Ava's Caleb Miles (25) follows a wall of white uniforms into the endzone Friday night for one of three touchdowns scored by the Ava junior runningback. No. 78 for Ava is Dillon Adams; No. 12 is Kevin Philpott.
Will Host Willow Springs This Friday
Kyle Clinkingbeard and Caleb Miles each scored three touchdowns for the Ava Bears last Friday night and Miles ran for two additional 2-point conversions as the Bears defeated Strafford 41-19.
Strafford received the kickoff to open the 2011 season and after four plays punted the ball away. Ava started its first drive on the Bears’ 40-yard line, and took just 1:07 in clock time to score on a 10-yard run by Miles. With a bad snap from center, the point-after failed and at 9:19 in the first quarter Ava’s lead was 6-0.
Clinkingbeard, who carried 29 times for 273 yards on the night, scored early in the second period on a 56-yard run. Miles ran for the 2-point conversion to put the Bears up 14-0 at 10:01 in the second quarter.
Strafford made it 14-7 at 8:13 on a 1-yard sneak by sophomore quarterback Caleb Wade and the point-after by Colton Leamy.
An Ava miscue gave Strafford its second touchdown of the quarter. A high snap from center went over the head of quarterback Ben Loge and Strafford recovered at the Ava 2-yard line. The Indians’ James Grass took the ball in from there, but Leamy’s kick failed after a low snap, and the Ava lead was trimmed to 14-13 with 5:58 on the clock.
It didn’t take the Bears long to recover, however, as Miles would return the ensuing kick 80 yards to make the score 20-13. The extra point attempt by Loge failed.
Ava went up 27-13 with 2:13 left in the first half on a 45-yard run by Clinkingbeard and the kick by Loge.
Ava senior Chance Deal breaks through the Strafford offensive line to sack quarterback Jacob Wade in first quarter action at Strafford last Friday night. Ava defeated the Indians 41-19 in the season opener for both teams.
Cody Wallace made one of his three interceptions with 31 seconds left in the quarter to stymie a potential scoring drive by the home team Indians, and Ava held a 27-13 lead at halftime.
Wallace received the opening kickoff of the second half deep in Bear territory and returned the ball 75 yards to the Indians’ 7-yard line. Miles then scored on a 3-yard run moments later, and with just 58 ticks off the clock Ava held a 33-13 lead.
The Bears completed their scoring at 2:36 in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Clinkingbeard and the 2-point conversion run by Miles. After three periods of play, the Bears held a comfortable 41-l3 lead.
Strafford’s final scoring drive that came early in the fourth quarter went 62 yards, ending on a 1-yard run by Grass. Strafford passed for the 2-point conversion but a flag brought the play back, and the second attempt fell incomplete and the final score was posted at 41-19.
Miles carried 17 times for 82 yards and Wallace had 28 yards on two carries.
Loge completed 1-of-4 passes, tossing a 10-yard aerial to senior Kevin Philpott.
Defensively, Dillon Adams recorded 11 tackles, including two for loss yardage. Chance Deal had eight tackles for the Bears, with four for loss of yardage. In addition to Wallace’s three interceptions, Clinkingbeard also picked off a Strafford pass.
The Bears will be at home this Friday night, facing the Bears of Willow Springs in conference action.
Coach Daniel Swofford says Willow is a young, scrappy team, and a large team for Class 2 with about 50 players on the roster.
Swofford said he is certain his Bears will be ready for the game Friday night after a very disappointing 10-8 loss at Willow Springs a year ago.
“I don’t know if we will win, but I know we will be ready,” Coach Swofford said.
Also at Friday night’s game, the Bears will recognize SCA and district championship teams of 1985 and 1986 who have been invited back as special guests.
