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The Shoremen wrapped up a share of their 11^th SWC crown in the last 12 years and solidified a playoff berth with a 33-13 dismantling of Amherst. The running attack was sharp as Cody Bennington, Mike Mansnerus, and Steve Mares accounted for 254 yards and four TD’s on the ground. Defensive end Zach Murray was back after missing four games with a knee injury and looked like he was 100%, making tackles all over the field. The defense held the Comets to just 86 rushing yards while forcing 3 turnovers, blocking a punt, and stopping Amherst twice on fourth down to give the home team great field position all night.

The Shoremen kicked off to open the game and pinned the Comets at their own 20 on a big hit by Blair Steiner. On the first play from scrimmage, Cody Bennington hit Shane Bockey at the line, jarred the ball loose, and recovered it himself. But the offense couldn’t take advantage and had to settle for a 35 yard field goal attempt that sailed wide right. Back on offense, Amherst quickly hit the requisite deep fade pass that has bedeviled the Shoremen all year. Another pass moved the ball well into A.L. territory as Amherst seemed to be moving in to take the lead. But on 3^rd & 7 from the 12 yard line, Steve Mares stepped in front of the intended receiver and picked off a pass from Comet QB Anthony Eliopoulos to end the threat. Again the offense went three and out, and on fourth down Dan Ohlemacher made a nice play as he went up high to catch a sailing snap and punted the ball out to the Shoremen 40. This time the Shoremen “D” forced a three and out, but Amherst’s punter couldn’t handle the high snap and Murray ran him down at the Comet 48. Two plays later Cody Bennington started up the middle on an iso play, bounced to the outside, and turned on the jets, leaving a trail of fallen Comets in his wake as he raced 42 yards for the first score of the game. A pass completion after the kickoff put the Comets at the Shoremen 49, and when faced with 4^th & 5 at the 44, Amherst decided to go for the first down on a fake punt and failed. Once again in great field position, the offense couldn’t gain a first down. Coach Dlugosz, however, chose to punt rather than risk handing the field position advantage right back to Amherst. Again the defense held the Comets to three and out, and Amherst punted to midfield. The Shoremen tried some razzle-dazzle as wideout Ryan Kirkpatrick came on a reverse and pulled up to throw. Unfortunately he threw it to a Comet at the 32. The stingy Shoremen defense again forced a punt, this one going all the way to the Avon Lake 23. Mansnerus took a toss to the right, turned the corner, and sprinted to the Comet 40. Runs of 10 and 24 yards by mike put the ball at the six, and Steve Mares ran it in from there on a counter for a 14-0 lead. After yet another Comet punt. Avon Lake drove to the eight yard line and Ohlemacher hit a 25 yarder field goal to make the halftime score 17-0.

Early in the third period, Nick Brill blocked an Amherst punt and Zach Murray took the loose ball to the Amherst 31. Two plays later Mares broke away on the counter once again for a 25 yard TD to make it 24-0. Returning the kickoff to the Shoremen 49, The Comets mounted an 11 play drive, with Eliopoulos plunging in from the one on a sneak. A defective PAT kick left the score 24-6 with 4:01 to play in the quarter. After a Shoremen punt, Amherst moved the ball to a 3^rd & 1 at the Shoremen 32. But two runs up the gut netted zippo and the Shoremen took over on downs. They moved the ball for two first downs but stalled at the Amherst 44. A beautiful Ohlemacher punt was downed at the 9, and Murray rang up a five yard sack on first down. The Comets sort of bungled the snap on the next play, and when Eliopoulos tried to run it out of the end zone, James Lekan stopped him cold for a safety. Craig Shaffer ran the free kick back to Amherst’s 44. A couple of false start penalties led to another Shoremen punt, but this time the return man muffed his fair catch attempt and Sean McCann recovered at the 17. It took four plays to cash in, with Mansnerus crashing in from the five. The Comets added one more TD in garbage time against the Shoremen reserves.

Notes:

· The Shoremen will open the playoffs at Medina Highland next Friday night.

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Avon Lake	7	10	7	9	33
Amherst	0	0	6	7	13

	A	A.L.
First downs	13	12
Rush Yds	86	234
Pass Yds	130	13
Passes att-comp-int	6-18-1	2-11-1
Fumbles-lost	2-2	0-0
Penalties	1-15	6-40

AL – Bennington 42 run (Ohlemacher kick)
AL – Mares 6 run (Ohlemacher kick)
AL – Ohlemacher 25 FG
AL – Mares 25 run (Ohlemacher kick)
A – Eliopoulos 1 run (kick failed)
AL – Safety Lekan tackled Eliopoulos in end zone
AL – Mansnerus 5 run (Ohlemacher kick)
A – Davis 4 run (Elbert kick)