No. 7: Avon coach Elder gets win No. 100

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WHAT HAPPENED » Avon headed into the final week of the regular season hosting Southwestern Conference foe Olmsted Falls. The Eagles were undefeated and had a chance to win their first Southwestern Conference title — not to mention, coach Mike Elder was seeking his 100th career win in 10 years at Avon. Led by senior quarterback Matt Kelly, the Eagles dominated Olmsted Falls in a 42-19 win, earning both the school’s first SWC football championship and Elder’s 100th win.

WHY IT MATTERS » Winning 100 games in 10 years is difficult for any program — and downright impressive. As if there were a doubt, Elder secured his spot as one of the top football coaches around, and earning Avon’s first conference championship to go along with it a perfect 10-0 regular season was all the more special for the Eagles.

“It’s special because of where we came from. I told our team before the season ... I wasn’t feeling ’em. I just didn’t like where we were as a team and a program. I challenged our seniors ... and we’ve gotten better every week and I couldn’t be more proud of the group.” — Elder, after the game, on Avon’s first conference championship

“It’s a testament to this program. After the night wound down a bit, I had a chance to just reflect on it. On the people who made it possible. The players, coaches, families — both mine and the players’ — administration. All of them played a role in this milestone.” — Elder on his 100th win

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had more fun coaching this team and it has nothing to do with being 100, it’s all about their work ethic and who they are in the locker room, who they are in school, in the community. It’s just a special group.” — Elder

“He’s always fired up. He really gets us prepared, he prepares us the best of anyone in the state. I have the most respect for Coach Elder.” — Kelly

“Credit to them, they did an outstanding job, but I knew that going in that that’s a really, really good football team, one of the best teams around. For us to beat them, we have to be on our A game, we have to finish, we have to take advantage of opportunities that we get, and when we’re in the red zone we have to finish.” — Olmsted Falls coach Tom DeLuca

Unfortunately, Avon couldn’t ride the momentum of a perfect regular season, an SWC title and Elder’s 100th win as the Eagles were ousted the next week by Avon Lake in the first round of the playoffs. But one game does not make a season — or a program, for that matter. Despite the disappointing loss in the postseason, 2016 will go down in the Avon football record books as the Eagles remain a top program in the area.

Sports Editor Jon Behm contributed to this article.