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Highland vs Avon OHSAA high school football playoffs scores, updates

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ELYRIA – As fall leaves turn to winter snow, so does a late high school football game between Highland and Avon.

For the second straight season, the two will meet in the Division II, Region 6 finals. This time, it will be the second-seeded Hornets (13-0) who will travel to Elyria to take on the top-seeded Eagles (13 -0).

The winner will play Walsh Jesuit (13-0) or Hoban (11-2) next week at a location to be determined.

Follow here for in-game highlights, updates and analysis:

The Hornets went 69 yards on 15 plays and scored their first touchdown. The drive took 8:01 off the clock and Casey Myser scored from 2 yards out. It’s Avon 21, Highland 7 with 3:42 to go before the break.

On second-and-7 from the Highland 42, Matt Maxey took a handoff from Nolan Good and ran untouched to the left corner of the end zone. It’s Avon 21, Highland 0 with 11:50 to go before halftime.

Highland drove deep into Avon territory on the first and second drives, but turned things around both times as Avon bowed in the middle of the field but came on strong late. At the end of the first quarter it is 14-0 Eagles.

The Hornets don’t have the ball on offense yet. A 2-yard run by Tyler Kaufmann makes it Avon 14, Highland 0 with 8:18 left in the first quarter.

The Eagles threw the ball up on the ensuing kickoff after scoring and the ball was fumbled by Highland. Sammy Ulery picked it up. It’s first-and-10 at Highland 39. Avon leads 7-0 with 11:35 left in the first quarter.

It came from 65 yards out from Nolan Good, who took off towards the visiting side’s Hornets touchline and then headed in untouched. It’s Avon 7, Highland 0 with 11:38 to go in the first quarter.

OFFENCE
NUMBER NAME POSITION
2 Lucas Berkmeyer WR
3 Lucas Gerding WR
6 Nick Dobkowski WR
12 Evan Foust AT
18 Dylan Borla QB
25 Casey Myser RB
50 Ryan Zywiec c
54 Carson Noonan LT
58 Ben Coyne RT
59 Jos Messina LG
66 Brady Bendau RG
DEFENSE
4 Kyle Williams CB
5 Colton Foust CB
7 Jameson Gordon OLB
11 Josh Arvanetes SS
12 Evan Foust ILB
20 Kallen Whitling OLB
22 Garrett Phillips F.S
50 Ryan Zywiec D.T
54 Carson Noonan THE
65 Cody Bendau D.T
87 Caleb McKeen THE
SPECIAL TEAMS
12 Evan Foust P
40 Jonah Kowza K
Number Name Position
Offence
4 Ty Beerbohm WR
5 Nolan Good QB
8 Matt Maxey WR
9 Cole Kepner WR
12 Grant Barr WR
16 Tyler Kaufmann RB
52 Jack Fitch OEL
53 Addison Hanna OEL
59 Eian Englehart OEL
73 Jeremiah Kelly OEL
77 Matt Hauck OEL
Defense
1 Ryan Stolarski L.B
2 Aiden Atkins D.B
11 Jacob Weatherspoon D.B
15 Alex Rivera D.B
17 Alex Falasco D.B
27 Jerry Clements D.B
28 Owen Garcia L.B
50 Nolan Robke DL
63 Jason Gillespie DL
73 Jeremiah Kelly DL
87 Caedam Bemmett DL
Special teams
90 Jensen Petro P
92 Owen Warrick K

What you need to know: Highland is in the OHSAA playoffs

What to watch: This marks the fourteenth time the Hornets have made the playoffs and the second straight season they have reached the regional finals. Highland lost to Avon 28-14 in this round last season. The Hornets have one regional title (2013), but have never reached the state finals. Highland is coming off a 38-14 win over third-seeded Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (12-1).

Suburban League Offensive Player of the Year Casey Myser (230 carries, 2,024 yards, 36 touchdowns; 16 catches, 502 yards, seven touchdowns) and Dylan Borla (98-of-131 passing, 2,116 yards, 27 touchdowns, two interceptions) continue to establish single-season school records for Highland. Evan Foust (26 catches, 537 yards, five TDs), Lucas Gerding (23 catches, 445 yards, three TDs) and Nick Dobkowski (18 catches, 426, seven TDs) put up solid numbers.

Foust (81 tackles, three sacks), Suburban League Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Zywiec (70 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss), Jameson Gordon (63 tackles, seven TFL) and Northeast Inland District co-Defensive Player of the Year Carson Noonan (62 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 18 TFL) leads a stellar defense that has allowed just 8.2 points per game.

What you need to know about Avon’s participation in the OHSAA playoffs

These are the Eagles’ 18th playoff appearances. Avon has won a regional title in six of the past seven seasons (2022), but the Eagles have not advanced beyond the state semifinals since finishing as runners-up in 2011. The Eagles are coming off a 41-10 victory over fifth-seeded Wadsworth (11-2).

Northeast Lakes District Offensive Player of the Year Nolan Good, who did not play in last year’s game against Highland, is the leader for Avon. The Kent State commitment is 176 of 270, allowing for 2,908 yards and 28 TDs against seven interceptions. He has weapons in Matt Maxey (79 catches, 1,212 yards, 10 TDs), Cole Kepner (29 catches, 604 yards, seven TDs) and Grant Barr (34 catches, 509 yards, eight TDs). Tyler Kaufmann (87 carries, 607 yards, 10 TDs), Good (52 carries, 528 yards, nine TDs), Quiante ‘Smith (57 carries, 450 yards, nine TDs) and Cam Wendell (70 carries, 393 yards, five TDs ) do it on the floor.

Owen Garcia (90.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss), Ryan Stolarski (70 tackles, three sacks, eight tackles for loss) and Jason Gillespie (15 tackles, seven sacks, eight tackles for loss) lead an Avon defense that is allowing an increase of 12.2 points per game.

How Highland Football reached the regional final

Date Opponent Result
August 23 at Hudson (6-6) W, 31-24
August 30 North Royton (5-6) W 50-20
September 6 Brunswick (3-8) W, 37-0
September 13 Copley (5-6) W, 44-7
September 20 at Tallmadge (7-4) W, 49-0
September 27 at Barberton (2-8) W, 49-7
October 4 Kent Roosevelt (2-8) W, 56-7
October 10 Reverence (7-5) W, 41-0
October 18 at Cuyahoga Falls (2-8) W, 56-0
October 25 at Aurora (11-2) W, 34-0
November 1 Fremont Ross (5-6) W, 52-7
November 8 Toledo St. Francis DeSales W, 49-20
November 15 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne W, 38-14

How Avon football reached the regional final

Date Opponent Result
August 23 St. Ignatius (1-10) W, 42-21
August 30 Canton McKinley (8-5) W, 21-14
September 6 Glenville (10-3) W, 13-12
September 13 Elyria (0-10) W, 58-0
September 20 North Ridgeville (9-3) W, 38-7
September 27 at Olmsted Falls (8-4) W, 35-14
October 4 Berea-Midpark W, 49-7
October 11 at Midview (5-6) W, 49-10
October 18 Amherst (6-5) W, 42-7
October 25 at Avon Lake (6-5) W, 42-10
November 1 North Olmsted (5-6) W, 47-12
November 8 Olmsted Falls (8-4) W, 52-35
November 15 Wadsworth (11-2) W, 41-10

Contact Brad Bournival at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.