THE ECHO

Reporting and Photo by Dani Montserrat-Reyes // Contributor

The football team rolled through Ben Davis on Aug. 29, toppling the Giants 35-14 to move to 2-0 on the year. It’s the first time since 2019 the Orioles have started the season with back-to-back wins.

Avon got off to a slow start, trailing 7-0 after one quarter. They’d go on to score the next 35 points.

Running back Andrew Warfield got things started with an eight-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. A few minutes later Jace Cameron threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver TJ Stewart, giving the Orioles a 14-7 lead.

“I knew I was getting the ball,” Stewart said, “so when the ball was in the air, I was just calm and made sure I tracked it right and caught it.”

In the third quarter, the Cameron-to-Stewart connection struck again, this time with an eight-yard touchdown. Running back and linebacker Bryce Reynolds took a handoff 20 yards for a touchdown, pushing the score to 28-7. Running back Josh Tate sealed the win with an eight-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Cameron finished the game seven of 10 passing for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Warfield led the backfield with 19 rushing attempts for 92 yards and a touchdown. Stewart led the receiving corps with three receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns.

Stewart said the team was excited about the win, especially the score-line, but also added that a victory was the expectation.

“We game-planned. We prepared well, and we just were focused all week,” Stewart said.

Defensively, linebacker Makyi Hines was all over the field, totaling 12 tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage. Eli Exline and Garyson Clutter added seven tackles apiece. Defensive lineman Jalen Ferrell finished with five tackles including one sack. Also disrupting plays in the backfield were Jacari Griggs and Antonio Lumbreras. Defensive back Kyran Reese tallied two tackles and an interception, returning it 50 yards.

The Orioles moved from No. 10 in the 6A Coaches Poll to No. 6. They play at No. 5-ranked Hamilton Southeastern on Friday, Sept. 5. The Lions have given up just 14 points through two games and have tallied 10 sacks and three interceptions. On offense, HSE is led by quarterback Terry Walker III, a Duke commit, who has passed for 398 yards on the season.