Published: November 03, 2009 04:24 pm      

County rivals clash for sectional crown

Avon and Brownsburg are ready for round two, and this time, it’s for more than bragging rights.

The archrival Orioles and Bulldogs will meet for the second time this season Friday night at Avon, with a sectional championship on the line.

The Sept. 18 match-up went 21-17 to Brownsburg.

“I’m sure it will be a lot of fun for everyone involved,” Brownsburg coach Brett Comer said. “They’ve certainly seen us on film and we’ve seen them. Both coaches are very familiar with each other’s kids.”

Brownsburg last appeared in a sectional title game in 1999, but has not hoisted the trophy since 1985.

This season, the Bulldogs got off to a 6-1 start, which included two signature wins — the victory over Avon and a 21-14 decision over Noblesville at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Bulldogs dropped their last two regular season contests to Zionsville and Fishers to finish 6-3.

But once sectional play began, the Bulldogs got back on the winning track.

After coasting past Indianapolis Tech 65-0 in the opener, Brownsburg avenged its loss to Zionsville with a 20-14 victory last week.

The Bulldogs have relied on quarterback Robby Robbins (918 passing yards, 9 TD, 8 INT) and tailback Darryl Jordan (1,063 rushing yards, 9 TD) to spark a balanced attack.

Six-foot-five receiver Charles Torwudzo (400 rec. yards, 6 TD) gives the Bulldogs a deep threat.

Comer said improvement has been made on both sides of the rivalry.

“When we go back and look at that game, I know we’re better than we were,” he said. “But so are they, and you have to give them credit for being where they are.”

Avon is seeking its first sectional title since 2005.

The Orioles endured an up-and-down regular season, finishing 3-6 with four losses by six points or less.

Avon faced tough odds heading into the sectional tournament, but defied them twice — topping 5A No. 12 Ben Davis 28-24 in the sectional opener before taking out No. 8 Pike 10-7 last week.

Orioles coach Dave Shelbourne said his team has learned a lot since the season’s opening kickoff.

“We’re growing up a little bit,” Shelbourne said. “Earlier this season, our kids were trying their best but it was a lot of ‘I hope I don’t make a mistake’ rather than ‘I expect to win.’ Hopefully, we can go out on Friday nights now with a little higher expectations.”

The Orioles’ top offensive weapons are quarterback Samuel Wulle (918 passing yards, 3 TD, 5 INT), tailback Darren Oliver (602 rushing yards, 13 TD), and receiver Kendall Griffin (574 rec. yards, 3 TD). On defense, Taje High has a team-high 60 tackles, and Darrell Collins has 4.5 sacks.

Home field advantage has meant little in the Avon-Brownsburg rivalry, as the visiting team has taken the previous four meetings.

“It’s going to be a great game,” Shelbourne said. “We have a lot of respect for Brownsburg and they’re obviously a good competitive rival for us.”