The Tigers got a big boost in the MAC standings with a
14-7 win over Canfield.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

HOWLAND — In the fourth quarter of the biggest game of his high school career (so far), Howland senior linebacker Eric Jones found himself pacing back and forth on the sideline as the Tigers offense did its best to hold on to a 14-7 lead.

With two straight losses to Canfield in his memory and the game still in doubt, Jones was so amped up he actually started crying.

“I just wanted it so bad,” he said.

Lucky for him, he got a chance to grab it. Trailing by a touchdown, Canfield got the ball back at its own 11 with 4:13 left. The Tigers’ defense, which had led Howland to its 3-0 start, needed another stop.

“I was telling everyone we needed to play 110 percent,” said Jones following the 14-9 victory. “We were tired of hearing everyone talk about how good Canfield’s defense is.

“We’re good too.”

Canfield, however, started the drive hot, driving 52 yards in six plays while taking more than two minutes off the clock to set up a first down at the Tigers’ 37.

That’s when Howland’s defense tightened, forcing a dropped pass on first down, then a holding penalty (which was due to Tigers defensive lineman Rob Lupton beating his man) and two straight incompletions to set up fourth-and-23 at Canfield’s 49.

With about a minute left, Cardinal quarterback Adam Muth lofted a deep pass for Mark Carrocce inside Howland’s 20. Safety Josh Kostraba tipped it away into the hands of fellow safety Adam Rubesich and, just like that, the Tigers were one step closer to the postseason.

Right?

“Three years ago, we got them at their place and we thought we were on the way to the postseason,” said Howland coach Dick Angle, whose team started 5-0 that season, finished 6-4 and missed the playoffs. “Starting 4-0 doesn’t get you there.

“We’ve got a long way to go.”

Big win

Still, the win was huge for several reasons. First, it gave the Tigers (4-0, 1-0) a terrific start in what figures to be a four-team Metro Athletic Conference race.

Second, it came against the state’s top-ranked team in Division II.

Third, it was a huge confidence boost for a program that has gone 9-11 over the past two years.

“It’s huge because I’ve never beat Canfield,” Jones said. “But we’re not satisfied. We want to win every game.”

Canfield completely dominated the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead while holding the Tigers to 5 yards on four plays. The Cardinals seemed poised to make it 14-0, but the Tigers stopped them on a fourth-and-1 at their own 11, halting a 13-play drive.

Then, on the first play of the second quarter, Howland junior Dante Marsh broke free for an 87-yard run to Canfield’s 1.

Four plays, and two penalties later, Soloman Jackson broke through for a 3-yard touchdown run. Jackson added another one, this time from 7 yards out, later in the quarter to make it 14-7.

It ended the scoring until the game’s final play when the Tigers intentionally ran out of the end zone to run out the clock.

“That second score held up — I never thought it would,” said Angle. “It was a great team effort. We’re a good team. We’ve won two close games and I can say that now.

“We’re on our way to being a great team.”

Leaders

Marsh led the Tigers with 109 yards on 12 carries before leaving the game late after getting speared in the back. Nathan Cope added 60 yards on 13 carries and caught a pass for 30.

Carrocce, who played most of the game at quarterback, led the Cardinals (3-1, 0-1) with 124 yards on 19 carries. Dan Banna added 70 on 15.

“We got beat by a good team,” said Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky. “But we talked after the game about how our season is not over. There’s still a long way to go and all of our other goals are still in front of us.

“Howland just has a leg up on us right now. We’re going to need some help down the road.”

The Tigers still have plenty of work to do, too. But Howland (and its student section, which spilled onto the field after the game) made sure to enjoy this one.

“I’m happy right now,” said Angle. “I’m not going to be happy tomorrow.”

As the Tigers gathered for the postgame handshake, one of them shouted out, “Who’s No. 1?”

That question hasn’t been answered. But after the first night of league play, Howland is definitely in the conversation.

scalzo@vindy.com