by Avon Lake, OH – To open up the post-season, the St. Francis de Sales Knights come into town to take on Avon Lake Shoremen in an elimination game. After a long hard-fought game, the Knights came out on top 34-31, behind an electric night by Eli Beal.
To begin the night, the Shoremen had a quick 51 second drive that you would have missed if you blinked. It took 3 plays and 2 big plays from #2 Affolter to #17 Stewart, 48 and 33 yards, to get in the endzone and make it 7-0 early.
The knights came right back and ran the ball convincingly down the field and it was finished off by #5 Eli Beal who took the ball left side, looked to be stopped in the backfield, but kept the legs moving and broke outside where no one could catch him, going 47 yards to tie it up just 3 minutes into the game.
The Shoremen couldn’t duplicate their first drive and would punt after a three and out. The same would go for the Knights as negative plays set them back to 4th and 33.
Avon Lake picked back up from the first drive and started the drive with a long pass to #5 Haven for 23 and then #86 Lazor for 23 yards the next play to put them in the redzone. The Knights defense stood tall though and forced a FG attempt that would be blocked.
End of 1st: St. Francis de Sales 7, Avon Lake 7
The knights couldn’t do much with the ball after starting at their own 3-yard line following the blocked FG and would punt.
The Shoremen had a strong drive brewing next drive. #2 Affolter had the whole defense fooled with the play action and threw to an open #10 Fach who looked to walk into the endzone but was chased down and stripped from behind at the 3-yard line and the same player would recover the ball in the endzone. Touchback for the Knights.
St. Francis de Sales went back to the pop pass multiple times the next drive since it had been effective already so far and turned into another 37-yd run by #2 Raheem Brown setting them up deep in Shoremen territory. Penalties set the Knights back though and the drive ended in an INT on 4th down on a jump ball that #23 Joseph Heron would win for Avon Lake.
Avon Lake didn’t have any luck at moving the ball next drive following the INT and would punt quickly.
As the run game looked good all first half for the Knights, it only got better and with 1:47 left in the half, QB #14 Swartz faked the hand off and turned on the jets for a 39-yd TD up the middle to give them the lead, 14-7.
The Shoremen’s next drive was short lived again and ended with a punt before half. The Knights worked quickly and almost hit the endzone again but came up 12 yards short on the last run of the half.
Half: St. Francis de Sales 14, Avon Lake 7
The 2nd half started with a boom as the Knights took the opening kick all the way back to the Shoremen 1 yard line and would punch it in the next play by #5 Beal to extend the lead to 21-7.
The Shoremen didn’t flinch though and started the next possession with a 39-yd reception to #5 Haven that would set up a 4-yd TD run by #2 Affolter to make it a 7-point game again.
Penalties would kill the next Knights drive and they would go three and out and punt.
Avon Lake started with good field position the following drive. Starting with a 20-yd reception by #10 Fach, they would get down in the redzone. The Knights defense stood up the Shoremen stuffing the run and good pass defense leading to a FG attempt from 28-yd by #18 Reece Polomsky to make it 21-17.
Riding the momentum, Avon Lake forced an erred pass and landed in the hands of #23 Joseph Heron for the second time of the night. He returned it for what looked like a TD but a holding call brought it back to the 12 yard line. They wouldn’t have trouble punching it in though as #24 Kowalski scored from 2 yards out to flip the momentum into the favor of the Shoremen 24-21.
Catching everyone by surprise, Avon Lake came with the surprise onside kick to try and keep the momentum coming, and they’d recover it. Following the recovery, the Shoremen set themselves back with penalties and couldn’t move the ball leading to a punt that went 4 yards and sets up the Knights with good field position all of a sudden.
End of 3rd: Avon Lake 24, St. Francis de Sales 21
Combining for 5 penalties to start the drive for the Knights, they end up converting a 3rd and 15 to #2 Raheem Brown to extend the drive. Later in the drive, #5 Beal picked up a massive 3rd down reception as well. Finishing off more than a 5-minute drive, Beal pulled in a 9-yd reception with 6:37 left to retain the lead yet again.
Avon Lake returned the following kickoff to the Knights 40 yard line to set themselves up, although they’d go four and out and turn the ball over on downs after a failed shot to the endzone.
The Knights continued their run game dominance and chewed the clock while marching down the field. On 4th down and 2, they handed the ball off to Beal yet again as he broke loose down the right side for a 30-yd TD to make it 34-24.
The Shoremen didn’t give up though and they would claw their way down the field and score with 14 seconds left to cut it to 34-31, but a failed onside kick left them with no chance as the St. Francis de Sales Knights rolled into Avon and stole a win from the Shoremen. The Knights look ahead to week 12 and the next round of the playoffs and the Shoremen look back on what was a successful season overall.
Final: St. Francis de Sales 34, Avon Lake 31
