Avon outlasts Anderson for snowy Ohio Division II state championship: Live updates recap

The Eagles control time of possession and stop last-second Hail Mary to win football state title

The Avon Eagles play the Anderson Raptors on Thursday night for the Ohio Division II high school football state championship. / Mike Cook

Something will have to give Thursday night in the Division II Ohio high school football state championship game in Canton between Avon and Anderson.

Both teams enter the title game a perfect 15-0, with Avon coming off a rout of Archbishop Hoban and Anderson winning a thriller against Big Walnut to get to the final.

OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

It's the only OHSAA state championship football game being played Thursday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, with the rest of the action taking place Friday and Saturday.

Follow along below for live updates from the championship game between Avon and Anderson, which is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 5.

Avon vs. Anderson, Division II championship game live updates

PREGAME

Anderson wins the toss and defers, so Avon will start with the ball on a cold, snowy night.

Crews are trying to clear the yard lines and markers so players and refs have some idea of where they are on this snow-covered field.

1ST QUARTER

We're underway! Avon starts the opening drive on its own 25. Penalty moves Avon back to the 13.

TOUCHDOWN AVON! Quarterback Nolan Good takes off for a 71-yard touchdown run on third and 10 through the snow. It's 7-0 Avon with 8:15 left.

Great kickoff return by Trace Jallick gets wiped out by an illegal block. Anderson starts on its own 14.

Illegal formation penalty nullifies a trick play from Jallick to Caden Piening that went to the Avon 5. Anderson on its own 45 instead. Anderson then pins Avon on its own 4 with a friendly-roll punt. Avon leading 7-0 with 6:20 left.

Matt Maxey with a phenomenal 10-yard catch on third and 7 keeps the drive alive for Avon on its own 30.

Five minutes left in the quarter and Nolan Good is already over 100 yards rushing.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Avon 7, Anderson 0

2ND QUARTER

Avon will start the second with a first and 10 on the Anderson 33 after a 12-yard run by Tyler Kaufmann ended the first.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Nolan Good's pass is incomplete on fourth and 7, so Anderson takes over on its own 30, trailing 7-0 with 9:55 left.

Raptors QB Justice Burnam runs for 5 on fourth and 4, and Anderson is in Avon territory, 8:12 left.

Pass interference on fourth and 7 gives Anderson a first down on the Avon 30.

TOUCHDOWN ANDERSON! Justice Burnam throws a swing pass to Aiden McClanahan, who takes it in for a 12-yard touchdown. We're tied 7-7 with 6:01 left.

TOUCHDOWN AVON! Nolan Good delivers a dart to Matt Maxey, who dives into the end zone for a 44-yard TD to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead with 2:58 left.

FUMBLE! One play after Jakob Weatherspoon knocked the ball loose after a 10-yard gain by Justice Burnam and Burnam recovered, a bad snap off Burnam's foot gets recovered by Avon's James Tatman. Eagles ball on their own 43 with 1:37 left.

FUMBLE! Avon fumble goes bounding through the snow and squirts out of the end zone for a touchback in Anderson's favor. Raptors ball on their own 20 with 36 seconds left, trailing 14-7.

INTERCEPTION! Avon gets it right back with a Jacob Graham pick at the Anderson 45 with 19 seconds left.

Jayonn Saunders nearly picked it off right back for Anderson but couldn't hold on.

FIELD GOAL BLOCKED! Avon tries a 36-yard kick but it's blocked to end the half.

HALFTIME: Avon 14, Anderson 7

HALFTIME STATS

Avon has controlled the ball with 16:32 time of possession compared with 7:28 for Anderson. Avon QB Nolan Good has 161 yards rushing with a touchdown and a fumble, plus 89 yards and a touchdown through the air. Anderson QB Justice Burnam has 76 yards rushing, plus 22 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception.

Jakob Weatherspoon has led the Avon defense with six tackles and a pass breakup, while Reid Baker has seven tackles (one for loss) and a sack for Anderson.

3RD QUARTER

We're officially less than one half away from crowning a Division II state champion. Avon kicks, Anderson returns and will start at its own 13 looking to tie this game.

FAKE PUNT! Serious guts there from Anderson, converting a fake punt on fourth and 13 from its own 25. Justice Burnam hit Jake Brammer for 18 yards.

Durrell Turner busts loose for a 31-yard run and Anderson has first and goal, trailing 14-7.

TOUCHDOWN ANDERSON! Justice Burnam keeps it himself for a 6-yard touchdown run, and that gutsy fake punt call pays off as Anderson cuts the Avon lead to 14-13 after Jakob Weatherspoon blocked the extra point.

TOUCHDOWN AVON! The Eagles answer with an impressive, grinding drive of their own, as Quiante Smith runs it in from 10 yards out, but the two-point try fails to make it 20-13 Avon. 3:54 left.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: Avon 20, Anderson 13

4TH QUARTER

Anderson will start the quarter on the Avon 22, facing second and 14, trailing by seven points.

Fourth and goal on the Avon 2 for Anderson. Timeout with 10:22 left.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Jeremiah Kelly throws down Justice Burnam to keep Anderson out of the end zone and get the ball back on the Eagles' 5, leading 20-13.

More guts on the other side. Avon goes for it on fourth and 1 from its own 14 and picks up 3. 7:17 left.

INTERCEPTION! Ace Alston comes up with the play Anderson needed, grabbing the pick on the Raptors' 3 to stop another long Avon drive. Avon leads 20-13 with just over four minutes left in the game and now has to play some defense.

Anderson is in Avon territory with less than two minutes left.

8 seconds left, fourth and 9 from the 22 for Anderson.

FINAL: Avon 20, Anderson 13

FINAL STAT LEADERS

Avon QB Nolan Good finished with 190 yards rushing and a touchdown, plus 143 yards passing and a touchdown. Anderson QB countered with 148 yards rushing and a touchdown plus 150 yards passing and a touchdown.

Jakob Weatherspoon and Andrew Falasco each had 10 tackles for Avon, while Jayonn Saunders had 11 tackles plus a pass breakup and a forced fumble for Anderson.

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive | @sblivesports