Eagles soar over visiting Mikes, 54-13
AVELLA — Carmichaels senior Austin Goldsberry brought the Mighty Mike fans that made the trip to Avella to their feet when he took the opening kickoff of Friday night’s Tri-County South Conference match-up and raced 85 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play. An extra point by senior Philip Mikalik gave the Mikes a 7-0 lead just 17 seconds into the contest and it seemed as though something special may be in the air for the visiting squad.
There were big things to come alright. Unfortunately, it was Avella that wound up posting some truly prodigious numbers against Carmichaels, as the Eagles rebounded from the Goldsberry return and rolled to a 54-13 win that created a four-way tie for the fourth-and-final playoff spot in the conference.
“We hung in there really well and we didn’t get down on ourselves,” said Avella head coach Ryan Cecchini. “We came right back at them after the long kickoff return for a touchdown.”
Just over one minute after Goldsberry’s electrifying run, senior running back Nick Kusich put the home team on the board with an 11-yard carry that ended in the Carmichaels’ end zone. A missed extra point allowed the Mikes (3-5, 3-3) to keep a 7-6 lead.
That score was the first of three-straight touchdowns for Avella (4-4, 3-4) that allowed the home team to take a 21-7 lead. Senior quarterback Santino Paris picked up a 3-yard touchdown run with 4:49 remaining in the opening period and followed that up with a 56-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end C.J. Norman on his first attempt of the night.
Goldsberry did all he could to keep his team in the contest by taking his second kickoff return back for a touchdown in the first quarter by sprinting 76 yards to the end zone with 2:27 showing on the first quarter clock. A missed extra point kept the Mike deficit at 21-13. Unfortunately, those were the last six points posted by Carmichaels on the evening.
Paris contributed two more touchdowns before halftime with a two-yard run and an 11-yard pass to junior Tyler Fraysier. Both scores came within the final 1:23 of the first half and gave the Eagles a 41-13 lead when the two squads broke for their respective locker rooms.
The Avella defense got into the scoring with a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown courtesy of senior Dakota Umphrey in the third quarter. Kusich notched his third scoring run of the contest when he pounded in a one-yard with 8:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.
After the loss that likely ended Carmichaels’ playoff hopes, second-year head coach Ryan Krull had little to say about the performance. He did praise the work Goldsberry and the kick return unit as a whole.
“Goldsberry did a great job and the guys executed up front,” Krull said. “We had 11 guys doing what they were supposed to do and that was the result.”
Cecchini, on the other hand, could barely contain his enthusiasm and optimism with how his team performed.
“I think we’re getting better and better every week,” Cecchini said. “We’re starting to play very well.”
Kusich led all ball carriers with 199 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. Paris was effective both as a passer and a runner. He completed 7-of-12 throws for 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed nine times for 79 yards and a third score.
Avella will look to clinch a playoff berth next week when it hosts West Greene. The Mighty Mikes renew their bitter rivalry with Tri-County South and Greene County rival Jefferson-Morgan to likely conclude the 2014 campaign.
Tri-County South Conference
Carmichaels 13-0-0-0 — 13
Avella 27-14-7-6 — 54
First Quarter
C: Austin Goldsberry 85 kick return (Phil Mikalik kick), 11:43
A: Nick Kusich 11 run (kick failed), 10:40
A: Santino Paris 3 run (C.J. Norman pass from Santino Paris), 4:49
A: Norman 56 pass from Paris (Wade Richards kick), 2:31
C: Goldsberry 76 return (kick failed), 2:27
A: Kusich 47 run (kick failed), :32
Second Quarter
A: Paris 2 run (run failed), 1:23
A: Fraysier 11 pass from Pair (Kusich run), :29
Third Quarter
A: Dakota Umphrey 56 interception return (Richards kick), 6:42
Fourth Quarter
A: Kusich 1 run (kick failed), 8:23
Records: Carmichaels (3-3, 3-5), Avella (3-4, 3-5).