High school football playoffs: For third straight year, Highland's season ends with loss to Avon

BRUNSWICK — Skill position players understandably receive significant credit, but 6-foot-4, 300-pound Max Hauck and 6-5, 255-pound Lance Dawson were too large to ignore Friday night. The Avon standout linemen combined to make game-changing plays on offense, defense and special teams in the Division II, Region 6 championship against top-seeded Highland at nearly-sold out Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium. The third-seeded Eagles followed a familiar script of a fast start followed by holding off a furious Hornets rally to emerge 36-19 on a rainy night and advanced to play Walsh Jesuit (12-1) at the University of Akron next week. Hauck moved all around the offensive line to set the tone in a physical first half that saw Avon (12-1) take a 21-6 lead. The Cincinnati-bound Dawson was even more impactful with three sacks, a blocked extra point that forced Highland (12-1) to chase points and the game-sealing dagger when he stuffed a 41-yard Jonah Kowza field goal attempt that was returned 72 yards for a touchdown by Nathan Peters with 6:29 remaining. Highland scrapped, clawed and fought after adjusting to Avon's size but ran out of time en route to losing to the Eagles for the third straight year and eighth time in 15 seasons. "This sucks," first-team All-Ohio running back Casey Myser said. "I watched those boys from Avon raise that (regional championship) trophy three years in a row, so it sucks." The Hornets were reeling after Cam Wendell's 2-yard touchdown run made the score 21-6 with 49 seconds left in the half. The Highland first-team defense that had allowed one touchdown all season gave up three in its first four drives Friday, as Avon often subbed in Dominic Grasso as a sixth lineman, moved Hauck from left tackle to ineligible tight end and ran the crafty Quiontè Smith (23 carries, 175 yards, TD) behind him. Knowing it couldn't afford to run out the clock, Highland used its timeouts and advanced to the 44-yard line with six seconds left. Avon called time to set up its defense for a Hail Mary, but Myser (10 carries, 105 yards, TD) still jumped between two defenders, fell to the turf, felt the ball teetering on his lap and curled his legs to secure a hair-raising touchdown. Miami of Ohio recruit Ryan Stolarski and safety Jerry Clements stuffed Myser on the two-point conversion attempt to critically keep the score at 21-12, but Highland had life. "It was crazy, man," Myser said. "I didn't even know I caught it until I came down with the ball in my arms. "That definitely gave us momentum going into halftime. We made some halftime adjustments, but they're a really good team and they made some adjustments, too. Again, they're a great team." Avon scored on the opening drive of the second half when center Jack Fitch recovered a Smith fumble in the end zone — the Eagles coughed up the ball three times within the Hornets' grasp but recovered each — to complete a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ate 6:24. Highland failed on downs when Dawson strip-sacked Gibb for an 11-yard loss on the next possession. The Hornets defense finally got a stop when safety Nick Dobkowski flew downfield and tackled backup quarterback Trevor Maly for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-3 from the Highland 37. Just two plays later, Myser took what was supposed to be a counter to the right, saw the defense squeezed hard to that side and instead sprinted up the middle for a 57-yard TD. Right guard Cody Bendau pancaked his man and right tackle Thomas Fearn made a heady play to seal the impromptu hole, and Myser stiff-armed a defender at the 40 to break free. Now down 29-19, Highland nearly recovered a Jameson Gordon forced fumble on the ensuing kickoff — the ball bounced off the thigh of a closing Hornets player before the Eagles recovered on their 15 — and again got a huge stop when Avon quarterback Blake Elder (12-of-16, 123 yards) overshot top receiver Grant Barr (3 catches, 65 yards) on third down. The Eagles punted to the Highland 8-yard line, but Grady Gibb (7-of-12, 167 yards; 18 carries, 28 yards) found Nick Dobkowski for a 38-yard gain on the first play, the running game came to life and Highland was in a favorable situation facing third-and-1 from the Avon 21. Disaster then struck. The Hornets were called for a false start on a QB sneak attempt. Gibb was forced to scramble for a 2-yard gain after Caden Clapham pressured the backside on a corner