Avon gets back to the ground game to beat Lewis Mills for first win

Avon’s Nik Meltser (5) ran for a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns in Tuesday night’s Central Connecticut Conference win over Lewis Mills, 26-13. More game photos

BURLINGTON, Nov. 26, 2024 – It was a year of trials and tests for the Avon High football team this fall. The Falcons began the season as they have the last several years, running their run-dominated single-wing offense.

But three straight shutout losses to begin the season forced some changes in the offense. “We began throwing the ball to open it up for the run game,” quarterback Ethan Lavore said Tuesday night.

The Falcons got more competitive but couldn’t put together enough plays to secure a victory. They lost to Tolland by nine points and dropped an overtime decision to Rocky Hill, despite erasing a 14-point Terrier lead to tie the game.

Lavore passed for a career-high 274 yards and threw three touchdown passes to Carter Davies in the loss to Rocky Hill, Avon’s ninth straight loss.

In Tuesday’s season finale against Lewis Mills, Avon got back to basics. They ran the damn ball. Nik Meltser ran for a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns as the Falcons ended the season with their first win of the season with a 26-13 Central Connecticut Conference win over Lewis Mills under portable lights.

Lavore, who had completed 19 passes for 356 yards and three TDs in the past two games, completed just 1-of-5 passes for nine yards.

Avon controlled the game with long touchdown drive of 15 plays (75 yards) that ate up 9:19 and 12 plays (80 yards) that ate up 6:55.

“We struck with what works,” Avon’s first-year coach Matthew Redman said. “We pride ourselves on running that damn ball and that’s what we did tonight.”

It was Redman’s father, Jeff, who brought the single-wing offense to Avon when he took over as head coach in 2018. He frequently wore a baseball cap as he walked the sideline that said, “Run the damn ball.”

Avon (1-9, 1-5 CCC Tier IV) took a 14-0 lead with 2:25 remaining in the first half when Carter Davies scampered in from six yards out and Oliver Lojewski converted on his second extra-point of the game.

But Lewis Mills (1-9, 0-6 CCC Tier IV) responded immediately with some big plays. McKinley Casey picked up the loose ball on a kickoff and raced 40 yards to the Spartan 41-yard line. A 26-yard run from Gianluca Dolzadelli put the ball inside Avon’s 30-yard line.

An 11-yard run by Dolzadelli took the ball to the Avon 6-yard line. He scored two plays later. The extra point was missed but Mills trailed 14-6 at halftime.

Avon’s opening possession of the second half was long – 12 plays, 80 yards. Reyan Fawad had a 27-yard run that brought the ball into Lewis Mills’ territory. Lavore had some nice runs on the drive, including a 13-yard run. Lavore’s one-yard touchdown run extended Avon’s lead to 20-6 with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter.

Mateo Dolzadelli blocked the extra point.

Again, Mills responded with a quick 68-yard scoring drive in two plays. Gianluca Dolzadelli ran 54-yards up the middle and pulled away from Falcon defenders to cut the lead to 20-13 with 4:21 left in the third quarter.

Gianluca Dolzadelli ran for a season-high 148 yards on 13 carries. “He has been the heart and soul of our team this year,” Mills coach Jason Pace said. “He’s been a tremendous leader and is ready to work every single day.”

Avon didn’t give up a single yard on Mills’ next offensive possession.

Lewis Mills QB Alex Weaver looks for an open receiver in Tuesday night;’s loss to Avon in Burlington.

With 8:06 remaining in the game, Avon took control of the game. On a third down and two play from the Falcon 46-yard line, it was Meltser with a 12-yard run for a first down that kept the drive alive. Three plays later, Meltser raced up the middle and exploded from the pack for a 29-yard touchdown run with 4:03 left in the game and a 26-13 lead.

In the last four minutes, there were three turnovers with Avon fumbling the ball away and Mills fumbling away the ball and throwing an interception.

“Today is the culmination of all of that work (this season),” Meltser said.

The senior was asked what kept the Falcons going through a challenging season when they were shutout five times. They scored just 20 points through the first eight games of the season.

“We just never gave up,” he said. Just keep your head down and running. As coach says, just run the damn ball and that’s what we did today and we did it well.”

Matthew Redman said, “We had a tough time (this season) but whatever we doing, the kids bought in (to it). I give so much credit to them. They never doubted us. They always believed in us.”

He watched his players celebrate on the wet, grass field in Burlington.

“I have no words,” he said. “The emotion. Look at the guys and see how much it means to them and that is what is important. I couldn’t be happier for them.

Lewis Mills had a long drive of their own to open the game with a 14-play drive that stalled on the Avon 25-yard line.

The Falcons responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 9:19 and spilled over into the second quarter. Meltser scored from the four-yard line to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead – their first lead of the season.

OF NOTE: Avon takes a 4-0 lead in the Thanksgiving Week series that began in 2021. … Ethan Lavore (10-64) and Reyan Fawad (9-70) each ran for season-highs on the ground. … Avon scored 46 points in the final two games of the season to finish with 68 on the year. It’s the fewest points in a 10-game season in school history. The Falcons had 79 points in 2004 when they also finished 1-9.  The school record for fewest points in a season is 60 in six games in 1960, the first year of the program.

Avon 26, Lewis Mills 13
At Burlington
Avon (1-9)                               0  14  6  6  — 26
Lewis Mills (1-9)                 0  6  7  0  — 13
Second quarter
A: Nik Meltser 4 run (Oliver Lojewski kick), 8:34
A: Carter Davies 9 run (Lojewski kick), 2:25
LM: Gianluca Dolzadelli 1 run (G. Dolzadelli kick), 0:23
Third quarter
A: Ethan Lavore 1 run (kick blocked), 5:05
LM: G. Dolzadelli 54 run (G. Dolzadelli kick), 4:21
Fourth quarter
A: Meltser 29 run (run fails), 4:03
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Avon – Ethan Lavore 10-64, Nik Meltser 15-122, Reyan Fawad 9-70, Carter Davies 3-9, Oliver Lojewski 6-53, John Murphy 4-18; Lewis Mills – Alex Weaver 4-minus 7, Mateo Dolzadelli 8-26, Gianluca Dolzadelli 13-148, Patryk Klonowski 4-4, Team 1-minus 16
PASSING: Avon – Ethan Lavore 1-5-0, 9; Lewis Mills – Alex Weaver 4-12-1, 40
RECEIVING: Avon – John Murphy 1-9; Lewis Mills – McKinley Casey 1-3, Gianluca Dolzadelli 1-16, Mateo Dolzadelli 2-21

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