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"It was nasty," summarized Avon coach Tim Feshler, surveying a field that featured a twenty-yard long puddle down the southwestern corner that was the scene of one of the night’s most memorable moments.
After Williard had given Farmington (5-4-1) a 14-0 lead on the strength of his two first-quarter touchdowns, the game’s next score came with 3:44 left when Avon’s Joe Friedoff took a handoff, cut right, and collided with the Indians’ Stefan Squillante as both players’ footsteps splashed cold water into the air.
Friedoff (12 carries, 51 yards) bounced off Squillante, who landed face-first in the puddle, and raced to the end zone for the touchdown that narrowed the gap to eight points. When Squillante stood up, it was hard to see what hurt more - the stinging chill of the icy water, or the touchdown.
But Squillante had to be warmed by the play of two-way tackle Greg Walker, who Bemis praised, saying, "He improves every game. Defensively, he is dominating games."
Walker shut down Avon’s final threat when he tripped up quarterback Tony Casorio, who appeared to have a great deal of running room as he stepped out of the pocket on Avon’s second-and-21 from its own 16 with just over a minute remaining.
"I knew we weren’t going to let them score," Bemis said, professing confidence in his defense, which limited Avon to 14 yards offense in the game. "It wasn’t going to happen."
It looked like Williard could be in for another record-breaking night when he carried for 66 yards on the Indians’ 14-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 7:44 and culminated when the senior swept 13 yards into the end zone to make it 6-0.
On Avon’s first play from scrimmage, defensive end Jermaine Baskerville’s hit on Friedoff jarred the slippery pigskin loose, and Graig Duford recovered at the Avon 27.
On the next drive, Williard carried all seven plays, and finished the drive with a 6-yard jaunt. He showed some nifty cuts when he took in the two-point conversion for an apparently comfortable 14-0 lead as the rain, which had been falling since before the game, turned into a downpour.
Atter Williard’s score, neither team could move the ball. Avon continuing a season-long trend, made only one first down in the game, with just under four minutes left in the third quarter, while Farmington controlled the ball, but couldn’t cross the goal line.
"We wanted to keep running the ball, but we were fumbling snaps (6 in the game), and it’s hard to do when it’s second-and-10," Bemis said of the Indians’ inability to add to the lead. "The weather was a big factor. Williard would’ve had 270 yards if it wasn’t raining, and (quarterback Todd Marsh) couldn’t grip the ball to throw."
The two quarterbacks combined for two completions for a total of one yard passing in the game, but Bemis was satisfied with the season finale, saying, "It’s good for the younger guys to finish with a two-game winning streak."
Farmington 14, Avon 6
Avon (1-9) 0 0 0 6 - 6
Farmington (5-4-1) 14 0 0 0 - 14
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
F - Brandon Williard 13 run (kick failed), 4:16
F - Williard 6 run (Williard run), 0:32
Fourth Quarter
A - Joe Friedoff 31 run (run failed), 3:44
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:
RUSHING: Avon (22-13) - Joe Friedoff 12-51, Tony Casorio 4-(10), Ben Lerer 5-(26), Tom Canty 1-(2); Farmington (50-184) - Brandon Williard 32-173, Adam Golab 5-13, Todd Marsh 8-(1), Matt Hancock 2-0, Roosevelt Terry 1-0, Jeremiah Carnelli 1-(1), Greg Walker 1-0.
PASSING: Avon (1-8-0, 1 yard) - Ben Lerer 1-7-0, 1 yard, Tony Casorio 0-1-0, 0 yards; Farmington (1-9-1, 0 yards) - Todd Marsh 1-9-1, 0 yards.
RECEIVING: Avon - Matt Friedoff 1-1; Farmington - Matt Hancock 1-0.
