McDonald helps Avon roll past Patriots for fifth victory

Avon’s Ian McDonald is back in the lineup for the Falcons. He ran for two TDs Friday night.

The Avon High football team is getting healthy at the right time of year. 

Ian McDonald, who began the year as the starting quarterback for the Falcons, is back in the lineup and ran for a career-high 164 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-9 Pequot Uncas Division win over an undermanned and young Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton squad on Friday night in Coventry. 

McDonald was injured in the season-opening loss to Ellington/Somers and missed four games. He saw limited action a week ago in the loss against North Branford. Against the Patriots, McDonald led Avon on four scoring drives. Sean Del Gallo, who stepped in to play quarterback after McDonald was hurt, led Avon on three scoring drives. 

McDonald gives Avon a dynamic presence in the backfield. He has good speed and is an accurate passer. He completed 5-of-12 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Before he was hurt against Ellington, he ran for 101 yards and a touchdown. Against Coventry, McDonald had runs of 64, 23 and 20 yards. 

Avon (5-2, 5-1 Pequot Uncas) has a challenging schedule in its final four games. The Falcons play an athletic Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (5-2) team Saturday on the road that feature two outstanding backs in Jarvis Miller and Khrami Thomas. 

Miller, who has committed to attend Penn State, ran for 243 yards and four TDs in a win over Gilbert/Northwestern and had 185 yards against Enfield. Thomas had 162 yards and three TDs against Enfield. 

Avon hosts undefeated Valley Regional/Old Lyme (7-0) on November 8 and the Warriors have been the most dominant team in the Pequot Conference this season. The Falcons close out the regular season with their final game against Canton (6-1, 6-0 Uncas) on Nov. 15 in a contest that could go a long way in determining the Uncas Division champion and then host Gilbert/Northwestern (4-3, 4-2 Uncas) on Thanksgiving morning in Avon. 

Against Coventry, the Falcons took command immediately with a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Teddy Allmendinger and Jamie Dlugolecki scored on touchdown runs while Geoff Kirk scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from McDonald. 

A 62-yard touchdown run from McDonald and a four-yard run from Allmendinger extended the halftime lead to 35-0. 

Andrew Blackmore ran for 86 yards on five carries. Kirk caught three passes for 66 yards. The Patriots, who play numerous freshmen in their starting lineup, scored in the final seconds of the game on a kickoff return. 

NOTES: Avon is currently ranked at No. 10 in the CIAC Class M playoff rankings. The top eight earn a spot in the playoffs. The Falcons probably can’t afford another loss if they hope to play in December. … In terms of winning a Pequot Uncas Division title, Avon would need to beat Canton, Windsor Locks and Gilbert and hope that Ellington loses to either Windsor Locks, Coventry or Granby. … With Avon moving to the CCC next fall, the series with Coventry/WT/Bolton is complete with Avon winning six of eight games. Friday’s game was the most lopsided in the series.

Avon 49, Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton 6
At Coventry
Avon (5-2)                         21  14  14  0 — 49
Coventry/WT/Bolton (1-6)   0    0    0  6 —   6
First quarter
A: Teddy Allmendinger 8 run (kick failed)
A: Jamie Dlugolecki 4 run (Luke Meaney pass from Sean Del Gallo)
A: Geoff Kirk 5 pass from Ian McDonald (Alden Getz kick)
Second quarter
A: McDonald 62 run (Getz kick)
A: Allmendinger 4 run (Getz kick)
Third quarter
A: Gino Bonalumi 2 run (Getz kick)
A: McDonald 9 run (Getz kick)
Fourth quarter
C: unknown 75 kickoff (kick blocked)
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Avon – Teddy Allmendinger 4-21, Ian McDonald 10-164, Andrew Blackmore 5-86, Jamie Dlugolecki 4-25, Gino Bonalumi 1-2, Dylan Burgos 3-6, Baldwin 6-26, Leon Asberry 4-5, Jordan Williams 1-1
PASSING: Avon – Ian McDonald 5-12-0, 120; Sean Del Gallo 1-1-0, 2
RECEIVING: Avon – Geoff Kirk 3-66, Luke Meaney 2-10, Jordan Williams 1-8, Sean Del Gallo 1-36