Sep 8, 2023 2 min read

MAPLETOWN — The second time was the charm for Avella.

Cole Jaworowski threw a 23-yard tiebreaking touchdown pass to Isaiah Bradick with 14 seconds remaining in the first half and Avella’s defense shut out Mapletown over the final three quarters to defeat the Maples 14-7 in a non-conference game Friday night.

It was the second consecutive win for Avella (2-1) after starting the season with a 29-12 loss at home to Mapletown. This time, in the rematch played in Greene County, Avella overcame an early 7-0 deficit.

Mapletown (2-1), which had its 12-game regular-season winning streak snapped, took a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game when Evan Griffin ran 23 yards for a touchdown.

Avella pulled to within 7-6 in the second quarter as Caleb Rush ran five yards to the end zone but the Eagles had a two-point conversion pass fall incomplete.

Late in the first half, Avella caught a break when its punt hit a Mapletown player who was blocking and the Eagles recovered the fumble deep in Maples territory with about one minute to play. Jaworowski’s TD pass to Bradick, and Bradick’s conversion run, gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead.

Avella’s defense, which held Mapletown to 176 total yards, was able to protect the lead.