Canfield prevails against Howland
Sophomore Jillian Halfhill played a key role in the 48-41 MAC victory.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD — Howland senior Alexa Williams pounded her fists on her knees. She chewed on her shirt. She clapped her hands when things were going well and shook her head when they weren’t.
For about half of Friday’s game against Canfield, the 6-foot-1 Williams played the role of the area’s tallest cheerleader. Unfortunately for Howland, that’s not the role that suits her — or the Tigers — best.
With Williams battling foul trouble all game, the Cardinals used good defense and a terrific game from sophomore Jillian Halfhill to gain an early advantage in the Metro Athletic Conference race, holding off Howland for a 48-41 victory at Canfield High School.
“We got it done,” Cardinals coach Pat Pavlansky said. “A long time ago, a coach told me that the worst win is better than the best loss.
“We didn’t play our best, but we found a way to win.”
Halfhill, a two-year starter at point guard, led the Cardinals (6-1, 3-0) with game-highs in points (14), assists (four) and steals (five). She was a key player defensively as Canfield pressed the Tigers in the early part of the game, something Pavlansky rarely does against Howland.
“Jill’s been playing against older kids her whole life,” Pavlansky said . “When she was in fourth grade, she was playing against kids in eighth or ninth grade. She’s used to that.”
Pitt recruit Kate Popovec, a 6-foot-4 center, added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Cardinals.
She didn’t have her best game offensively — Howland triple-teamed her inside whenever she touched the ball — but she came up with several big blocks and helped shut down Howland’s 6-foot center Kelly Barzak. Barzak finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, but she had to earn them.
“She made Barzak change her shot inside,” Howland coach John Diehl said of Popovec.
Senior Bryanne Halfhill, Jillian’s older sister, added 12 points and five rebounds for the Cardinals, while junior Anokha Padubidri grabbed nine rebounds.
“It’s a good situation for a coach — we got a win and my team gave us a lot of things to work on,” Pavlansky said.
After Canfield took a 12-9 lead after the first quarter, the Tigers battled back and grabbed their first lead, 18-15, with 3:19 left. But Williams picked up her third foul and missed the final three minutes. In her absence, Canfield closed the quarter with a 9-2 run.
Howland never led again, although it stayed close in the second half, trimming the deficit to 33-31 early in the fourth quarter. But with 5:19 left in the game and Howland trailing by six, Williams, a Kent State recruit, fouled out.
The Tigers never got any closer.
“If she doesn’t sit 10-11 minutes, I think it’s a different game,” Diehl said. “I never dreamed she’d foul out.”
scalzo@vindy.com