by #1 Ranked Avon Eagles (4-0)
The New York Yankee’s, the New England Patriots, The Boston Celtics & Los Angeles Lakers. What do all those teams have in common? They win! No matter the season, the injury, the climate or whatever odd’s they face, they just keep winning. I give you, the Avon Eagles.
Coach Chuck Kyle with St. Ignatius, Coach Tom Lombardo with St. Edward, Coach Tiger Laverde with Kirtland & Coach Tim Tyrrell of Archbishop Hoban, men of respect from their players and parents. Please add Head Coach Mike Elder to that list for ever and ever, and make sure you write it down in permanent marker too!
If anyone even considered to remotely doubt Mike Elder, he shut down those thoughts last year with one of the most magical runs in OHSAA history. He took a beat up, worn down team to one game away from the State Championship. Nate Moore and the Tigers may have walked away with the win, but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Elder handled that game and that season, with class!
Elder’s vision and leadership shown through again to start the season with remarkable last second come from behind wins at Avon Lake and then Olmsted Falls. Down big 24-7 at Avon Lake, his team stayed the course and came back to win in double overtime. Despite constant pressure from Olmsted Falls, they came back late in that one to pull off the victory as well.
To say the Eagles are soaring may be another cliché, but my goodness is it an accurate one. Under first year full time starter Niko Pappas behind center, the Eagles have not missed a beat. Like Ryan Maloy and Danny Zeh before him, Pappas takes control of the huddle and doesn’t get rattled.
Devon Hunter is finally getting the workload of the carries, and this is a kid who could have been starting since he was a sophomore to be perfectly honest about it. He had Nick Perusek in front of him and you weren’t taking carries away from Perusek.
The 5-foot 11-inch, 210-pound Hunter is a Sherman Tank with cleats on. He reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil with his rushing style. While Avon Lake has the wicked combo of Duesler and Wheeler, and Olmsted Falls the three headed monster of Feskanich, Conti and Parkowski, the Eagles have the one man wrecking crew that is Devon Hunter.
Hunter is one of the best pure runners I have ever seen. He is a mix of Emmett Smith, Herschel Walker and Roger Craig all in one. For you young ins out there who don’t know those names, hop on You Tube or see if you can get your hands on a version of Tecmo Bowl the video game.
Given the fact that he runs so hard, he will need a play off or two, and when Desmond Kelley comes in to spell Hunter, it is not exactly a day at the beach for the defense.
Before we talk about the other weapons for Niko Pappas to torch defenses with, we must address the defense that has once again had a knack for the big play again this year. They proved Week One against Avon Lake, that they can make adjustments and get those big plays.
With a secondary of Ryan Ptacek, Mike Matlak, Collin Kauffman, Jonny Love and Mitchell Dupras flying around the ball, it will give the big men such as Jackson Blodgett, Kaya Yonkers, Trevor Norman and Gavin Ehrhardt time to rush in from linebacker and sack the QB. It allows the defensive line of Graham McDougle, Mason Bingham and Austin Mitchell to come up with the key stops when needed.
Place kicker Nathanial Vakos is right up there with Owen Wiley of Avon Lake, and Andrew Smith of Mentor as having one of the strongest legs in the OHSAA. He has already had plenty of practice booting this season as big play receivers Cam Erskine, Mike Ptacek, Ryan Smith, their own Andrew Smith and Mike Matlak have found a habit of finding the endzone.
Remaining schedule – vs Berea-Midpark, at Midview
Nice article.