MADISON Howland earns first playoff victory

The Tigers shut down third-seeded Madison to set up a rematch with Canfield.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MADISON -- The Howland High football team combined two big scoring plays with its usual strong ground attack Friday to pound out the first playoff victory in school history, 28-6 over host Madison High.
The Tigers (8-3), seeded sixth in Division II, Region 5, will play second-seeded Canfield Friday at a site to be announced Sunday. Madison (9-2) was seeded third.
The heroes were plentiful for Howland. Quarterback Chris Settlemire had a hand in two long scoring plays while fullback Maurice Smith scored on two short runs and ground out 109 yards on 21 carries.
Defensive back Brandon Alexander made two interceptions and batted away a potential touchdown pass on a fourth-down play.
"Alexander has been overshadowed by [injured] Tony Davis in the secondary, but he and Travis Jackson did a great job," Howland coach Dick Angle said.
"Brandon's just a great corner, a great athlete, and the secondary was a key part of the defense tonight," Angle said.
Stepping up
"Maurice stepped it up tonight, too. He did a great job not only running the ball, but blocking also, and he played some defense," Angle said. "He played a great game, as well as our quarterback, Chris Settlemire."
Settlemire got the Tigers rolling with a 28-yard touchdown run with 1:21 left in the first quarter.
The play capped a five-play, 45-yard drive set up by a favorable punt exchange by Howland.
Jon Airhart pinned the Blue Streaks on their own 4-yard line and the Tiger defense forced a three-and-out to set up the short field.
When Madison's Keith Krejci fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Rick Kelsh recovered to set up an even shorter field.
The Tigers covered 22 yards in five plays, two of them complete passes by Settlemire. Smith scored from a yard out for a 14-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.
"The early scores were big, we were fortunate they had some turnovers, but jumping on them and taking advantage was key," Angle said. "It's an exciting win for us, we made history for the school. If someone had told me we would win 28-6, I'd have said I'll take 7-6."
Tough defense
After Smith's touchdown, Madison responded by driving inside the Howland 10 where the Blue Streaks faced a fourth-and-6 at the 10. Madison quarterback Ricky Evans tried to hit Mike Bukky on an out pattern, but Alexander broke it up to give the Tigers the ball.
In the final two minutes of the half, the Streaks moved from their own 25 to the Howland 29 when Alexander struck again, blanketing Aaron Parks on a fly pattern and intercepting the ball at the 3.
Howland struck for its biggest play on its first possession of the second half when Settlemire hit Steve Boyle on a hook pattern and Boyle turned it into a 42-yard touchdown play by eluding two Madison defenders and racing across the field then down the sideline.
Madison responded with a 10-play, 71-yard drive for its only score of the night, a 3-yard touchdown run by Jon Earley who finished with 116 yards on 26 carries.
The Tigers finished off the Streaks when Smith ran for all but 2 yards of a 35-yard, six-play drive capped off with Smith's second 1-yard scoring run with 7:15 left.
Howland finished with 290 yards total -- 212 on the ground and 78 passing. Settlemire was 5-of-7 passing. James Justice added 57 yards.