Finally! Falcons ready for long-awaited opener Friday against NW Catholic

After a three-week delay due to COVID-19, the Avon High football team is looking forward to opening the 2021 season Friday night at Northwest Catholic.

AVON, Sept. 30, 2021 – They are the last high school team in Connecticut to start the football season. But the Avon High football isn’t looking backwards.

They are beyond excited to begin their 2021 high school season Friday when the Falcons travel to West Hartford to face Northwest Catholic under portable lights at Brewer Field at 6:30 p.m.

The Falcons have missed the first three games of the season due to COVID-19. Some players have come down with the contagious disease while others had to quarantine because they had come in contact with a person with a positive case.

“The kids are pumped up just to play,” Avon High football coach Jeff Redman said. “We’re good. We’ll do the best we can.”

The Lions (1-1, 0-1 CCC Tier 4) have two games under their belt. They dropped their season-opening contest to Hartford Public, 43-7 earlier in September but rallied to beat Bethel, 33-25 a week ago.

“Our line is very young and they could have a tough time. They are really tough kids but they are inexperienced,” Redman said.

Every high school squad in the state is struggling with inexperience this season after the entire 2020 campaign was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avon does have some players returning that did play in 2019 as sophomores. Quarterback Tabor Engle is ready to along with wide receiver Tyler Brokenshire, running back Cameron Dawiczyk and receiver Cameron Casey.

Still, the last time the Falcons played was November of 2019 – more than 22 months ago. It’s natural to expect some growing pains.

Redman is looking forward to his team hitting the field.

“We can expect to enjoy the moment and have fun,” he said. “With all that we have been through with the 2020 season being cancelled and missing our first three games, we’re going to have fun and enjoy the moment. Cherish the moment. Because you don’t know what can happen. Make it the best you can and do the best we can.”

Northwest Catholic is led by senior quarterback Matt Chuchro, who has completed 21-of-38 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite target after two games is Brady Brennan, who has caught five passes for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Dallas Cruz leads the Lions in rushing with 102 yards on 29 carries with Chuchro second with 90 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

The opening night contest is just the second time in the team’s 61-year history that they have begun the season in October. Avon opened their first varsity season in 1960 with a game on Oct. 1 with a 14-6 win over Bethel.

Avon’s season-opening game with Tolland was moved to Friday, Oct. 15 in Avon. The game against Rocky Hill on Sept. 17 was postponed while the Sept. 25 game at Notre Dame-Fairfield was canceled, according to Avon High athletic director Tim Filon.

The Lions hold a slight 13-11 edge in the season series with Avon’s last win in the series coming in 2017.