AVON, Ohio — The Avon High School football team is one win away from a second straight State championship title, as they prepare to face Cincinnati Anderson Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
This year's championship run and season carry extra special meaning and purpose as the Eagles honor former team captain Jeremiah Kelly.
Kelly died unexpectedly this past spring from an undiagnosed heart condition.
"Jeremiah was loved by all in the city of Avon, and this football team was certainly a place where he was treasured. And his loss hit everybody pretty hard. And our seniors specifically wanted to make sure they were carrying his memory forward this season," Mike Elder, head football coach at Avon High School, said.
Kelly helped lead the team to their first-ever state title last year with a perfect 16-0 season.
He had graduated from Avon at the time of his death and was training with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats.
The 18-year-old was found unresponsive in his off-campus residence in April.
The team has honored Kelly's memory throughout the season by carrying his jersey onto the field for the coin toss at the start of each game.
Players' helmets also sport stickers reading "LLJK," which stands for "Live Like Jeremiah Kelly."
"It's a great deal of pride to keep his memory going, and I think it was coach Elder—it was his idea to retire his number after his brother goes through the program. And it's just a great deal of pride to carry his number on the field every time we go out there," Eian Englehart, a senior Avon High School football player, said.
