The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 42-7 victory.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

HOWLAND — In all of the years that veteran Dick Angle has coached high school football at Ursuline High and now at Howland High, the Tigers’ 10th-year mentor said he’s never has seen two turnovers on one play.

Until Thursday.

That rare double turnover occurred on the first offensive series, when Howland quarterback Matt Preston was intercepted by Ashtabula Lakeside, but senior teammate Nathan Salter recovered an ensuing fumble on the same play at the Lakeside 31, to set up the Tigers’ first touchdown and launch them on a 42-7 romp over the Dragons.

On the next play after the double turnover, Nathan Cope covered the 31 yards for the game’s first score while Josh Reeher booted the extra point for the 7-0 lead. And then Howland’s defense, drawing encouragement from Salter’s fumble recovery, delivered two more successive turnovers to set up two more touchdowns for a 21-0 lead.

Then after Cope’s score and Lakeside’s next offensive play, Howland’s Trevor Russell recovered a fumble at the Dragons’ 39, and six plays later Solomon Jackson plunged 1 yard for a TD and Reeher added the placement for a 14-0 command at 8:00.

And on Lakeside’s third offensive series, with the Dragons at their 30, Adam Rubesich broke through to block a punt and Greg Ryan picked up the loose ball at the 8 and raced in for the touchdown and a 21-0 lead after Reeher’s third placement with still 4:18 left in the first quarter.

Cope, Ryan each score twice

Cope and Ryan each finished with two touchdowns and Dante Marsh accounted for the other TD as Howland completely dominated the first half to build a 35-0 halftime cushion before adding seven more points in the final quarter.

“That was the first time I saw a double turnover,” said Angle, whose Tigers built a 2-1 lead in the series against Lakeside, also winning last year, 21-10, after losing two years ago in overtime, 20-14.

“That was a big play by Salter,” he stressed, referring to Salter’s early fumble recovery as part of the double turnover that set the tone for the Tigers’ defense. “The defense gave us good field position. The special teams played well.”

Lakeside’s first-year coach Van McWreath blamed his team’s early turnovers on inexperience.

“Our system is new to the kids,” said McWreath, noting that his team has “a new coach, new system, a lot of new guys. We are young.”

But McWreath lauded Howland, pointing out that the Tigers “came out and executed perfectly.” He called the Tigers “a classy team.”

After taking a 21-0 lead, Howland also got another turnover in the first quarter when Lakeside fumbled again on its fourth offensive series, and the Tigers’ Joe Grech recovered at the Dragons’ 27. But Lakeside’s defense held this time at the 19.

Marsh caps long drive

But after Lakeside failed to move the ball again and punted, Howland was not denied this time and drove 68 yards in five plays to Dante Marsh’s 18-yard scoring dash at 8:51 of the second quarter.

Then after Lakeside punted again, and Howland was penalized on its first play, Cope took off on a 62-yard scoring dash and Jackson added the two-point conversion for a 35-0 lead.

Ryan gave Howland its last TD in the fourth quarter with a 59-yard run with a pass interception, followed by Chris Sredniawva’s placement at 9:04 for a 42-0 spread.

Lakeside, which played much better in the second half, averted a shutout when Jordan Sandidge ran 40 yards for a TD with 7:21 remaining.

Marsh finished with 106 yards rushing in 15 carries while Cope added 100 yards in only four.

kovach@vindy.com