ASHLAND — Avon football coach Mike Elder feels deep down his team should be moving on to the final four.
He knows this will go down as one of Avon’s best years and he knows what a great senior class he coached.
“(Big Walnut) deserved to win the game,” he said. “I’m not questioning that. Our kids can play with Big Walnut. They proved that.
“We had our chances in this game. I’m very frustrated that we didn’t take advantage of all of them. Not for me and my personal feelings, but I’ve got a group of seniors who are good enough to still be playing next week. Unfortunately, (Saturday) wasn’t our night and Big Walnut gets that opportunity and we don’t.”
Avon did outplay Big Walnut all night but the Eagles’ mistakes were just too much to overcome. A critical Avon fumble at the end of the first half and Big Walnut’s immediately making a big scoring play turned things around.
Senior quarterback Ryan O’Rourke’s first interception of the season and a couple costly penalties all added up on the wrong side of the ledger for the Eagles as they lost 24-15 to the defending Division III state champions at Ashland Community Stadium. Avon finished 12-1, tying its best mark in school history. The 1996 Eagles also finished 12-1.
“This is only my second year at Avon,” said Elder, “but when I walked in to meetings with these kids and took over the job — kids like Garrett Gronowski and Ryan O’Rourke — you could just see the burning desire to be successful. Not only in football, but everything.
“Avon athletics is taking off. We’ve got a good thing brewing there and those guys are part of the reason why expectations are going to be great down the road and in the future. When they look back on their mark and what they’ve left at Avon, they’re going to be really proud of their accomplishments.”
“Twelve-and-one is a great season,” said O’Rourke. “It’s been fun with a great bunch of guys.”
“We were a close group of guys,” said senior tailback Marquis Harrell. “Everyone had each other’s backs. We went into every game trying to win. This one we just came out on the bottom end of it.”
The loss Saturday takes nothing away from what arguably is the best senior class ever to don the Eagle football uniform. Harrell, O’Rourke, Gronowski, Brett Jensen, David Olach, Colin Moran, Albert Tomechko, Vic Jenkins, Matt Kiessling, Bryent Robertson, Alex Tabar, Matt Logan and Collin Krebs — the senior starters for Avon — can forever walk the streets of their hometown with their heads held high.
“I’m extremely proud of them,” Elder said. “I can’t say enough about this group. I hurt inside but I’m very happy. We’re done playing. I have to let them go on to their other sports where they’ll have great success. I’m sure those other coaches are going to be glad to get them back. I’ll get to sit in the stands now and be a big fan of theirs like I was as their coach.”
“It’s one of the better teams to come through this school,” said Harrell. “There’s nothing else left to say.” 

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