blitz, and Highland elected to a try a 41-yard Kowza field goal that would have cut the deficit to one possession. Dawson had other plans, getting great penetration off the left side to block the attempt. Peters, who lined up to Dawson's right, then alertly scooped the ball on the run and rumbled 72 yards to the end zone untouched for a stunning 10-point turnaround. Instead of trailing 29-22 with multiple timeouts, the Hornets were all but finished down 36-19. "Obviously, the field goal block was a knockout blow," Highland coach Mike Gibbons said. Highland knew it had to avoid a poor start after falling behind 21-7 in a 28-14 loss in 2023 and 21-0 in a 28-20 defeat last season. Unfortunately for the Hornets, a three-and-out and an eight-play, 75-yard Avon drive capped by an Elder 4-yard TD scramble on fourth-and-goal was exactly what they didn't want to happen. While the Hornets responded with 27- and 25-yard catches by Lucas Gerding (4 catches, 85 yards) that set up a 1-yard TD sneak by Gibb, they never tied after Dawson blew through the middle to block the extra point. Avon then converted third-and-4 and picked up another first down when Highland jumped offsides on third-and-1 to eventually go ahead 14-6 on a 4-yard run by Smith. The Hornets offense, which struggled to protect Gibb all night, went three-and-out again. Further establishing the line of scrimmage with the six-man line that usually saw Hauck at tight end, Avon avoided a potential game-changer when tight end Killian Kaessing barely beat Dobkowski to a Smith fumble on the Highland 13 before Wendell scored two plays later to make it 21-6. "That offensive line, we knew coming into this game that they're so disciplined and they're very well-coached," said Highland right guard/defensive tackle Cody Bendau, who along with tackle Josh Messina played both ways. "They're people-movers, man. I'm sitting in my gap and they were moving me, but I didn't quit. I'm proud of myself for that, and I'm glad I finished my career with no regrets. That's all I can talk about. I emptied the tank. I'm so blessed to be able to play this great sport." Tears slowly but surely turned to proud smiles after Highland broke the postgame huddle. The Hornets are 59-8 over the last five seasons — included are three losses to Avon and two to Toledo Central Catholic, which went on to win the 2022 state championship — so there was nothing to be ashamed of. Highland had too much respect for Avon to ponder the what-ifs and instead reflected on giving everything it had. "It sucks we didn't accomplish our goals, but I'm so damn proud of this team," Bendau said. "We overcame so much. ... We came out here, we battled and we battled until the last second. When we were on the field, we were just thinking, 'How bad do you want it? How do you want your last play to feel the rest of your life?' "We let that resonate, and I just couldn't be more proud of this group of guys, man. It was a blessing. I'm so thankful for the community for coming out and being there for us." Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com. Avon 36, Highland 19 Division II, Region 6 Final at Brunswick AVON &emsp;&emsp;7 14 8 7 — 36 HIGHLAND &emsp;&emsp;6 6 7 0 — 19 First A — Blake Elder 4 run (Jensen Petro kick), 6:51. H — Grady Gibb 1 run (kick blocked), 4:01. Second A — Quionté Smith 4 run (Petro kick), 11:18. A — Cam Wendell 2 run (Petro kick), 0:49. H — Casey Myser 44 pass from Gibb (run failed), 0:00. Third A — Jack Fitch offensive fumble recovery (Dylan Luker pass from Trevor Maly), 5:36. H — Myser 57 run (Jonah Kowza kick), 0:11. Fourth A — Nathan Peters 72 blocked field goal return (Petro kick), 6:29. &emsp;&emsp;A &emsp;&emsp;H First downs &emsp;&emsp;21 &emsp;&emsp;12 Rushing &emsp;&emsp;42/212 30/138 Rushing average &emsp;&emsp;5.0 &emsp;&emsp;4.6 Passing &emsp;&emsp;12/16 &emsp;&emsp;7/12 Passing yards &emsp;&emsp;123 &emsp;&emsp;167 Total offense &emsp;&emsp;58/335 42/305 Punting &emsp;&emsp;2/45.0 3/35.7 Penalties &emsp;&emsp;5/30 &emsp;&emsp;5/45 Fumbles &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;5/0 &emsp;&emsp;2/0 RUSHING: Avon — Smith 23-175, Wendell 10-32, Maly 2-7, Michael Colburn 1-6, Elder 6-(-8). Highland — Myser 10-105, Gibb 18-28, Lucas Gerding 2-5. PASSING: Avon — Elder 12-16-123-0. Highland — Gibb 7-12-167-0. RECEIVING: Avon — Grant Barr 3-65, Fin Jerdonek 4-26, Jerry Clements 1-12, Smith 1-11, Wendell 2-2, Caden Clapham 1-7. Highland — Gerding 5-85, Myser 1-44, Nick Dobkowski 1-38. MISSED FIELD GOAL: Highland — Kowza 41 (BLK).