Bears Beat Forsyth 56-6; Travel to Mtn. Grove Friday
Six different players scored touchdowns for Ava last Friday night as the Bears rolled over Forsyth, 56-6, in the season home opener.
Ava scored on a fumble recovery, a blocked punt, an interception and ground gains.
Caleb Johnson kicked six extra points and was one of two passing for 2-point conversions, one on a called play and the other resulting from a muffed snap from center.
The Bears have their two toughest opponents of the regular season coming up back to back in Mtn. Grove this week and Mtn. View-Liberty next week, and both SCA games are on the road this year.
Coach Dan Swofford says he just wants to be competitive with The Grove which has a couple of the best players in the state in quarterback Carter Otwell and runningback Chance Barbe.
Playing at home last week, the Bears started the scoring at 8:46 in the first quarter when sophomore Josh Bray recovered a fumbled snap in the end zone on a Forsyth punt attempt. Johnson passed to Quincey McDonald for the 2-point conversion to put the Bears up 8-0.
Two minutes later, McDonald scored on a 2-yard run and Johnson booted the extra point for a 15-0 Ava lead. That Ava score was set up by an interception by Bray that gave the Bears a 1st-and-10 at the Forsyth 40.
Before the quarter ended, junior Stephen Copeland sprinted 64 yards for a touchdown, and Johnson’s kick gave the Bears a 22-0 lead at 1:48, still in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, sophomore Kayden Myers scored on long runs of 24 and 22 yards at 10:55 and 5:50, respectively, and Johnson’s successful kicks made it 36-0.
On Forsyth’s next possession Ava blocked a Panthers punt and senior defensive player Anthony Hunt scored his first varsity touchdown to give the Bears a 43-0 lead at 4:17.
Before the half ended, Copeland intercepted a Forsyth pass and returned it 58 yards for the score at 2:43.
The snap from center was mishandled on the PAT kick attempt and the Bears entered halftime with a comfortable 49-0 lead.
Coach Dan Swofford cleared his bench in the second half and with 1:48 left in the third quarter sophomore quarterback Nate Swofford scored on a 4-yard run. Johnson booted the point-after to put the Bears up 56-0.That drive included runs by Bray, junior Waylin Moon, freshman Zach Miller, and freshman Zach Mendel, as well as Swofford.
Forsyth finally pushed the ball into the end zone in the fourth quarter when freshman quarterback Buck Sanders scored on a 6-yard run.
The 2-point conversion attempt failed.
Late in the game, with the turbo clock running Ava’s JV kids were moving the ball and were on the drive once more.
Freshman Payton Evans picked up a first down at the Forsyth 13-yard line and freshman Colby Miles converted a first-and-goal at the 4. But from there, quarterback Swofford took a knee a couple of times and the clock ran out with no further ado.
With three of Ava’s touchdowns coming from the defense or special teams, the offensive numbers were not indicative of a 56-point game. However, the defensive stats were pretty impressive.
Ava had total offense of 318 yards from scrimmage, all rushing.
McDonald carried six times for 74 yards for a touchdown and scored a 2-point conversion; Myers rushed four times for 66 yards and two touchdowns; and Copeland carried for 68 yards.
Defensively, Johnson had five sacks, one for loss; Pete Herrera had two sacks, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss; freshman Zach Miller had an outstanding night on defense with 10 tackles for loss; and Joe Balassone had two sacks.
Waylin Moon also had one sack for Ava’s defense.
Bray had a fumble recovery for a touchdown plus an interception to set up a touchdown. Copeland had an interception returned for a touchdown, and McDonald had an interception. Hunt also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.
Ava scored on a fumble recovery, a blocked punt, an interception and ground gains.
Caleb Johnson kicked six extra points and was one of two passing for 2-point conversions, one on a called play and the other resulting from a muffed snap from center.
The Bears have their two toughest opponents of the regular season coming up back to back in Mtn. Grove this week and Mtn. View-Liberty next week, and both SCA games are on the road this year.
Coach Dan Swofford says he just wants to be competitive with The Grove which has a couple of the best players in the state in quarterback Carter Otwell and runningback Chance Barbe.
Playing at home last week, the Bears started the scoring at 8:46 in the first quarter when sophomore Josh Bray recovered a fumbled snap in the end zone on a Forsyth punt attempt. Johnson passed to Quincey McDonald for the 2-point conversion to put the Bears up 8-0.
Two minutes later, McDonald scored on a 2-yard run and Johnson booted the extra point for a 15-0 Ava lead. That Ava score was set up by an interception by Bray that gave the Bears a 1st-and-10 at the Forsyth 40.
Before the quarter ended, junior Stephen Copeland sprinted 64 yards for a touchdown, and Johnson’s kick gave the Bears a 22-0 lead at 1:48, still in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, sophomore Kayden Myers scored on long runs of 24 and 22 yards at 10:55 and 5:50, respectively, and Johnson’s successful kicks made it 36-0.
On Forsyth’s next possession Ava blocked a Panthers punt and senior defensive player Anthony Hunt scored his first varsity touchdown to give the Bears a 43-0 lead at 4:17.
Before the half ended, Copeland intercepted a Forsyth pass and returned it 58 yards for the score at 2:43.
The snap from center was mishandled on the PAT kick attempt and the Bears entered halftime with a comfortable 49-0 lead.
Coach Dan Swofford cleared his bench in the second half and with 1:48 left in the third quarter sophomore quarterback Nate Swofford scored on a 4-yard run. Johnson booted the point-after to put the Bears up 56-0.That drive included runs by Bray, junior Waylin Moon, freshman Zach Miller, and freshman Zach Mendel, as well as Swofford.
Forsyth finally pushed the ball into the end zone in the fourth quarter when freshman quarterback Buck Sanders scored on a 6-yard run.
The 2-point conversion attempt failed.
Late in the game, with the turbo clock running Ava’s JV kids were moving the ball and were on the drive once more.
Freshman Payton Evans picked up a first down at the Forsyth 13-yard line and freshman Colby Miles converted a first-and-goal at the 4. But from there, quarterback Swofford took a knee a couple of times and the clock ran out with no further ado.
With three of Ava’s touchdowns coming from the defense or special teams, the offensive numbers were not indicative of a 56-point game. However, the defensive stats were pretty impressive.
Ava had total offense of 318 yards from scrimmage, all rushing.
McDonald carried six times for 74 yards for a touchdown and scored a 2-point conversion; Myers rushed four times for 66 yards and two touchdowns; and Copeland carried for 68 yards.
Defensively, Johnson had five sacks, one for loss; Pete Herrera had two sacks, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss; freshman Zach Miller had an outstanding night on defense with 10 tackles for loss; and Joe Balassone had two sacks.
Waylin Moon also had one sack for Ava’s defense.
Bray had a fumble recovery for a touchdown plus an interception to set up a touchdown. Copeland had an interception returned for a touchdown, and McDonald had an interception. Hunt also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.
