Avon takes down one of highest-ranked teams in state: Top Section V games from Saturday
Avon delivered one of the season's biggest shockers Saturday, turning back two-time defending Section V Class D champion Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 13-7 in what Braves coach Andy Englert called a "great small school football atmosphere."
Avon quarterback Chris Thompson found Kalman Dolgos for a 7-0 first quarter lead. Up by one with 4:31 remaining, Thompson's 75-yard touchdown run gave the Braves a seven-point lead. Everyone made key blocks, including running back Wesley Farley, who sprinted 50 yards up the sideline to clear Thompson's path.
Avon improved to 2-1. A 41-12 win over Batavia Notre Dame last week gives Avon a winning streak after falling to Canisteo-Greenwood in the opener. The Braves will play the Aggies and the Chargers again in October.
"Even going back to Week 1, I was proud of our energy and willingness to prepare. The kids believe in the system, they're willing to learn and they love being together," Englert said. "They're a fun group, and today was the same. Four quarters of football. Two good teams. Small town football. And they came out on top. It was a pretty good battle."
Englert felt empathy for Oakfield-Alabama/Elba's Aggies, who played without senior quarterback/linebacker Bodie Hyde, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week. Hyde was named to the all-state Class D first team in 2022 by the New York State Sportswriters Association and to the fall 2021 all-state second team offense. Avon respects Hyde as a person, student and player, especially after he beat the Braves in the 2021 sectional final.
As the Braves were unsure who'd replace Hyde, junior Gavin Armbrewster emerged. He threw a 55-yard touchdown to Shaun Alexander on a play-action bootleg to move Oakfield-Alabama/Elba within 7-6 of Avon midway through the second.
Each team turned the ball over twice. Aggies' linebacker Austin Pangrazio caught an interception in the red zone when the Braves threatened to score before halftime.
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"Avon played a much cleaner game than us today," Oakfield-Alabama/Elba coach Tyler Winter said. "When you have multiple uncharacteristic mistakes, it’s tough to rally against teams like them.
"This will serve as a good learning experience for us down the road, as we still have not scratched the surface of our potential. Plenty of ball left."
Monroe 48, Rochester Prep/Eugenio Maria de Hostos 0
Monroe made sure it was heading into next week's showdown at Batavia in style, by controlling this matchup in Section V Class B.
Tahjmir Mullins scored touchdowns at the end of two runs, Messiah Hampton scored two touchdowns, Robert Arnold and and Dashon Constantine one each at Monroe. Red Jackets quarterback Khaya Moses connected with Amari Colon also for a touchdown.
Monroe, a 54-6 winner at Honeoye Falls-Lima last weekend, is 2-0. The Red Jackets play at Batavia, home of the two-time defending Section V Class B champion, 7 p.m. Friday.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V football: Top games from Saturday Sept. 16 2023
