CLEVELAND, Ohio — Avon’s first challenge continues with a visit from Canton McKinley, which should further test the Eagles’ defense after their first appearance of the high school football season.
They held St. Ignatius’ running game to 83 yards and won 42-21 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The next test, Friday at 7 p.m. at Mark Wahlberg Stadium in Avon, will feature a McKinley offense featuring Nino Hill, who rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in the Bulldogs’ 26-19 win over Warren Harding.
Hill is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound senior who is under contract to Buffalo. He is also one of the three most promising senior prospects on McKinley’s roster, which also includes Missouri’s Dante McClellan at linebacker and defensive lineman Dior Garner, who is headed to Bowling Green.
Avon counters with Kent State commit and returning All-Ohio quarterback Nolan Good, who threw for 197 yards and rushed for another 64 against St. Ignatius. Avon’s defense features Cincinnati recruit Jeremiah Kelly, who played both ways last week on Friday, up front at tackle and junior linebacker Ryan Stolarski, who has an early offer from Toledo and spurred the defense in their opening statement.
“We knew our first seven guys could compete with anyone in Ohio,” Good said after the Week 1 win. “We hope that continues, but I think they showed everyone how good they really are.”
The Eagles, ranked No. 2 in this week’s cleveland.com Top 25, will host defending OHSAA Division IV state champion Glenville next week, then begin their quest for their ninth straight Southwestern Conference title with two more home games against Elyria and No. 15 North Ridgeville.
This begins a four-week home season for the Eagles. McKinley, which plays again at home next week against Detroit Cass Tech and is ranked fifth in cleveland.com’s Division I rankings, will remain in Stark County for the remainder of the regular season after this week.
RELATED: Full schedule for Week 2.
An overview of other top games of the week will follow on Wednesday, but here is more information about this duel:
Canton McKinley (1-0) at No. 2 Avon (1-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Where: Mark Wahlberg Stadium at Avon Early Learning Center
Transmitted: WEOL-AM 930
Last year: Avon won 28-7
Next week: Avon hosts Glenville on September 6; Canton McKinley hosts Detroit Cass Tech on September 6.
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul at X (@mgoul), Topics (@mgoul) or by email ([email protected]).
