Olmsted Falls workhorse Mike Varga gets the handoff during the Bulldogs’ 35-7 loss to Avon Lake. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Bulldogs tamed by Shoremen
By Matt Pawlikowski
Sports
Published Sept. 26, 2007

When Olmsted Falls meets Avon Lake on the football field, one thing is certain: It will be old-fashioned, smash mouth football won in the trenches.

On a hot and humid Friday night in Olmsted Falls, the contest between the two state powerhouses was no different. In the end, Avon Lake, ranked third in the latest state poll, proved too tough in a 35-7 win over the Bulldogs.

“The kids were in there every play, and I thought we played well up front, especially in the first half,” said Bulldogs coach Jim Ryan. “The second half we got a little tired; the heat and humidity got to us. Avon Lake has 105 kids out and they can rotate them in and out, and we have a lot of two way players, so no doubt that hurt us tonight.”

For a bit, despite playing many players two ways, Olmsted Falls looked like it was more than up to the task of facing the Shoremen. After being stymied by the defensive pressure that Avon Lake was putting on them, Olmsted Falls abandoned its bread and butter, but then went back to the spread and mounted a 10-play 77-yard drive in the second quarter. Brandon Russo scored from five yards out, and it was 14-7 at half.

But the second half was all Shoremen as they scored 21 unanswered points.

Avon Lake got a great game once again from its two backs Mike Haddad and Jeff Tell, as each hit the 100-yard barrier. But it was the arm of Nick Firment that got the Shoremen machine rolling. With 2:55 left in the first quarter, he hit Ryan Sherer from 15 yards out to take a 7-0 lead. Then, on its next possession, it took just three plays, and  he found Sherer again, this time from 31 yards out, to make it 14-0.

Firment also got in on the scoring action himself when he caught a 16-yard pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“Oh, that felt good,” said Firment. “It was good, Coach told me we were putting it in on Monday, and I knew it was going to be great for me.”

Avon Lake Coach Dave Dlugosz joked after the game to one of the radio stations that perhaps he may get a car out of the Firment’s touchdown reception.

As for his passing, Firment, who was 6 of 14 for 135 yards, said the plays were designed after Dlugosz and his staff saw something in the Falls defense during films. The play of Avon Lake’s line also helped his cause.

“That’s the best they played,” Firment said. “They didn’t make any mental errors at all; they just played great and were solid all night.”

Entering the game, the media hype surrounding it was about Avon Lake wanting revenge. Not so, according to Dlugosz, who is friends with Ryan, after the win.

“That stuff is for the papers and the fans in the stands,” he said sternly after the game. “Certain daily newspapers like to use the term, but our kids do a great job on a daily basis of not looking ahead week to week. If you look ahead in this conference, you’ll just get beat.”

“You never think you are going to go in 14-7 at half then lose,” said Ryan. “They go up 21-7, we come back, but fail to convert on fourth down, and that was our chance. They have a nice offense; they control the ball on you, and do it effectively. We’ll try to get a win No. 4 against Midpark this weekend.”