TONIGHT’S GAME: AVON VS. SUNBURY BIG WALNUT

WHAT: Division III, Region 10 championship
TIME: 7:30
WHERE: Ashland Community Stadium
RADIO: WEOL 930-AM, WOBL 1320-AM

Avon Eagles

COLORS: Purple and Gold
CONFERENCE: West Shore
RECORD: 12-0, 7-0 (1st in WSC)
PLAYOFF HISTORY: 3rd appearance (last in 2004)
PLAYOFF RECORD: 4-2
STATE TITLES: 0
COACH: Mike Elder, 2nd year

Noteworthy

• While no former Avon players are on Ashland University’s team that will play earlier in the day, several area high school standouts do play for the NCAA Division II Eagles. Elyria’s Greg Shotwell is a freshman defensive back on the team, Keystone’s D.J. Shaw is a senior outside linebacker and Black River’s Kyle Clark is a senior defensive lineman.
• Avon is just one of 10 teams left in the tournament that are both unbeaten and the top seeds in their region. There are 19 total unbeaten teams left and 18 total No. 1 seeds. The only other unbeaten team left in Division III is Circleville Logan Elm, while Walsh Jesuit and Dover are the remaining top seeds. Beside Big Walnut, the only other former Division III state champ remaining is Walsh Jesuit, which won the title in 1999.
• The Eagles are the highest-ranked team left from the final Division III AP poll, as No. 1 Thornville Sheridan — which received 17 first-place votes — was knocked off in the regional semifinals. Avon was second with six first-place votes and 250 points — 23 behind Sheridan and 18 ahead of No. 3 Circleville Logan Elm. Logan Elm and No. 4 Dover each received three first-place votes.

Season results

8/21    at Aurora    W, 27-24
8/29    Wellington    W, 48-20
9/5    at Columbia    W, 42-6
9/12    at Fairview    W, 43-12
9/19    Rocky River    W, 41-16
9/26    at Vermilion    W, 41-18
10/3    Midview    W, 51-8
10/10    Firelands    W, 55-20
10/17    at N. Ridgeville    W, 42-7
10/24    Bay    W, 45-6
11/1    Defiance    W, 7-0
11/8    *Columbian    W, 13-6
* at Kalahari Field in Huron Memorial Stadium

Stats

POINTS SCORED: 455 (37.9 per game)
POINTS ALLOWED: 143 (11.9)
SHUTOUTS: 1
TIMES SHUTOUT: 0
STREAK: Won 15

Sunbury Big Walnut Golden Eagles

COLORS: Red and Gold
CONFERENCE: Ohio Capital Conference
RECORD: 10-2, 6-0 (1st in OCC)
PLAYOFF HISTORY: 6th appearance (last in 2007)
PLAYOFF RECORD: 11-4
STATE TITLES: 1 (2007)
COACH: Scott Wetzel, 11th year

Noteworthy

• The start time for the playoff game was moved from 7 p.m. to 7:30 because Ashland University is hosting a Division II playoff game at noon. Wetzel’s son Ethan, who was the quarterback of last year’s state championship team, is a freshman for the Eagles.
“The guy in front of him injured his ankle so he might start this week,” Scott Wetzel said. “So I’m actually going to go up ahead of the team and watch the game.”
That wasn’t welcome news to  Ethan.
“He said, ‘You can’t do that. You don’t break what you’re doing to come see me play,’” the coach said. “He’s kind of a superstitious kid and he didn’t want me to mess with our routine. He gave me a list of five kids that I need to talk to about it, so I brought the five kids into my office and they all told me to go and watch the game.”
Former Big Walnut player Jarrod Workman is a junior offensive lineman on Ashland’s team.
• The Golden Eagles had six members on the Central All-District teams. Landing on the first team were senior offensive lineman Kalven Baer (6-foot, 235 pounds), senior defensive lineman Colton Griffis (6-6, 280), senior linebacker Will Studlien (6-3, 225) and senior defensive back Nick Heiden (6-0, 185). Second-teamers were sophomore kicker A.J. Fleak (6-1, 200) and junior punter Jon Norman (5-10, 160). Studlien will play for Northwestern in the Big Ten next year.
• With the massive losses on both sides of the ball from last year’s title team, Wetzel said many people had picked the Golden Eagles to finish around .500 this season.
“I guess we didn’t really have high expectations this season,” the coach said. “So everyone’s feeling loose and just enjoying themselves. We’re out there having fun, and anything we can do from here on out is just icing on the cake.”

Season results

8/21    at Aurora    W, 27-24
8/22    Westerville Central    W, 31-2
8/29    Chillicothe    L, 24-20
9/5    at Olentangy    L, 17-14
9/12    Watkins Memrial    W, 34-7
9/19    at Olentangy Orange    W, 28-7
9/26    Bishop Tonnos    W, 55-7
10/3    Delaware Hayes    W, 36-21
10/10    at New Albany    W, 17-14
10/17    at Mount Vernon    W, 28-6
10/24    Franklin Heights    W, 48-7
11/1    at Clyde    W, 18-17
11/8    *St. Marys Memorial    W, 17-12
* at Indian Lake Stadium in Lewiston

Stats

POINTS SCORED:  346 (28.8 per game)
POINTS ALLOWED: 141 (11.8)
SHUTOUTS: 0
TIMES SHUTOUT: 0
STREAK: Won 9
• DIRECTIONS: Take US-20 west to OH-58. Turn left and travel on OH-58 for 29 miles. Turn right on East 2nd Street, turn left on Center Street, then turn right on West Washington Street. Turn left on Luther Street, make a quick right on West Walnut Street, then make a quick left on Park Street. Park Street becomes Keen Avenue, then turn left on King Road. The stadium will be on the left.

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---