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The Shoremen opened their SWC title defense with a convincing 28-7 win over Olmsted Falls Friday night at Memorial Stadium. The defense was outstanding again, constantly harassing Bulldog quarterback Brennan Laird and sacking him seven times. John Hegarty led the way with a couple of sacks and an overall solid game at linebacker. The secondary continued to improve, with Pete Lancione intercepting a pass and Mike Britt delivering some hard hits from his safety position. Offensively, Trent Toy had another big night, completing 8 of 12 passes for 146 yards for one touchdown, and running for two more scores. Lancione continued his nice work on punt returns, bringing one all the way back to the Bulldog five yard line.

Things looked a little shaky on the first couple plays as Brad Brill’s knuckleball kickoff was returned to the Dogs’ 35, and then Laird scrambled for 30 yards on the next play. But then the Shoremen “D” began to flex its muscles when Andrew Bohan dropped Laird for a sack on third down, forcing a punt. Lancione caught the kick at the 11 and returned it 23 yards to the 34. After a false start penalty, Toy hit Ronnie Willoughby for 12 yards to make it 2^nd and 3. But Falls stopped Justin Arkey on 3^rd & 1 to force a Shoremen punt, which was fair caught at the 23. Hegarty nailed Laird for another sack on first down, then Jake Young got to the QB for a three yard sack on second down, and Falls ended up punting again. Lancione returned this one 10 yards to the Falls 40. Four runs netted a first down, and then Toy hit Willoughby at the 10. But the Shoremen coughed up a fumble and Falls took over at their 13. Three runs went nowhere and the Bulldogs punted again. On second and ten from the 39, Willoughby went up between two defenders to snag a bomb from Toy for a touchdown. Brill’s PAT made it 7-0 with a minute left in the first period. On second down, Laird heaved a rainbow down the right sideline, where Lancione had great position, timed his leap perfectly, and intercepted the pass at the Shoremen 41.

Avon Lake failed to move the ball as the second quarter began and punted back to the Falls 25. Laird was sacked again forcing yet another punt. This time Lancione caught the ball just inside midfield, broke free down the left sideline, and barely stepped out of bounds at the seven. Toy cashed in from the three on a sweep to the right and it was 14-0. After Brill’s kickoff carried into the end zone for a touchback, a shotgun snap sailed high over Laird’s head and the Shoremen fell on the loose ball at the 11. Zach Johnson broke clean up the middle for the 11 yard TD run to make it 21-0. But Falls wasn’t about to quit, mounting a 75 yard, 13 play drive that used up about six minutes and left the score 21-7 at the half.

The Shoremen started the second half with the ball at their ten after a penalty negated a great kick return by Alex Grunick, who had carried the ball down to the Falls 40. On 3rd & 6, Toy threw a fade to Willoughby that was good for 33 yards and a first down near midfield. Another completion to Willoughby moved the ball to the 33, but the drive stalled at the 29 when Toy’s fourth down pass fell incomplete. On third and three from the 36, Laird faked play action but failed to fool Hegarty, who smacked the QB and jarred the ball loose. Bohan recovered and the Shoremen were back in business at the 25. On 2^nd & five Toy swept left end and powered his way to the five. Two plays later Trent crashed off left tackle for two yards and another score. Falls had one last gasp early in the fourth as they managed to move to the Avon Lake 15, but the defense stiffened and the Bulldogs last threat ended with an incompletion on fourth down.

Notes:

· The Shoremen defense has yielded just five TD’s through four games.

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Avon Lake	7	14	7	0	28
Olmsted Falls	0	7	0	0	7

	OF	A.L.
First downs	12	10
Rush Yds	47	98
Pass Yds	99	146
Passes att-comp-int	18-9-1	8-12-0
Fumbles-lost	3-2	2-2
Penalties	5-38	9-73

AL – Willoughby 39 pass from Toy (Brill kick)
AL – Toy 3 run (Brill kick)
AL – Johnson 11 run (Brill kick)
OF – Laird 3 run (Ferster kick)
AL – Toy 2 run (Brill kick)