The Shoremen saw their 29 game win streak come to an end as they were beaten by an impressive Columbus Brookhaven squad in the Division II state title game, 42-21. The game started on a sour note as Andrew Means fumbled the opening kickoff and the Bearcats ran it in for a touchdown. With just six seconds gone in the game, Avon Lake already trailed 7-0. The teams exchanged punts, and after a first down on their second series, the Shoremen punted again. Dominic Jones returned the ball to the Shoremen 41, and a facemask penalty moved the ball to the 26. It took Brookhaven just three plays to make the score 14-0.

Early in the second quarter, after a nice kick pinned the Bearcats deep in their own territory, a 13 yard punt gave Avon Lake the ball back on the Brookhaven 17. After a loss of three yards and an incompletion, Mike Tift hit Trey Stross on a post pattern for a 20 yard TD, cutting the deficit to 14-7. Brookhaven came back to score on a couple of four yard touchdown runs and it looked like the game could become a blowout. But with just over a minute left in the half, Bobby Doyle took a pitch to the left, cut back up the middle, and outran all of the Bearcat speedsters for a 74 yard TD. The Shoremen trailed 28-14 at the half.

The start of the second half was no better than the first. A failed onside kick attempt gave Brookhaven the ball on their own 44, and a beautifully thrown halfback pass put the ball on Avon Lake's seven. Daniels scored from their on a straight-ahead run for the only scoring in the third quarter. The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth period, with the Shoremen's final TD of 2004 coming on a five-yard Tift to Stross pass play.

While it's true that the Shoremen hurt themselves with a few mistakes, they were simply beaten by a better football team in this game. Brookhaven's combination of size, speed, and athleticism was just too much for Avon Lake to overcome.

Notes:

  • Bobby Doyle's touchdown in the second quarter gives him a 2004 season total to 42, a new team record. Bobby's 182 rushing yards for the night gives him 2,789 yards for the year, another team and Lorain county record..
  • Trey Stross's two scoring catches give him 13 for the year. In addition to that single-season record, Trey holds the Shoremen career record with 27 TD receptions.

(Home)

(Photos)

 

Avon Lake

0

14

0

7

21

Brookhaven

14

14

7

7

42

 

 

 

Brookhaven

 

Avon Lake

First downs

 

14

 

16

Rush Yds

 

215

 

168

Pass Yds

 

137

 

144

Passes att-comp-int

 

8-16-0

 

12-28-1

Fumbles-lost

 

4-2

 

3-2

Penalties

 

11-86

 

5-38

 

 

 

 

 


B -- M. Jones 6 fumble return (Kamara kick)
B -- Harris 7 pass from McGee (Kamara kick)
AL -- Stross 20 pass from Tift (Lyons kick)
B -- Daniels 3 run (Kamara kick)
B -- Jackson 4 run (Kamara kick)
AL -- Doyle 74 run (Lyons kick)
B -- Daniels 3 run (Kamara kick)
B -- Roberts 4 run (Kamara kick)
AL -- Stross 5 pass from Tift (Lyons kick)