Story by Ryan Gerazounis – Beaver County Radio
(Beaver, Pa)
It was only two weeks ago that the Beaver Bobcats hosted the Avonworth Antelopes football team to wrap up their AAA regular season schedule. The Bobcats defeated the Antelopes in convincing fashion 34-14. Fast forward to November 8th, the same two teams are slated for a second round playoff matchup. Beaver’s hoping for the same results so they can advance and play the winner of Imani Christian Academy and Highlands in the next round.
Avonworth hit the ground running on Friday night. On their first possession Senior running back Nico Neal broke four chunk plays on the ground before finding the end zone on an 8 yard run. Giving Avonworth an early 7-0 lead. On their second drive, the younger brother of Nico Neal, Junior Luka Neal found pay dirt and scored on a 20 yard run adding to their lead and putting the Antelopes up 14. On Beaver’s ensuing drive, the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs giving Avonworth good field position to start the second quarter with a 14-0 advantage.
Avonworth took advantage, when Niko Neal hit Jackson Krul for a 20 yard passing touchdown to start the quarter. Putting the Antelopes up 21-0. On the following kickoff Qualan Cain fumbled the ball away giving the visiting team the ball inside the Bobcat 20. Avonworth jumped on the opportunity when Nico Neal rumbled into the end zone from 14 yards out increasing the margin to 28 points. Nico Neal found the endzone one more time in the first half on a 15 yard run that gave Avonworth a 35-0 lead at halftime.
With a running clock in the third quarter it was Amari Jackson for Beaver that caught a pass in double coverage from Travis Clear and took it 70 yards for a touchdown to get the Bobcats on the board 35-7. However Nico Neal found the end zone again on a 60 yard run on the following Antelopes drive. Giving his team a 42-7 lead. In the fourth quarter Beaver scored two more touchdowns. One on a Qualan Cain run and a touchdown reception by Philip Marino from Travis Clear. It was too little too late for the Bobcats though as the clock ran out on them and their season. Avonworth would leave Gypsy Glen Stadium on Friday night with a 42-21 win.
With the victory, Avonworth will advance to the next round to play #1 seed Imani Christian Academy for the right to go to Acrisure Stadium. Beaver has been eliminated from playoff contention.