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Howland gives Canfield a run-down feeling
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The Tigers dominated the ine of scrimmage in a 24-14 win.
By DOUG CHAPIN
Vindicator Correspondent
HOWLAND — There is an old football coaching adage that breaks down the game in simple terms: To be successful you have to be able to run the ball off-tackle and you have to be able to stop the off-tackle run.
In this day of spread offenses and shotgun snaps on every play the idea may be a bit outmoded. But Howland High on Friday night demonstrated in impressive fashion what happens when one team dominates play between the tackles on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
The Tigers defeated Canfield, 24-14, in a battle of unbeatens that was not as close as the final score.
“Our offensive and defensive lines controlled the game,” Howland coach Dick Angle said. “We play great defense at Howland. We weren’t very good the first week, but we’ve come a long way. Offensively, our dominated. We hit that sled every day in practice and we do it for a reason.”
Led by senior tailback Mike Mangiarelli (17 carries, 142 yards), the Tigers churned out 252 yards on the ground on 41 carries. Canfield, meanwhile, was held to a net of 22 yards rushing on 27 carries.
The real stars of the game were the grunts on the offensive and defensive lines for Howland. Defensively, the Tigers lined up tackles Josh Unger and Cody Reesman, ends Jay Freeman and Trevor Russell, and linebackers Andy Davis and Matt Chambers.
On offense, Howland had center Chuck Sayre, guards Evan Parker and Greg Staab, tight end Dan Moody and tackles Anthony Stanko, Donny DeArment and Jacob Jones.
“We are getting better,” Angle said. “After today, we beat a team of Canfield’s caliber, we’ve got a chance to be a good football team. We’re not there yet, but tonight we did what we thought we could do against them.”
The tone was set from the start of the game. Canfield lost 5 yards on each of its first two plays, then gained 3 yards on third-and-20.
Mangiarelli ran for 11 yards off tackle on Howland’s first play from scrimmage, then raced 34 yards for a touchdown on the next play. He started right on a counter play, was forced back to the left where he cut through a big hole and raced to the end zone.
“It was probably the worst read because I could have been tackled in the backfield,” Mangiarelli said about his scoring dash. “It was a counter and it got pinched down so there was no hole. I thought I would bounce it outside but figured there would be a scraping linebacker. So I turned around and there was an opening right there, the guys did a great job of holding their blocks.”
Canfield responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive which ended on a 2-yard scoring pass from Brett Cooper to Kyle Vaclav.
Vaclav, the Cardinals’ best skill player, completed all four of his pass attempts on the drive. He did not play offensively for long stretches of the game because of injuries, and Canfield missed his production.
“That is an excellent football team, the best football team we’ve played this year,” Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky said about the Tigers. “In the fourth quarter we just couldn’t stop them. They were just too big and physical up front.
“We left our defense on the field way too long tonight and turnovers absolutely killed us. Good football teams turn turnovers into touchdowns. We have to establish the running game and we can’t turn the football over to be successful.”
Howland used a turnover to regain the lead late in the first half when defensive back Kenny Pozega intercepted Cooper, setting up the Tigers at their own 49. Mangiarelli raced 33 yards on a draw play to convert a key third down before fullback Brandon Neilan bulled over from the 2 with 27 seconds remaining until halftime.
Canfield again showed its grit in the third quarter, driving from its 31 to the Howland 25. Cooper converted a fourth-down play on a quarterback sneak and connected with Blake Jackson to convert a third-down play during the drive. Billy Fisher’s 42-yard field goal try came up short, though.
The Tigers responded with an 18-play drive which ended with a 31-yard field goal by Chris McClearn. A defensive holding penalty helped the Tigers, who also converted a fourth-and-short situation.
The Tigers’ final touchdown came on fourth-and-5from the Canfield 16. Instead of trying another field goal, Deveon Smith rumbled right up the middle into the end zone to make the score 24-7 with 2:40 remaining.
Cooper then completed five straight passes and scrambled for 18 yards on a fourth-and-7 as Canfield put the final TD on the board The score came on a 7-yard pass from Cooper to Vaclav.