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The Shoremen opened their 2005 season with a convincing 42-13 win over the Mansfield Tygers. Avon Lake put on a dominant offensive display, featuring a nice combination of efficient passing and a powerful running attack.   Mansfield was able to move the ball through the air in the first half, but the defense made some good adjustments at the half to allow the Shoremen to pull away.

The Shoremen won the coin toss and deferred, preferring to open up on defense.  John Lyons’ kickoff sailed into the end zone for a touchback, and Mansfield went to work at their own 20. After one Tyger first down, the defense forced a punt and a revamped A.L. offense took the field at their 39.  Five running plays moved the ball to Mansfield’s 27, where Brian Pettys hit Scott Nealon in the right flat.  Scott broke a couple of tackles and headed in for the score on a great individual effort.  Lyons’ PAT made it 7-0. 

Mansfield moved the ball well using a variety of short passes and finally scored on a 14 yard post pattern.  The PAT made it 7-7, and when the Shoremen fumbled the ball away on their next possession, the Tygers were right back in business on their own 47.  With the Shoremen “D” playing tight to try to stop the short throw in the flat,  Mansfield went deep on the first play for a 53 yard TD strike.  The PAT was blocked, but the Tygers led 13-7 as the first quarter ended.    

At that point, Avon Lake’s offense took over and quickly erased the deficit with a four-play, 63 yard drive capped by Chris Rau’s nine yard run to paydirt.  Lyons’ kick made it 14-13.  After a third down sack by Peter Storer forced Mansfield to punt,  the Shoremen drove to the Tyger eight in just five plays.  Although a dropped pitch on first down was recovered by Mansfield, they went three and out, and punted back to the Shoremen at the Tyger 47.  Nine plays later the Shoremen scored, with the TD coming on a 6 yard pass from Pettys to Kyle Maurer.  The halftime score was 21-13.

Avon Lake couldn’t move the ball on their opening second half possession, and a short punt gave Mansfield the ball at the Shoremen 46.  4 plays moved the ball to the 11 where, on second and goal, Carl Nielsen came through with a huge 13 yard sack.  Two plays later the Shoremen took over on downs. What followed was a vintage Shoremen scoring drive of 76 yards on 13 straight running plays.  Pettys snuck it in from the one and the Shoremen were in control 28-13.  The guys in Maroon & Gold added two fourth quarter scores on an 11 yard pass to Maurer and a 60 yard run by Murello. 

Notes:

·       The Shoremen used a “tailback by committee” system, with Chris Rau, Kevin Mansnerus, and Maxx Schmidt all getting a significant number of carries.  Rau led the Shoremen with 106 yards on 15 carries.

·       John Lyons took up where he left off last year, hitting all six of his PAT’s.  John also flew a couple of kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.

·       The Shoremen have now won 27 straight regular season games.

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Avon Lake

7

14

7

14

42

Mansfield

13

0

0

0

13

 

 

 

Mansfield

 

A.L.

First downs

 

13

 

21

Rush Yds

 

25

 

348

Pass Yds

 

206

 

105

Passes att-comp-int

 

28-11-0

 

13-10-1

Fumbles-lost

 

4-1

 

4-4

Penalties

 

4-20

 

1-5

AL -- Scott Nealon 27 pass from Pettys ( Lyons Kick)
M -- Newbern 12 pass from Greene (kick good)
M -- Sutton 53 pass from Greene (kick failed)
AL -- Rau 9 run ( Lyons Kick)
AL -- Maurer 6 pass from Pettys ( Lyons Kick)
AL -- Pettys 1 run ( Lyons Kick)
AL -- Maurer 11 pass from Pettys ( Lyons Kick)
AL -- Murello 60 run ( Lyons Kick)