Important showdown could clarify MAC race

Top-ranked Division II
Canfield invades the
unbeaten Tigers on Friday.

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

CANFIELD — As if being the defending Metro Athletic Conference champion (again) doesn’t put a big target on the uniforms of the Canfield High football team.

Friday, the Cardinals (3-0) will march on to the field at Howland High School as the top-ranked Division II team in the state.

Their opponent — the 3-0 Tigers — will be ready.

With a potent offense that has found the end zone often, Howland was selected 12th this week in Div. II.

Although it’s just week 4 of the season, Friday’s showdown should go a long way in determining this season’s MAC champion. Niles and Poland are considered by most as the other contenders.

Big game in the MAC

Tigers coach Dick Angle said, “the winner will have an early edge in the MAC.”

Canfield opened the season with wins over East (19-8), Canton South (27-7) and Alliance (21-6).

Howland has impressive wins over Lakeside (42-6), Lakeview (21-7) and Hubbard (35-14).

“We’re happy where we are,” Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky said. “You want to take care of your non-league opponents for the computer [playoff ratings] points.

“Because of the three opponents we’ve played, our kids are prepared to face a good Howland team,” Pavlansky said.

The Tigers are averaging almost 33 points per game, but they’ll be facing their strongest defensive test in the Cardinals.

Cardinals defense tough

In last week’s win over Alliance, the Cardinals limited the Aviators to 117 yards of offense.

Jeff White gained 63 of them with a third-quarter scoring run.

“Our defense played an overall solid game, but we need to continue to improve,” Pavlansky said.

Their assignment this week will be to contain Tigers fullback Solomon Jackson who rushed for 142 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns in last week’s win over Hubbard.

“Our roots are being a physical football team,” Angle said. “So we got in the stack with our big strong backs and our big strong linemen and rolled off the blocks and battered them.”

Howland’s challenge on defense will be deciphering Canfield’s multi-faceted look.

Pavlansky starts senior Mark Carrocce at quarterback but doesn’t hesitate to insert junior Adam Muth. And fullback Dan Banna threw a touchdown pass to Jimmy Hudson to break a scoreless tie against Alliance.

“It’s always good when you’ve got a trick play up your sleeve,” Banna said. “It was a big motivational boost for us.”

Hudson’s reception covered 46 yards. He also caught a pass from Carrocce for a 33-yard score right before halftime.

Late in the game, Banna plowed through a worn-out Aviators defensive line for a 16-yard score.

“You’ve got to give my line credit — they’re the ones who make the holes,” Banna said.

“I just run through them.”