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Sports

Dlugosz Credits Shoremen Win to Communication, Solid Efforts

After opening loss to Avon, Shoremen best Shaker Heights Sept. 2

If there is one thing about Shoremen football, they are resilient. After falling to Avon they bounced back with an exciting 27-20 win over Shaker Heights. Sept. 2.

"We talked about it and said the penalties, the turnovers were not going happen again, and get a W," Senior running back Dontez Smith said as a number of fans chanted his hands "We have a fresh team, and said everybody was going to communicate. Everybody was rusty in the beginning and we had great practices and played like it Friday night. We are back on track, it feels great."

How they did it was the blue-collar smash mouth way that has made Avon Lake known throughout the state.

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"Kids at Avon Lake take losses pretty hard. We did it the Shoremen way of old,” Avon Lake coach Dave Dave Dlugosz said. "That's the way things usually work, a good offensive line, a good fullback and a tailback who can find the seams."

Not only did that tailback find the seams, but on the night, senior back Dontez Smith had 217 yards rushing. Still despite the numbers, he deferred credit to his line which did a nice job of picking up blitzes and making holes.

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"My lineman finally communicated, I saw some holes and got it done," he said. "I finally had my first breakaway, it was hot out here tonight, I was thinking about it, but whew."

Yet while it was hot, Smith drew inspiration of not letting the heat and exhaustion that came with it get to him.

"When I feel like getting tired I don't think about it," Smith said. " My co-captain Max White, hes like a second body because I like to play like he is playing he never tires, so I don't get tired."

Smith, who sports the No. 32, a number worn by a number of the great back in the history of the school, also had a career when it came to getting across the goal line, scoring on runs of  4, 75 and 2 yards.

"Actually that was a goal of mine," Smith said. "I was joking around with my mom who hates football and she said the quicker you get it done the faster we get out of there."

The Shoremen, now 1-1, will travel to Massillon Jackson on Friday night.

"They have their version of Shoremen football there and are almost the same," Dlugosz said. "They have two huge tackles, both of them are 325 pounds and they kind of grind you down, so it will be interesting to see how we match up."

 

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