It's no secret that the Avon Lake football team had much success in recent years, and a lot of that good fortune goes back to the 1994 season when the Shoremen compiled what was then its most successful season in the program's 45-year history, going 11-1 with a perfect regular season and a SWC title. Much of that team's success was due to the play of fullback/linebacker Tom Carder. A scholar athlete, Carder racked up first-team honors in All-Ohio, All-District, All-Lorain County and AIl-SWC. Carder was voted the MVP in the district, county, SWC and team. The fourth player in Avon Lake history to play in the North-South All-Star game, Carder started both ways as fullback and linebacker. Carder went on to a successful college career at Ohio University, where he earned four letters and was a two-year captain. After racking up 198 tacIdes his first three years, Carder had 108 tackles his senior season, earning AllMid-American Conference first team and voted The Sporting News choice for Hardest Hitter in the MAC. Carder finished his collegiate career with 306 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 12 caused fumbles, three interceptions and six sacks.