Avon rolls to Homecoming night victory over Tolland

Avon’s Noah Abdelmalch makes a sack in Friday night’s win over Tolland at the high school. (Photo courtesy Mark Zacchio)

AVON, Sept. 25 – Ian McDonald scored a career-high four touchdowns in one game and the Falcons scored four times in the first quarter as the Avon High football team rolled to a dominating 47-7 Central Connecticut Conference win over Tolland Friday night during Homecoming.

“We were very efficient,” Avon coach Jim Caouette said. “Any time, you start the game off with a kickoff return for a touchdown, it is a good way to start. We played solid football offensively and played great defense throughout the game. I was very happy with our effort.”

Avon (2-1, 1-0 CCC Div. 3 East) began the game with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Sean Del Gallo. Andrew Blackmore also scored on a 24-yard fumble return. McDonald had touchdown runs of 21 and 7 yards in the first quarter as the Falcons put up 26 points on the scoreboard.

In the second quarter, McDonald rambled 73 yards on a fake punt for a touchdown. Leon Ashbury scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter but he ran eight times for 56 yards on the 70-yard scoring drive.

It was a nice win coming off a tough 22-20 loss to East Catholic a week ago. And the Falcons did it on just two days of practice due to a junior varsity game on Monday and a Jewish holiday on Wednesday. “We were a lot more focused,” Caouette said. “I hate to say a loss helped but it focused our kids. After East Catholic, they know what they are capable of doing and they took care of business.”

The win was Avon’s 11 consecutive win at home under the lights, dating back to 2006. Avon hosts Fermi-Enfield on next Saturday at 2 p.m. in a CCC Division 3 Eastern Division contest. … This was Avon’s first CCC Div. 3 Eastern Division contest. Tolland slips to 1-2 and 1-1 in the Eastern Division.

Avon 47, Tolland 7
At Avon
Tolland (1-2)       7  0  0  0  — 7
Avon (2-1)           26  14  7  0  — 47
First quarter
A: Sean Del Gallo 85 kickoff return (kick failed), 11:46
A: Ian McDonald 21 run (run failed), 9:43
A: Andrew Blackmore 24 fumble return (Alden Getz kick). 8:43
A: McDonald 7 run (Getz kick), 3:06
T: Eddie Mesnil 93 kickoff return (Jon Lindquist kick), 2:51
Second quarter
A: McDonald 73 run (Getz kick), 10:19
A: McDonald 9 run (Getz kick), 7:31
Third quarter
A: Leon Ashbury 1 run (Getz kick), 2:24