The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
AMHERST TAKES ON AVON LAKE
The Amherst band and flag corps perform before the Comets faced the Avon Lake Shoremen on Sept. 18.
The Avon Lake Shoremen were seeking out a statement win for their 2020 season.
They finally got one in Week 4.
Avon Lake (3-1) downed previously undefeated Amherst (31), 21-7, on the road in a clash between two top-tier Southwestern Conference teams Sept. 18.
Shoremen running back Gage Duesler led the way for Avon Lake with 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
This was Duesler’s second career game in which he notched over 200 yards on the ground.
“He played great,” Avon Lake coach Matt Kostelnik said. “That’s what we need. That’s what he’s there to do. The offensive line did fantastic blocking up front, and he was making the right cuts and reads. Great performance.”
Avon Lake got off to a fast start and didn’t waste any time taking an early 7-0 lead in the opening quarter.
The Shoremen put together a lengthy drive on their opening possession, which was capped off by Duesler’s first TD run of the night. He took the handoff, bounced it outside and sprinted down the sideline for a 23-yard score.
After each team traded punts, Duesler struck again, this time scoring from six yards out to give his team a 14-0 lead with just over a minute left to play in the first half.
Avon Lake’s scoring drive was set up by back-to-back Amherst penalties, which moved the Shoremen into the red zone. From there, Duesler did the rest.
“When we can keep running those same plays over and over and the boys up front are leading the way for me and creating holes like that to allow me to get that yardage and those touchdowns, it’s all credit to those boys up front,” Duesler said. “I give them more of the credit than I do myself tonight.”
Penalties were the theme of the game for the Comets, as they committed over seven penalties. Each time Amherst put together a solid drive, it committed drive-stalling penalties that resulted in punts.
“We need to be more disciplined and not shoot ourselves in the foot,” Amherst coach Mike Passerrello said. “We have to learn that if we want to win big games.”
The Comets began the second half with the ball, trailing, 14-0. Quarterback Tyler Brezina — who completed 10 of 14 passes for 119 yards and one TD in the contest — led his team on a lengthy 12-play drive. Amherst made its way deep into Avon Lake territory but couldn’t capitalize after turning the ball over on a fumble.
That was a key sequence in the game as the Comets’ offense struggled to move the ball the rest of the way.
After both teams punted, Avon Lake’s offense went back to work. Duesler helped the Shoremen take time off the clock with one run after another. He hammered away at the Comets’ defense and cashed in one last time.
Duesler broke several tackles en route to a 26yard touchdown run with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to put Avon Lake ahead, 21-0. That scoring drive all but sealed the win for the Shoremen.
Duesler got into a rhythm as the game went on and said he could tell Amherst’s defenders were wearing down toward the end of the contest.
“I just get hungrier and hungrier,” Duesler said. “As we get closer and closer to that end zone, I just want to keep pounding the rock until I can reach that end zone.”
Amherst got on the board when Brezina hit receiver Alden Steele on a 65-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 3:25 left in the game. Following the score, Avon Lake recovered an onside kick to seal the win.
“It was a four-quarter battle on both sides,” Passerrello said. “I’m proud of our guys for competing every play, and we need to clean up the mistakes.”
Up next, both teams hit the road with Avon Lake heading to North Olmsted, while Amherst travels to Olmsted Falls on Sept. 25.