The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Eagles enjoyed trip that featured team bonding
Avon enjoys trip to Florida that featured bonding — and a win
After its win, the team hit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach for some water park fun.
With 1:37 left in the game and Avon trailing, 16-13, Eagles wide receiver Chris Mullins walked up to the offensive line and reassured them everything would be OK.
“1:37 is too much time,” Mullins said. He was right. One minute and 11 seconds later, quarterback Ryan Maloy connected with Mullins for an 18-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 20-16 season-opening win over Merritt Island on Aug. 24.
“You couldn’t draw up a better play to win the game,” Maloy said. “I was fully confident in us winning the game. Our coaches put us in the right spots.”
Same old Avon football story, right? Well, not quite. The game was played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., where the team spent the better part of four days before returning to Avon on Sunday.
“It was great. Orlando was really welcoming,” said linebacker Kyle Kudla, who was named the game’s defensive MVP. “The whole experience was nice.”
The morning after its win, the team hit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach for some water park fun. The next day, the team visited
Typhoon Lagoon water park and Magic Kingdom.
“It was cool,” Maloy said. “We all got a lot of team bonding in. I haven’t been down to Disney since I was a little kid, so it was cool to go back and see everything.”
It wasn’t all fun and games, however.
The Eagles held practice Saturday in preparation for their upcoming game against Olmsted Falls, which made a Cinderella playoff run last year. The Bulldogs won their seasonopener, 28-18, over Brecksville-Broadview Heights.
“Our players understand Olmsted Falls was in the regional finals,” Elder said. “All you have to do is look at them on film for 10 seconds. This game isn’t make or break, but our players are certainly focused.”
That includes Kudla, who is staying focused despite next week’s home opener against rival Avon Lake looming.
“[Olmsted Falls] is a top-tier team in the SWC,” Kudla said. “If you don’t play your best, you will get beat.”
However, as the team was trailing in Florida, Olmsted Falls was the last thing on their minds.
Most of the team was concentrating on the game at hand and then the fun the team would have together. “For it to be a close game, it sets the tone for the rest of the year,” Mullins said. “That’s huge for our team. And I think it made the rest of the weekend more enjoyable, too.”
It wasn’t always pretty though, as the Eagles trailed, 9-0, at the half and had to overcome several miscues on special teams.
But, as with so many Mike Elder coached teams of the past, they played until the final whistle — even if the odds didn’t appear to be in their favor.
“We always preach to play the next play. Our players hear that all the time,” Elder said. “Not one person was looking in the past. Everyone was looking forward to what could happen. It was pretty impressive. I’m proud of them for their focus.”
For Mullins, losing that game “definitely would’ve ruined the trip.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to leave my room,” he said.
And with what was in store for the weekend, Mullins is happy that wasn’t the case.