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The Avon Pirates were firing on all cylinders in the opening round of playoffs Thursday night, cruising to a 50–0 shutout win over Oldham-Ramona/Rutland. From the first whistle to the final horn, the Pirates dominated every phase of the game — offense, defense, and special teams. It didn’t take long for Avon to set the tone. In the first quarter, Al'Shamon Gunter burst through the defense for a 43-yard touchdown run, putting Avon on the board early. Not long after, Grayson Ratzlaff thrilled the Pirate fans with a 56-yard punt return touchdown, extending the lead to 14–0. Senior Trent Soukup then took control, scoring twice in the first quarter on runs of 10 and 65 yards. Both two-point conversions were good, giving Avon a commanding 30–0 lead after just one quarter. In the second quarter, quarterback Easton Sees connected with Gunter for a 16-yard touchdown pass, and Soukup capped off the half with a jaw-dropping 97-yard touchdown run — his third score of the night — putting the Pirates up 44–0 at halftime. Ratzlaff added one more touchdown in the third quarter with a 25-yard run, closing out the scoring and sealing the 50–0 victory. Soukup led the rushing attack with 176 yards on only four carries, averaging 44 yards per carry. Gunter added 59 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns, while Ratzlaff contributed both on the ground and with a big night in the return game. The Pirate defense was rock solid all night. Gunter led the way with seven tackles, three sacks, and five tackles for loss, while Brayden Fathke came up with a key interception. Avon’s defense held Oldham-Ramona/Rutland to negative rushing yards and only 69 yards through the air. Special teams were just as sharp — Drew Doom kicked off eight times for a total of 325 yards, and the Pirates never had to punt once. With the win, the Pirates continue their strong season and keep momentum rolling into next week. Avon fans packed the sidelines, and they had plenty to cheer about as the Pirates once again proved why they’re one of the toughest teams in the area.