Avon quarterback Blake Elder has earned the prestigious 2025 Lorain County Golden Helmet Award as he prepares for the Division II Region 6 final against Medina Highland. The award was presented to Elder following practice on November 20, highlighting his outstanding performance this season.
Reflecting on his journey, Elder stated, “Going into my sophomore year, I was not the most confident player. I did not have anything that I excelled at, but I worked as hard as I could. Nolan (Good) took me under his wing and taught me how to do things right. I can”t do it without my coaches. I can”t do it without my teammates, and I credit it all to them. This means so much.”
Elder received the accolade from representatives of radio stations WOBL/WDLW, which sponsor the award. Alongside Elder, Cy Christensen from Amherst, and Kameron Williams, Evan Kuhns from Vermilion, and Cole Miller were recognized as special mentions, while Trey Moore from Wellington earned honorable mention.
This marks the third consecutive year that an Avon player has won the Golden Helmet, following Nolan Good in 2024 and Jakorion Caffey in 2023. Elder”s father and Avon head coach, Mike Elder, expressed immense pride in his son”s achievements, saying, “Statistically speaking, no one has had a better year. His QB rating is off the charts, and he makes great decisions. He will go down as arguably one of the best passers that we have ever had at Avon.”
A total of seven Avon players have now claimed the Golden Helmet award, joining the ranks of past winners such as Zack Mitchell (1996), Ryan O”Rourke (2008), Matt Eckhardt (2011), and Niko Pappas (2020).
As the leading passer in Lorain County, Elder has amassed 2,502 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only three interceptions this season. Coach Elder added, “You think about a young man of his age and carrying the burden of defending state champs, replacing the Golden Helmet winner, the Matt Wilhelm Award winner, and Ohio Mr. Football finalist Nolan Good, who is a Division I quarterback. Your last name is the same as the head coach; that is not an easy position to be in.”
With a completion percentage of 67.7%, Elder has achieved a passer rating of 144.5, which is seen as elite. Elder emphasized the importance of decision-making in his success, stating, “Everyone in Lorain County has so many good teams. Everyone can make the throws and can make plays, but I think decision-making really comes down to not turning the ball over and making good decisions.”
Under Elder”s leadership, Avon has enjoyed a successful 9-1 regular season, going 7-0 in the Southwestern Conference and claiming its tenth consecutive conference title.
In addition to the Golden Helmet Award, Elder is also a finalist for The Morning Journal”s Matt Wilhelm Award, with the announcement expected the week following the Highland game.
Avon”s season is far from over, as the defending Division II state champions gear up to face the Hornets in Brunswick for a trilogy showdown. The Eagles have secured eight regional titles over the past nine years, having triumphed over Highland in both 2023 and 2024.
