High school football 2023: After giving state champs a tough test last season, Avon Lake feels ready to take next step

Avon Lake almost changed the course of history last season. The Shoremen shut out Toledo Central Catholic through three quarters in their Division II, Region 6 quarterfinal game. And while the Irish broke loose for 21 unanswered points in the fourth, Avon Lake allowed the fewest points in the playoffs to the eventual state champion. The only team to allow fewer was St. Edward. Now, with 14 starters returning, the Shoremen are aiming for a deeper run. "Playing in that game was different," Avon Lake senior tackle Clay Broadhurst said. "Everyone was fired up. It seems like we lost by a lot, but we played one of our best games against them. I feel like this year it's carried over very well. We've started off on a high note, so we're already a step ahead." Running the ball has been a staple of the Avon Lake offense. That shouldn't be a problem for an offensive line that returns four starters and a key rotational player. Broadhurst, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound third-team All-Ohio selection, had a 92 percent blocking rate with 29 pancakes last season. Joining him up front will be juniors Joe McNulty and Jack O'Toole, along with sophomore Riley Maxwell, who had a breakout freshman season with 32 pancakes and a 90 percent blocking rate. Coach Matt Kostelnik said the 6-5, 263-pound sophomore is already drawing interest from ACC, Big Ten and SEC schools. "If you can run the ball effectively, you can control the game clock," Kostelnik said. "For us to be successful, we're going to have to establish the run early and often, then take advantage of our matchups in the secondary. Having those four guys back, we're super excited about. They're a good group of kids who bring great leadership to the team." While the Shoremen will be welcoming a new quarterback with juniors Alex Affolter and Owen Fach competing for the job, the winner will have plenty of weapons with 10 starters on offense returning. Senior running back Wade Nelson piled up 861 yards and 13 touchdowns and had a 98-yard kick return for a touchdown. The passing game will be anchored by senior Derek McCrum, who caught 28 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. "We definitely want to run the football," McCrum said. "That's no secret. We want to get our guys the ball behind our returning offensive linemen and run it up the gut. And then we've got weapons on the edges to take some shots every once in a while." McCrum, a Penn commit, will once again be a focal point. The linebacker switched from safety last season and looks to be a key member of the front seven. He piled up 64 tackles, six for a loss, with two sacks, three interceptions, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery. The three-year starter was a first-team All-Southwestern Conference selection and earned honorable mention all-district honors. The stout Shoremen defense that nearly pulled off an upset against Toledo Central Catholic will have to replace seven starters, including most of its defensive line. Senior Carter Sergent will anchor the line after racking up 26 tackles, seven for a loss, with two sacks and four quarterback hits at defensive end. "I think our defensive line has been fantastic so far in practice," Sergent said. "It was rough at first losing all three of those seniors, but I think the three guys we've got now have been doing great." Contact Chris Sweeney at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com and follow him @CSweeney1686 on Twitter.