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Avon, Farmington to renew football rivalry after 16-year absence

Avon’s Ben Ewbank (28) moves downfield against Farmington in the last game between the two teams in 2005.

It used to be a rivalry but now it’s just a game.

It has been nearly 20 years – 16 to be exact – since Avon and Farmington met on the football field in 2005. Now, there are players on the field that weren’t even born the last time the two squads met on the gridiron.

It used to be played on grass on sunny but cold Saturday afternoons. Now, it will be played on plastic grass under the lights on a Friday night.

The two teams used to play their season finale against each other with the winner taking home the McLellan/Maskery trophy. Now, they’re just looking for victories.

Avon (2-1) and Farmington (0-5) meet on Friday night beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the turf field outside Avon High School for the first time as members of the Central Connecticut Conference.

The two squads are in different places at the midway point of the season.

After missing the first three weeks of the season due to complications from COVID-19, the Falcons (2-1) grinded out a 7-3 win over Tolland last week and are looking to get another victory and possibly continue on a path to their first winning season since 2015.

On the other hand, Farmington (0-5) is seeking their first victory of the season.

The one thing that was constant when the two teams met was unpredictability. A team’s record seldom mattered entering the game and there were a few big upsets.

The only way to reawaken the rivalry is to play. It will probably take a few years and will need some close contests and victories by both sides.

So, until the rivalry is reignited, here are a few highlights from Avon vs. Farmington football rivalry 1.0.

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John Rowley (32) tries to escape a Farmington tackle in the last game between two programs in 2005.

Numbers: The series began in 1960 when Avon fielded their first varsity football team. The Indians – as Farmington was known as up until last year – won the first two games in the series by scores of 6-0 before the Falcons won the next six games. Avon currently leads the overall series, 23-21.

Trophies: During the series, the two teams have taken home two trophies. From 1969-95, the winner of the game took home the George T. Bennett Cup, named in honor of a former Farmington High principal who led his school for 16 years. He died in 1969.

In 2004 and 2005, the two teams began to play for the Maskery/McLellan Trophy in honor of two long-time coaches. Paul Maskery coached Farmington 1969-82 and compiled the most wins in Farmington history (70-56-2) while Glenn McLellan coached Avon from 1966-91 and 1994 compiling a school-record 130 wins with 116 losses and two ties.

Neighbors: The two teams were part of the Northwest Conference from 1965 through 1984 when Avon left the NWC. While Avon joined the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC), the Falcons remained in the Nutmeg Football Conference with Farmington and the other NWC football schools.

The rivalry took a two-year break in 1996 and 1997 when Avon joined the Pequot Conference. The Falcons rejoined the Nutmeg Conference in 1998 through 2005 before going back to the Pequot Conference in 2006, ending the rivalry.

* * * *

Some notable games and accomplishments.

2005: Farmington QB Steve Harrington completed a school-record 22 passes for 317 yards (school records at the time) and a touchdown but Avon outlasted Farmington, 21-20. The Falcons kept Harrington off the field long enough to escape with a win. Farmington scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 20-13 lead. Ben Ewbank scored with 11:55 left and scored on a two-point conversion to put Avon ahead, 21-20. Farmington had two more drives deep into Avon territory but a receiver dropped a pass in the end zone and a field goal was too short. Avon didn’t attempt a pass in the game.

2003: Coming off a 1-9 season, Avon forced four turnovers and ended the season with a 25-14 win over Farmington, which had won seven games coming into the contest. Falcon back Tom Canty ran for a TD, a game-high 142 yards and exceeded 1,000 yards for the season. QB Tony Casorio threw for a season-hgih 172 yards and three TDs. Only 16 players for the Falcons saw playing time.

2001: Joe Rheaume scores two touchdowns in the final 8:28 of the game as Avon beats Farmington, 12-7 for their first win in the series since 1994. Farmington had won five of the previous six games entering the contest.

1995: Brandon Bliss runs for four TDs (5, 3, 7, and 70 yards) as Farmington rolls to a 33-12 win over Avon.

1994: Tim Gillett runs for two TDs including a 93-yard run as Avon beats Farmington, 27-12.

1988: John McLaughlin runs for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries as the Falcons end the season at 5-5 with a 14-7 win over Farmington.

1984: Farmington’s Terry Wooden runs for 238 yards and one touchdown on 31 carries as Farmington earns a 12-6 victory.

1983: Avon won their first eight games of the season and could have won the Northwest Conference title and earned a spot in the Class S championship game with a season-ending win over Farmington.

But the Indians (5-5, 3-3 NWC) dominated from the opening kickoff in a 27-0 win. Terry Wooden, who would play football at Syracuse and in the NFL (Seahawks, Chiefs, Raiders) ran for 160 yards on 29 carries. Farmington QB Bill Phillips threw three TD passes to split end David Williams (four receptions, 60 yards).

Avon (8-1, 5-1 NWC) shared the NWC title with Berlin and missed the playoffs. In 1983, only the top two teams advanced to the state title game. Avon finished fourth in the CIAC rankings.

1981: Avon’s Rob Funkhowser scored on a nine-yard run with less than two minutes remaining to lift Avon (8-1, 5-1 NWC) to a 21-13 win over Farmington to keep their state playoff hopes alive. Farmington’s Dean Zaino tied the game at 13-13 with an 80-yard TD run with 3:25 remaining. Woodrow Wilson of Middletown beat Middletown on Thanksgiving to win the NWC title and claim the second berth in the Class S championship game.

1980: Avon’s Henry Brown runs for 209 yards and four TDs in a 41-0 win over Farmington.

1977: Avon’s Brian Dully runs for five touchdowns (2, 3, 3, 6 and 31 yards) as the Falcons beat Farmington, 34-20.

1974: Farmington won just two games in 1974 but one victory was a 21-9 decision over Avon, which finished 6-3. Keith Bopp ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns for Farmington.

1972: Bill Pennington’s field goal from 27 yards away with 3:33 remaining lifted Farmington a 3-0 win over the Falcons.

1970: Farmington (6-3, 3-2 NWC) could have grabbed a share of the Northwest Conference title with a victory but Avon’s Jay Young scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from Dave Lindsay with 30 seconds left as Avon pulled within one point. Lindsay completed a two-point conversion pass to Bill Scharman to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory. Charles Morse ran for 161 yards and two TDs for the Falcons (4-4, 3-2 NWC).

1967: Avon went undefeated (8-0, 5-0 NWC) for the first time and won their first league championship by running the table in the Northwest Conference. The closest victory was a 7-0 win over Farmington on Nov. 4. The Falcons recovered a fumble on the FHS 26-yard line and six plays later, it was John Holfelder scoring on a one-yard run. Dick Migli had the extra point for the Falcons.

Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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