School started this week for Avon, and the Eagles’ football team didn’t waste any time teaching Brunswick a lesson.
Avon (1-0) has a lot of new players, but things looked the same to open 2023 as the Eagles rolled to a 49-7 victory over the visiting Blue Devils on Aug. 18.
It was quarterback Nolan Good’s first start, and he didn’t disappoint. He went 12-for-17 passing for 204 yards and three touchdowns. The junior also added six carries for 66 yards and another score on the ground. His buddy and wide receiver Matt Maxey had a huge game, too, with five catches for 91 yards and a score. That’s not to forget running back Jakorion Caffey, who had 14 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
“I’m so proud of these kids. There’s a lot of them who got their first shot to start on Friday night. They came out and performed at a high level,” Avon coach Mike Elder said. “We’ve scheduled three tough opponents Weeks 1-3 prior to getting into our league. This was one down, and we have two to go.”
Brunswick started the game with the ball and picked up a huge 33-yard run from punter Cohen Easa after he bobbled the snap. However, all of the momentum came to a halt when Ethan Roksandich’s pass was intercepted by Avon’s Carson Canning.
After an incomplete pass on first down, Caffey ripped off a 52-yard run down to the 1-yard line. The senior is poised for a big year and scored his first touchdown of the season on the next play.
Jakorion Caffey is a stud!
The Cincinnati commit ripped off a 52-yard run, and ran it in on the next play from 1 yard.
Avon 7-0, 7:13 1Q@MJournalSports @avoneagles @BHSGoBigBlue pic.twitter.com/CvD6G0t1eL
— Travis Nelson (@travisnelson40) August 18, 2023
The Eagles’ defense notched their second sack of the game on the next drive, forcing a Brunswick punt for real this time. Good is a solid athlete at quarterback for Avon, and he showed off his arm and legs in this game. It was the latter on a 23-yard touchdown run to end this drive and extend the lead to 14-0.
This new Avon QB has some wheels too!
Nolan Good goes untouched with the keeper for a 23-yard score!
Avon 14, Brunswick 0; 3:10 1Q@MJournalSports @avoneagles @BHSGoBigBlue pic.twitter.com/T7tDcONPv7
— Travis Nelson (@travisnelson40) August 18, 2023
On the next possession, Good put his arm to good use. The run game was working, and it appeared so was the passing game. On a 44-yard deep ball, he found Maxey for the touchdown.
“It felt great,” Good said of his first start at quarterback. “Obviously I was blessed to have a little bit of varsity experience on the other side of the ball playing corner, but to start at a position like quarterback in front of your city, it’s really special. That’s the most fun that I’ve ever had in my entire life, and I won’t take that for granted. I’ll cherish that moment for the rest of my life.”
The Eagles forced a second turnover with a fumble recovery by Sam Toniolo to set up the offense with good field position. Starting the drive at the Brunswick 32-yard line, it took the Avon offense six plays to score another touchdown. After a balanced drive with runs and passes, Caffey finished it off with another one-yard score.
TD Caffey again!
After a Sam Toniolo fumble recovery set up a shorty field, the RB punches it in for 6!
Avon 28-0, 7:52 2Q@MJournalSports @avoneagles @BHSGoBigBlue pic.twitter.com/FaFzl9GxHK
— Travis Nelson (@travisnelson40) August 18, 2023
For a season opener, Avon continued to click on all cylinders. The defense forced another interception, and the offense scored its fifth touchdown in five possessions. Adam Schumaker interecepted Roksandich, and Good capitalized offensively by throwing his second touchdown pass of the game to Cole Kepner from 37 yards away. That made it 35-0 with 5:05 remaining in the first half, and that was the halftime score.
Avon’s starters stayed in the game for one more drive to begin the second half, and it resulted in another touchdown. On an 11-play drive that burned over seven minutes with a running clock, Good found Paul Leftrict in the back of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. Brunswick scored its only points of the game on the next drive with a 52-yard touchdown throw from Roksandich to Hayden Swarm.
It was a special moment in the fourth quarter for Elder, as his son Blake entered the game at quarterback. On the first play after a fumbled Blue Devil punt, he threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Grant Barr with six minutes remaining to reach the final score of 49-7.
Both teams are on the road next on Aug. 25 as Avon travels to Canton McKinley and Brunswick faces another SWC opponent in Olmsted Falls.
THE SCORE
Avon 49, Brunswick 7
