Avon boys basketball wins back-to-back district titles with 49-42 win against Medina Highland

WOOSTER—Avon’s athletic dominance over Medina Highland now spans two sports. Forty-eight hours after the Eagles’ football program reminded everyone of its recent playoff mastery over the Hornets, Avon’s 10th-seeded boys basketball team carved out its own piece of history, capturing a second straight Division II Northeast 5 District championship with a 49-42 victory at Wooster High School on Saturday night.

The win books Avon (now 19-6) a return ticket to the D-II Region 5 semifinals, where it will face Massillon at the College of Wooster on March 10.

Avon set the tone early, racing to a 17-10 lead by the close of the first quarter and never surrendering the advantage. The Eagles’ offense came by committee: five players—Gavyn Kittleberger, Holden Krugman, Dean Abdul, Joey Ziegler and Brooks Good—finished with at least six points apiece. Kittleberger, held scoreless in the opening period, recovered to pace Avon with 10 total points. The Eagles connected on just one three-pointer but compensated with steady interior scoring and clutch foul shooting, sinking 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch.

Medina Highland (20-5) answered every surge but could not climb all the way back. Junior guard Jake Weber kept the Hornets within striking distance, pouring in a game-high 15 points, while senior forward Joshua Butcher added eight.

The triumph extends Avon’s recent run of success against Highland. The schools have met in three consecutive football regional finals, all won by the Eagles on their way to back-to-back Division II state titles. Saturday night’s basketball final adds another chapter to the burgeoning rivalry and keeps Avon’s repeat hopes alive in 2024.