by Tonight, was a rematch of one of the greatest playoff games in OHSAA History as The Wadsworth Grizzlies visited the Avon Lake Shoremen.
This year was a battle of Wadsworth’s high-powered offense led by Notre Dame commit QB Mitchell Evans along with stud all-purpose star Barrett Labus against Avon Lakes defense which is one of the best in the state. In the end, it was Avon Lake knocking Wadsworth out for the second straight year with a 30-7 victory.
Avon Lake scored everyway you can with the exception of a safety. They scored touchdowns on offense (2). They scored another defensive touchdown. Owen Wiley kicked three field goals and they even blocked a punt! They also picked Evans off four times. Like it has been for two straight seasons, it was another total team effort for the Shoremen.
While a lot of the talk may have been on the combination of Evans and Labus coming into the game, it was Avon Lakes duel backfield of Gage Duesler and Mason Wheeler that once again shined.
Duesler finished with 135 yards on 21 carries, scoring once. While Mason Wheeler rushed for 81 yards, on 8 carries. They combined to have the two biggest plays of the game with gains of 47 and 66 yards.
Running the show for Avon Lake once again was Michael Corbo with a solid effort. Corbo threw for 104 yards, on 8 of 16 passing. He also used his legs as he is known to do, rushing 4 times for 55 yards. He was smart with the ball and kept drives alive.
The O-line of Avon Lake gives Corbo plenty of time, and gives the backs large holes to run through. We intend on having all of them on the Raising Canes podcast this week. Sometimes the most important players in a team’s success, never show up in the box score.
Evans, who is headed to Notre Dame to play tight end, had an up and down night. Evans tossed for 141 yards on 12 of 29 passing with a touchdown but was picked off four times. Labus is the real deal and I look forward to watching his development. He did it all tonight, finishing with 11 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive stars for the Shoremen tonight were Billy Simpson with 3 interceptions in the first half alone. Mason Wheeler had several big stops in the backfield. He almost had an interception but it just narrowly slipped through is grasp.
Nate Cikalo had a sack and another pick six. Jacob Sintic had a sack and a blocked punt. Viancourt had multiple stops and so did Griffin Lidyard and Sean Summers. Stuewe broke up several passes as well.
But it goes beyond those few I mentioned, way beyond. You can make a case for each player on that defense for player of the game. They play as a unit and raise hell in the backfield for opposing teams.
I may have only named 7, but I can sit here and say something good about each player. They are that dominant at times on that side of the ball. They kept Evans guessing and scrambling all night.
Wadsworth had an early drive snuffed out to start the game. They were looking good after a Labus 35-yard catch to open the contest. From there, they couldn’t get much further, and turned it over on downs inside of the red zone at the 18.
Avon Lake looked like they would strike quick as Wheeler took the first run 47 yards deep into Grizzly territory. They would move backwards from there however and settle for a 42-field goal from Owen Wiley who cleared it by a good 10 yards.
After a long kick return set Wadsworth up in Avon Lake territory, they failed to get anything out of it. They would end up going for it again on a fourth down, but Billy Simpson caught a tipped interception to give the ball back to Avon Lake. The Shoremen couldn’t capitalize however, and the ball went right back to Wadsworth after a set of downs.
For the third time in the first quarter, the Grizzlies would advance into Avon Lake territory after a personal foul on a late hit gave them 15 free yards. That penalty followed a nice 16-yard run by Brennan Gray. Then moments later a pass interference gave them the ball at the 24-yard line. This time it was back to back stops by Mason Wheeler setting up another fourth down interception by Billy Simpson.
The Shoremen would make them pay quickly and painfully as Gage Duesler took the first play to the house with a 66-yard touchdown run. Duesler was rumbling to pay dirt for his 12th scoring strike of the season.
Another great kick return for the Grizzlies would not go wasted this time around. It was the Evans to Labus show once again heating up, this time for a beautiful 28-yard touchdown toss. Labus caught it about 8 yards down the field, and did the rest himself to cut the Shoremen lead to 10-7.
The Shoremen were not fazed and a few plays into their next drive, it was Corbo hitting the gas pedal for a 51-yard run down the sidelines, weaving in and out of would be Grizzly tacklers. This drive would stall as well however, and they would settle for an Owen Wiley 27 yard field goal to make it 13-7.
A late drive in the second quarter by Wadsworth would result in Billy Simpsons third interception of the first half. The half would end by that same score of 13-7.
Avon Lake started the half with a long and methodical drive highlighted by numerous Aidan Grabowski catches, one of which for 27 yards. They had a heavy mix of Mason Wheeler and Gage Duesler to get them down to first and goal from the four-yard line. From there, three straight runs would come up short and make it fourth and goal from the 1.
A field goal would have made it a two-score game at 16-7, however coach Kostelnik decided to go for it with a Corbo sneak that payed off! 15 plays, 80 yards, 7 plus minutes off the clock and the Shoremen led 20-7. It was the exact kind of drive they needed to start the half. Sam Mikolich had a very nice 15 yard catch to keep the drive going as well.
A few moments later, a big Jacob Sintic punt block of Mitchell Evans set Avon Lake up in great field position. However, it was Avon Lake missing a golden chance to extend the lead, as it was a very rare miss by Owen Wiley from 35 yards out as it went wide left. He would make up for it on the next drive with a 25 yarder to make it 23-7 Avon Lake with 6:14 to go.
Nate Cikalo put it away for good with his second pick six of the year, making it 30-7.
Avon Lake will now host North Royalton who upset Olmsted Falls tonight 33-27 in double overtime. The Shoremen cant afford to take the Bears lightly as they have now gone on the road two straight weeks and knocked off quality SWC foes in Amherst and Olmsted Falls.
