By JIM BELSER
Time ran out for Westfield against Class 6A No. 3 Avon Friday night, and the visiting Orioles escaped with a hard fought 20-13 win at the Shamrocks’ Homecoming game.
A touchdown behind, Westfield gained possession with 36 seconds left at its own 40. But the miracle didn’t happen as the clock ticked to zero with Kyle Pepiot of Westfield taking a knee attempting to enable one last play after a five-yard reception.
The Shamrocks defense held Avon (6-1) scoreless in the second half and put up 13 points on a team that hasn’t allowed anyone a score against it in its last two outings.
“They had us on our heels,” Westfield coach Jake Gilbert said. “The key for them was their offensive balance, we overplayed the run in the first half, but we settled in in the second. But Avon’s defensive line was outstanding. It’s one of the best I have ever seen.”
Westfield quarterback Camden Simmons was 14 of 31 for 132 yards and one touchdown. His counterpart was 8 of 17 for 143 yards and a touchdown. Avon’s Sampson James rushed for 123 yards on 26 carries.
Eli Patchett of Westfield (3-4) in a punishing display, squeezed out 78 yards rushing on 23 carries, tallying extra yards often through his own efforts. Patchett also hauled in three passes for 19 yards.
“He is just a great football player,” Gilbert said. “He is multi-dimensional, very physical and is able to get tough yards.”
The kicking game was strong as usual for Westfield behind the leg of Alex Bales. Bales drilled two field goals in the contest for 28 and 41 yards. He also delivered in the punting game, launching four punts for 178 yards, including a 54 yarder.
Collin Caldwell, Eric Kriskovich, Michah Hauser, and Owen McGraw led on defense for Westfield, combining for 28 tackles.
Westfield threatened to tie in the fourth quarter after Patchett pounded his way to a first down on fourth and three with 8:30 left in the game at the Avon 30-yard line. However, on the following play, Camden’s pass went in and out of a Westfield receiver’s hands and was intercepted.
“I am happy with our offensive performance, that last drive we couldn’t score and they had four fumbles that they recovered, the last score for them looked like a fumble but the refs couldn’t see, it was a bang-bang play and those are hard to call,” Gilbert said.
A tough first half for the Shamrocks saw Avon come out quickly on offense. The Orioles scored on their first possession after quarterback Henry Hesson found wideout Jalen Peterson for a nine-yard TD reception at the 9:35 mark of the first quarter.
Following two empty possessions by Westfield, the visitors struck again this time stringing together a seven play 77-yard drive, ending in a 44 touchdown pass to the Orioles Peterson, once again.
With the first quarter ending 14-0 Avon in the lead, the Shamrocks found some momentum on offense. Westfield receiver Kyle Pepiot snagged a 12-yard reception and teammate Dane Wheeler followed with a five-yard reception of his own. Westfield quarterback Camden Simmons then hooked up with Patrick Beam for a 36-yard completion.
The Shamrocks could push no further but kicker Alex Bales rewarded the drive with a 41-yard field goal, making the score 14-3 Avon with 10:47 left in the second quarter.
The contest took a quick turn for Westfield when defensive back Franklin Bohannon intercepted Avon’s Hesson at the 50-yard line in the second quarter. The speedy Bohannon returned the pickoff all the way to the Orioles 20-yard line.
The Westfield offense took it from there with Eli Patchett slashing through the Avon defense, driving Westfield to the six-yard line on successive rushes. A play action pass completed to Trevor Lickfeldt of Westfield alone in the endzone closed the Avon lead 14-10.
