Backup QB DePaul steps up in spot start

Avon Lake wide receiver turned quarterback Jake DePaul hadn’t started a varsity game at quarterback up until last week.

But when COVID reared its ugly head, DePaul was called upon to take over under center for the Shoremen in Week 3.

Taking over for starter Jeremy Dzik — who was out after close contact with a COVID positive person — DePaul led the Shoremen to a road win over Tiffin Columbian.

“It was a pretty nerve-racking feeling but my team and my coaches picked me up and thankfully the offensive line made things pretty easy for me,” DePaul said.

DePaul didn’t know he was starting until early in the week when Dzik texted the team to let them know he wasn’t going to be able to play. Over the next few days of practice, DePaul got up to speed in the Avon Lake offense. “The first day of practice was a little rough not going to lie,” DePaul said. “(I) threw a few ducks and not far enough, but as the days went on it definitely came back to me. Once we got the run game settled I was able to settle in and things got a lot easier.”

Making his first start since he took snaps as the JV starter on Saturdays as a sophomore, DePaul was 7-of-11 for 94-yards and a touchdown. DePaul’s touchdown pass came as the clock was winding down in the first half to receiver Matthew Stuewe.

On the ground, DePaul carried the rock 16 times for 127 yards.

The Shoremen are hoping to have Dzik back in time for their Sept. 10 rivalry clash with Avon. If they do their offense will look a lot different than it would with DePaul under center again.

“I’ll tell you it was nice to be able to run the ball,” head coach Matt Kostelnik said. “I think I lost an entire weekend of sleep after the Brecksville game (where we ran for) 14 yards. But it was great to see that we have a backup quarterback that comes out and executes at a high level and does what we need him to do.”

Dzik and Stuewe had been thriving together through two games. The duo combined for 18 completions and over 250-yards — including two scores — in a pair of Avon Lake wins. That’s not something the Shoremen have been known for in recent history.

Last year the backfield was filled with dangerous runners like Mason Wheeler, Gage Duesler and Michael Corbo — that trio combined for 1,500 yards. Through three games in 2021, the Shoremen have just two runners over 100-yards on the season — including DePaul with 129 and Jason Krukowski with 279.

This year Dzik and Stuewe have led the way. Dzik — in two starts — has thrown for five scores which already puts him two shy of Corbo’s total from 2020.

“(Dzik and Stuewe) went to a ton of camps together in the offseason and we went to (T3 Performance in Avon) together every Saturday and did one-on-ones against some of the best cornerbacks in the area. And then we’d come to practice and do work against our cornerbacks and just got the connection working.”

No matter who is under center, Avon Lake will have plenty of motivation as they take on Avon in their conference opener. The Shoremen have lost five straight to the Eagles — including a pair of heartbreaking losses in 2020.

The first came in a double-overtime game that was suspended due to inclement weather.

The second was even more of a gut punch as Avon Lake nearly knocked off Avon before kicker Nathanial Vakos sent the Eagles to their fifth straight state semifinal.

“We’re ready. We’re not trying to get too high or too low heading into (the game against Avon) we’re just trying to stay as mellow,” DePaul said. “It’s a game that always seems to come down to the last possession, so we’ve just got to work hard and know what we need to do.”