Touchdown pass in final minute caps Avella’s comeback
MAPLETOWN – Chas Rush threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Amaismeier with 42 seconds remaining, giving Avella an 18-14 come-from-behind win over Mapletown in a Class A Tri-County South game Friday night.
It was the second time this season that Avella and Mapletown played, and this time it was much closer than the Eagles’ 48-0 victory in the season opener.
Mapletown (0-5, 0-8) led 8-0 at halftime and 8-6 after three quarters, but Avella (4-1, 5-3) scored two touchdowns in the final 5:24.
Mapletown took the 8-0 lead in the second quarter, when Carson Vanata ran eight yards for a touchdown. Tyler Dusenberry ran in the two-point conversion. Vanata finished with 136 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Avella pulled to within two points when Gage Samol broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left in the third quarter.
Dusenberry put the Maples ahead 14-6 with a 20-yard scamper midway through the fourth quarter.
Avella, however, scored a little more than a minute later when Samol broke free again, racing 51 yards to the end zone. The two-point conversion run failed, leaving the score at 14-12 and setting up the Eagles’ last-minute heroics.
The game was close throughout and Avella finished with a 247-241 edge in total offense.
Samol rushed for 171 yards on 14 carries. Rush completed six of 11 passes for 142 yards. Asaismeier caught four passes for 116 yards.