Weatherspoon INT, the Eagles were back in business yet again with the ball in their hands. That defensive stand is what ultimately led to, yet another Detillio touchdown pass to (guess who) … Ethan Holbrook but this time for a staggering 63-yards. It was Detillio’s 5th touchdown heave at that point and the 4th to Holdbrook. Avon had blown the game wide open up 42-14 midway through the third quarter.
However, just one play later on the Bulldog’s first play of their next drive, Rocco Conti took an end-around-run 82 yards to the house which ensued a bit of life back into the Bulldogs as they trailed 42-21 midway through the third quarter.
A well sustained drive by Avon on their ensuing possession resulted in more points for Eagles. The senior quarterback/wide receiver duo of Sam Detillio and Ethan Holbrook connected for a 5th time, this time from 31-yards out to put the Eagles up 48-21 after a missed PAT.
On the very next play, senior running back Jack Pinchek took the Avon Kickoff 93-yrads down the home sideline into the endzone for the score. 48-28 was the score at that point, and it seemed as if momentum was shifting to the home team, even though they trailed by 20.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs hit the Eagles with an unexpected onside kick. A picture-perfect on-side kick was the result, and it was recovered Rocco Conti as he took the ball down the sideline into Avon territory. The Bulldogs drove the ball down the field and Derek Neckar capped off the drive with quick hitting touchdown run to make it a 48-35 ball game early in the fourth quarter.
However, on the ensuing Avon possession, a 46-yard Jakorion Caffey touchdown run, and a successful 2-point conversion by Sam Detillio began to put the game out of reach more and more.
Completely un-fazed by the score Jack Pinchek took the ball 50+ yards to endzone once more on the evening as he made the game somewhat interesting with Avon still holding a two-score lead up 56-42 with 8:25 left in regulation.
In the end, it was Jakorion Caffey who put the nail in the coffin with a 52-yard touchdown scamper that put Avon up 21 points with time expiring. The Bulldogs didn’t have any more answers for the Eagles on offense as time expired in which the final score stayed 63-42, with the Avon Eagles coming out on top!
Avon improves to 6-1 and is now the only team in the SWC with a perfect 4-0 conference record.
Olmsted Falls’ five-game winning streak comes to a halt tonight as they dropped to 5-2, 3-1 in conference play.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ethan Holbrook – 5 touchdown receptions and 208 receiving yards on the night
UP NEXT
Avon Eagles: Hosts Berea-Midpark to continue SWC play on Oct. 7.
Olmsted Falls: Back at home against winless Amherst on Oct. 7.
How about that Eagle O Line!! Over 600 yards and 63 points for the second game in a row.