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The Shoremen opened the 2008 season with a hard fought 38-20 win over a talented and well-coached Maple Heights squad.  Junior tailback Mike Mansnerus had a breakout game with four rushing TD’s and 183 yards on 13 carries.  Mansnerus led a 3rd quarter comeback as the Shoremen rallied to take command after falling behind 20-17 midway through the period.  Dan Ohlemacher had a stellar debut handling the kicking and punting duties.  Dan was 5-5 on PAT’s, nailed a 42 yard field goal, and his consistent high spiral punts kept the Mustangs pinned in their own end of the field for much of the night.

Avon Lake kicked off to start the game.  Ohlemacher kick sailed to the one yard line, but some shaky kick coverage allowed a return to the Heights 42.  Deandre Grant ran for 15 yards on the Mustang’s first play.  Three plays later Grant seemed to have something going as a slick wraparound draw play broke cleanly through the line.  But a hard hit popped the ball loose and the Shoremen recovered the fumble at their own 34.  Mansnerus picked up 11 yards over right tackle, and then two plays later burst though the same hole and raced 48 yards for the first score of the year, and the Shoremen led 7-0.  The Mustangs went three and out and the Shoremen started from the Heights 49 after the punt.  Pete Hart hit Ryan Kirkpatrick with a bomb on a post pattern, gaining 46 yard to the three.  Cody Bennington followed a great line surge to score standing up.  Just over four minutes into the game the score stood 14-0 and it looked like the rout was on.   But after the teams exchanged punts, Devonte Ransom took a pitch to the right, cut upfield, and outran the Shoremen defense for an 80 yard TD.  The lead was 14-6 after the two point attempt failed. 

In the second period, the Mustang “D” stiffened as they clogged up the middle to take away the Shoremen’s inside run game.  Avon Lake recovered a muffed punt at the Mustang 13.  After a penalty pushed the Shoremen back to their 26, the drive stalled,  Ohlemacher drilled a 42 yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-6.  Starting from their 35, the Mustangs put together a 12 play drive that ended in a 1 yard Grant TD run as time expired.  Again the two point attempt was stopped short and Avon Lake led 17-12 at the half. 

The second half started on a promising note as Mansnerus returned the kickoff to midfield.  Some good hard running by Steve Mares along with a nifty keeper by Hart and a nine yard pass to TE Dan Schneider set up the Maroon & Gold with a 2nd and 1 at the three.  But a loss of two followed by a run for no gain and a false start penalty left the Shoremen facing 4th and goal at the 11.  Hart was sacked at the 15 and Maple Heights took over.  Grant took a handoff, bounced outside, turned the corner and after a couple of nifty moves raced into the end zone for an 85 yard lightning bolt touchdown.  The two point run was good and Heights led 20-17.   The kickoff bounced out of bounds so the Shoremen offense started from their own 35.  Four plays moved the ball to the Mustang 48.  On first down, Mansnerus took a toss from Hart, swept right, and was off to the races for his second TD of the game.  Two plays after the kickoff, Nick Brill intercepted a pass around midfield and ran it down to the 23.  Hart was sacked again for a 13 yard loss, but on the next play Mansnerus ran the toss sweep to the left for another TD, this one good for 36 yards.  The Shoremen led 31-20 after three quarters.

After a short Maple Heights Punt early in the final period Avon Lake was back in business at the Mustang 35.  Two runs by Mansnerus and one by Mares moved the ball to the 13.  Mansnerus broke through on a counter and powered his way into the end zone as the Shoremen O-Line really looked dominant.  After a lot of sloppy play & penalties ruined the next couple possessions, Maple Heights put together one last drive, cashing in on a six yard pass from Kevin Thomas to Andre Stubbs to make the final score 38-26.

 

Notes: 

·       Ohlemacher’s field goal was the first for the Shoremen since 2005.

·       Last year the Shoremen gave up two sacks all year.  They gave up four in this game.  What the heck??                    

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Avon Lake

14

3

14

7

38

Maple Hts

6

6

8

6

26

 

 

 

MH

 

A.L.

First downs

 

13

 

14

Rush Yds

 

280

 

223

Pass Yds

 

82

 

75

Passes att-comp-int

 

20-8-1

 

10-4-0

Fumbles-lost

 

4-3

 

1-0

Penalties

 

6-34

 

8-78

AL – Mansnerus 48 run (Ohlemacher kick)
AL – Bennington 3 run (Ohlemacher kick)
MH – Ransom 80 run (pass failed)
AL – Ohlemacher 42 FG
MH – Grant 1run (run failed)
MH – Grant 85 run (Stubbs run)
AL – Mansnerus 48 run (Ohlemacher kick)
AL – Mansnerus 36 run (Ohlemacher kick)
AL – Mansnerus 13 run (Ohlemacher kick)
MH – Stubbs 6 pass from Thomas (run failed)