Facing a stunting Amherst defense geared to stop the run, the Shoremen
relied on a potent aerial attack and their defense to eliminate the Comets from
the OHSAA playoffs, 30-7. The game began much like the previous meeting with Amherst two weeks
earlier, as Alex Knipp ran for eight yards on the stretch play to open the
game. The Comets converted a first down, but the Shoremen "D"
stiffened and forced a punt. The teams exchanged a couple more punts before
Stephen Zywotek jumped on a fumble at the Comets' 29
for the first big break of the game. Mike Tift hit tight end Lee Simmons with a
nice throw to set up the offense with a first and goal on the one. Bobby Doyle
scored two plays later and Johnny Lyons added the PAT for a 7-0 Shoremen lead.
The rest of the first half was a defensive struggle, as the Shoremen recovered
another fumble and intercepted a Scott Canter pass to neutralize Amherst's offense.
The Shoremen received the second half kickoff
and gained three straight first downs before the drive stalled at the Amherst 27. On fourth and
ten, Lyons
boomed a 44 yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0. The Amherst
kick return unit, however, found a chink in the Shoremen coverage unit and ran
the kickoff back to Avon
Lake 49. Scott Canter
converted a fourth and eight from the 32 with a 30 yard toss to Pete Catalano,
setting up first and goal at the two. The Shoremen stopped three straight run
attempts before Knipp scored on a toss sweep on fourth down, cutting the margin
to 10-7.
It looked like the Comets had the momentum,
but Doyle gained nine yards on first down after the kickoff. On second and
short, Tift hit a streaking Trey Stross with a high, arching 52 yard bomb all
the way to Amherst's
16. Bobby Doyle ran to the two for a first down, and then Tift scored an a naked bootleg to stretch the lead back to 10 early in the
fourth quarter. Amherst
couldn't move the ball and had to punt again. This time, on third and nine,
Mike hit Andrew Means on a curl pattern just short of the first down marker.
Means turned outside, broke two tackles, and raced into the end zone to pretty
much ice the game for the Shoremen. Canter threw an interception to Stross to
set up the last Shoremen drive, as the running game finally clicked against a
tired and demoralized Comet defense. Bobby Doyle wrapped up the scoring on a 25
yard run.
Notes:
- The
victory extends the Shoremen's school record and state best winning streak
to 27 games.
- Bobby
Doyle scored two more TD's, running his 2004 season total to 37 after 12
games. His 107 yards on 24 carries gives him a season total of 2,214 yards
on the ground.
- Johnny
Lyons' 44 yard field goal was the longest of his career. He is now 5-5 on
three pointers in 2004, and 6-6 for his career.
- It
has now been confirmed that a player wearing the number "6" on
his jersey is indeed an eligible receiver, as Lee Simmons caught a pass
for the third straight game.
|
Avon Lake
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
20
|
0
|
|
Amherst
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
|
|
|
Amherst
|
|
Avon Lake
|
|
First downs
|
|
8
|
|
11
|
|
Rush Yds
|
|
116
|
|
121
|
|
Pass Yds
|
|
54
|
|
198
|
|
Passes att-comp-int
|
|
3-14-2
|
|
17-11-1
|
|
Fumbles-lost
|
|
3-2
|
|
0-0
|
|
Penalties
|
|
3-15
|
|
4-43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AL -- Doyle 1 run (Lyons
kick)
AL -- Lyons 44
field goal
A -- Knipp 1 run (LaVeck kick)
AL -- Tift 2 run (Lyons kick)
AL -- Means 65 pass from Tift (Lyons kick)
AL -- Doyle
25 run (kick failed)