By Sean Duffy

Amherst, OH– Week 7 of the high school football season is ripe with great match ups throughout the area. This week’s game of the week has the 6-0 Avon Lake Shoremen traveling by to take on 5-1 Amherst-Steele Comets. A win for the Shoremen will place them all alone at the top of the Southwestern Conference. The Comets look to bounce back after a tough loss in week 6  and to remain in the hunt for a share of the Southwestern Conference title.  It is sure to be a fantastic  game between these SWC rivals.

The game opened with an 80 Yard scoring drive by the Comets that drained over six and half minutes off of the clock. Comet QB Jimmy Schill found his way into the end zone for 10 yd TD, Amherst took a 7-0 lead with 5:25 left in the 1st quarter.  The Shoremen took their opening offensive drive in to Comet territory and were looking to score early, however a costly interception by Avon Lake QB Jack Mikolich gave the Comets the ball on their own 30 yd line. At the end of the 1st quarter Amherst led 7-0.

Amherst opened the second quarter with the ball on their own 30 yd line and RB Khennedy Scagliozzo was able to rattle off big runs of 32 yds and 30 yds, setting him up for a 1 yd plunge into the end zone.  Amherst now led 14-0 with 8:07 left in the half.

After each team traded punts on their next offensive possessions, Avon Lake finally got on the scoreboard thanks to some tough running from RB Konner Riggs who scored from 6 yds out.

The score was now 14-7 with 1:45 left in the half.  Scagliozzo would take the ensuing kickoff 96 yds for a TD , and the Comets lead swelled to 21-7 with 1:41 remaining.  Avon Lake would score on a 36 yd field goal as time expired to make the score 21-10 at halftime.

The 3rd quarter began with Avon Lake going three and out  and forced to punt.  Amherst started deep in their own territory  but were on the move when a costly fumble gave  Avon Lake the ball at their own 42 yd line.  Shoremen RB Konner Riggs would score on a 8 yd TD Run, a successful 2 pt conversion made the score 21-18 with 2:54 left in the 3rd quarter. Khennedy Scagliozzo would again score on a kickoff return, this time from 91 yds, and all of a sudden the Comets led 28-18 with 2:41 left in the third quarter.   Avon Lake would end the 3rd down 28-18, however as the quarter came to an end they were on the Amherst 6 yd line.

Shoremen RB Konner Riggs would score his Third TD of the night on a 3 yd run up the middle,  Amherst held a 28-15 lead with 10:41 left in the game.  Having learned the hard way not to kick the ball to Khennedy Scagliozzo, Amherst found themselves with decent field position.  The Comets drove the ball all the way down to the Avon Lake 11 yd line and were looking for a score to put the game out of reach.  However, a fumbled hand off to Scagliozzo was recovered by Avon Lake.  The Shoremen took possession at their 11 yd line went on an 89 yd scoring drive that was capped off with a 24 yd TD pass from QB Jack Mikolich to WR Cole Schraff,  Avon Lake took a 32-28 lead with 1:34 left in the game.

Amherst’s attempt at a last second victory was thwarted  by a interception in the end zone by Avon Lake as time ran out, the final score  was 32-28 in favor of Avon Lake.

The loss drops Amherst to 5-2 over all and 4-2 in the Southwestern Conference. The Comets were led by RB Khennedy Scagliozzo who had 3 TDs on the night, two of which came on special teams.  Amherst will look to right the ship in week 8 as they travel to take on North Olmsted.

Avon Lake improves to 7-0 and 6-0 in the Southwestern Conference. The Shoremen were led by Player of the game Konner Riggs who had 3 TDs on the night.  Avon Lake will look to stay unbeaten in week 8 as they play host to Berea-Midpark.

We talked to Avon Lake Quarterback Jack Mikolich about the win and the game winning pass.