Debut showcase: Avondale breaks in new stadium with 64-point outburst

BREAKING THE GRIP: Auburn Hills Avondale quarterback Mitch Robinson breaks free from Hazel Park's Casmer Henzel during Thursday's OAA Blue Division clash. Robinson and the Yellowjackets prevailed 64-44. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

AUBURN HILLS — Both Hazel Park and Auburn Hills Avondale may have lost several key weapons from their talented arsenals of last season. The two continued to showcase their offensive prowess in the latest chapter of their epic series.

In a typical match between the two rivals, there were six lead changes Thursday with Avondale scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and pulling out a 64-44 victory over the Vikings in an OAA Blue Division battle.

This was the first official contest on Avondale’s new turf field inside its new multi-million dollar athletics complex — and what an offensive display, as the two teams combined for 108 points.

Last year in Week 2, Hazel Park held off Avondale 58-50, while Avondale posted a 49-48 triumph over the Vikings in a Division 3 district opener last season.

“Our offensive line just did an outstanding job for us tonight,” said Avondale coach Steve Deutsch, whose team beat Hazel Park in Auburn Hills for the first time in 12 years. “Our goal was to tire them out and we did. There is still some work to be done. We’re not there yet, but I couldn’t be prouder of them. We haven’t beat that team at home in a long time. What a great way to bring in this stadium into a new era.”

Senior quarterback Mitch Robinson finished 12-for-21 passing for 196 yards and three touchdown passes. Junior running back Michael Johnson stole the show, galloping for a career-high 293 yards on 19 carries and scored four touchdowns.

UNSTOPABLE:Auburn Hills Avondale junior running back Michael Johnson ran for 293 yards and four touchdowns against Hazel Park. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“All night the holes were everywhere,” said Johnson. “We could choose where we wanted to go to. This whole week we came out and practiced real hard on our running game. The holes were so big and we couldn’t be happier with our offensive line.”

Avondale set multiple school records last season, most of them in the passing and receiving categories. This year the Yellowjackets, who graduated five key receivers, have mixed up the passing and running game.

In this classic, Avondale (2-0, 1-0) amassed 623 yards of offense — 427 yards on the ground and 196 in the air — and totaled nine touchdowns, including five in the second half. The Yellowjackets, who started 0-2 last season, have scored 119 points in their two games this season.

Leading 29-28 at the break, Avondale cashed in first during the third quarter, as Johnson broke free for a 62-yard jog in the park, which put the Yellowjackets up 36-28 with 6:47 remaining in the frame.

Avondale got the ball immediately back when Hazel Park fumbled the kickoff on the Yellowjackets’ 41. Four plays later, Robinson hit Erik Stubbs with a 5-yard TD pass to push the advantage to 43-28 with 5:26 still to go in the period.

PAYDIRT: Auburn Hills Avondale's Julian Sanford-Bundy makes this grab in the corner of the end zone in the Yellowjackets' 64-44 triumph over Hazel Park. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Hazel Park had the answer, as Damon Hannon was able to score on an 8-yard sprint and ensuing conversion run to close to within 43-36 with 2:24 to play in the third. Hannon scored again just before the end of the third period, this time on a 69-yard jaunt, and his two-point conversion gave the Vikings (1-1, 1-1) their last lead at 44-43 with 19 ticks left in the frame.

Hazel Park would not convert again.

Avondale scored the final three touchdowns in the fourth quarter — an 11-yard run by Henry Paul, a 1-yard plunge from Robinson and a 46-yard sprint from Johnson. Paul’s TD with 10:41 left put Avondale up for good at 49-44.

“We were tired at the end. (Avondale) just made plays when they had to,” offered Hazel Park coach Scott Guthrie. “When we needed to make plays, we made mistakes.”

The first half saw four lead changes, with Avondale finally grabbing a 29-28 lead at the break when Robinson hit Stubbs with a 14-yard TD strike and Kyle Sroka nailed the extra point with 39 seconds left in the second quarter.

Hazel Park, which at one time led 8-7 in the opening quarter, picked up first-half touchdown runs from Josh Tucker (72, 35 and 69 yards) and A.K. Anouya (2 yards). Tucker’s third TD and Damon Hannon’s two-point conversion gave the Vikings a 28-22 advantage late in the second stanza.

Johnson scored on long runs of 41 and 27 yards in the first quarter and Robinson connected with Stubbs on a 29-yard fade pass in the second quarter for Avondale.

Deutsch feels his team has a long way to go despite the offensive output.

“We just stop making mistakes (in the fourth quarter). Some of the silly stuff we didn’t even do in Game 1,” said Deutsch. “If we can stop making the mistakes we made on defense, I think we are going to be okay.

Tucker finished with 234 yards on 17 carries, Anouya added 86 yards on 16 rushes and Hannon contributed 14 touches for 185 yards for the Vikings. Hazel Park amassed 588 of offense, 560 on the ground.

Stubbs had four catches for 99 yards and Julian Sanford-Bundy added four grabs for 64 yards for the Yellowjackets.

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Tags: Auburn Hills Avondale Football, featured, Hazel Park Football, high school football, OAA Blue Division Football, prep football

Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps