THE GAME! Avon Bids for State Football Championship

Avon’s seventh trip to the state final four in the last eight years finally led to the Division II championship game. The Eagles snapped a five-game losing streak in the state semifinals to Archbishop Hoban by beating the Knights in Akron, 35-10, with the same recipe that got them there in this undefeated season: a patient offense, swarming defense and special teams that doesn’t lose field position.

“We did this one for the entire community,” senior quarterback Nolan Good said Friday at the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium. “Every alumni that’s ever come through this program and lost to them in this exact stage in the final four.”

Good is a Kent State commit and Mr. Football finalist. The Northeast Lakes District Offensive Player of the Year is coming off an All-Ohio season as a junior that ended prematurely in the playoffs because of a collarbone injury in the regional semifinals. Avon pushed Hoban in last year’s state semifinal before a three-point loss without him, but his presence with 3,136 yards passing and 28 touchdowns to eight interceptions pushed them over the top for this matchup against Anderson — two undefeated teams — to open the three-day weekend in Canton.

Good is as elusive with his feet (701 yards rushing and 11 TDs) as he is accurate with his arm. The Eagles’ run game includes a stable of backs in senior Tyler Kaufmann (688 yards, 12 TDs) with juniors Cam Wendell (405 yards, six TDs) and emerging Quiante Smith (583 yards, 12 TDs), who rushed for a team-high 106 yards and three second-half TDs against Hoban.

The receivers are led by senior Matt Maxey, the school’s career leader in receiving yards, but Good has plenty of targets with Maxey (1,267 yards, 10 TDs on 84 receptions). Senior Cole Kepner (636 yards, seven TDs on 31 receptions), junior Grant Barr (569 yards, eight TDs on 40 receptions) and tight end Ty Beerbohm (383 yards, one TD on 20 receptions) are dangerous threats in the pass game, while the line is bolstered by two-way standout and Cincinnati commit Jeremiah Kelly with third-year starting center Connor Bingham.

Defensively, Avon’s front seven is deep and includes multi-year starters Jason Gillespie and Jack Hricovec with big ends Sam Toniolo (team-high six sacks entering the state semifinals) and junior Lance Dawson. The linebackers are led by Owen Garcia (team-high 99.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks entering the state semifinals) and junior Ryan Stolarski, whose offers include Akron and Toledo.

Junior Jakob Weatherspoon headlines the secondary as a Power Four prospect with offers that include Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. While colleges like him at cornerback, he moved to safety this year. Kaufmann doubles as another safety. Aiden Atkins, Alex Rivera and Alex Falasco also played big in last week’s win against Hoban, which leaned on sophomore Brayton Feister for 552 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in its previous two playoff wins.

Avon’s defense limited him to 55 yards in the first three quarters, leading to the school’s first appearance in a state final since 2011. That is Avon’s only other state championship game. Both have come under coach Mike Elder, who is in his 18th year.

A win Thursday night would bring the school its first state title.

Anderson has a 15-0 record for the first time in program history and is making its first state final appearance since 2008 when it was a Division II state runner-up. Anderson is trying to win its second state championship in program history after winning the 2007 Division II state title.

Anderson defeated Sunbury Big Walnut 28-24 in a Division II state semifinal Nov. 29 at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.

Under ninth-year head coach Evan Dreyer, the Raptors average 47.5 points and 461.8 yards, including 307 yards passing, per game and are tied for seventh with 2012 St. Clairsville on the state record list for most points by a team in a season (713).

Senior QB Justice Burnam has thrown for 3,986 yards and 41 touchdowns this season. He’s rushed for 725 yards and 15 touchdowns. Burnam has thrown for 8,326 yards in his career and will appear on the OHSAA record list for yards passing in a season, career passing yards, most passing touchdowns in a season and most career passing touchdowns.

Senior WR Trace Jallick is scheduled to sign with Mercyhurst. Jallick has 101 receptions for 1,882 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Jallick will be on the OHSAA record list for most receptions in a season and most receiving touchdowns in a season.

Senior safety Jayonn Saunders is scheduled to sign with Mercyhurst. Saunders has five interceptions this season. He has 24 interceptions in his career. He will be on the OHSAA record list for most career interceptions.

Anderson High School is located in Anderson Township on the east side of Cincinnati and is in the Forest Hills Local School District. Former All-Pro NFL offensive lineman Andrew Norwell, a former Ohio State player and former NFL offensive lineman Greg Mancz are both 2010 Anderson graduates.