By TOM WILLIAMS

williams@vindy.com

CANFIELD

By blanking perennial contender Canfield on the Cardinals’ turf, Howland has staked a strong claim for being the All-American Conference’s best football team.

“Their defense is really good,” Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky said after the Tigers’ 16-0 victory Friday. “The credit goes to [defensive coordinator] Eric Ungaro and what they did to keep us out of the end zone.”

The Tigers (4-0, 1-0 AAC Red Tier) limited the Cardinals to 40 yards rushing on 27 carries and sacked Canfield’s quarterbacks eight times.

“It feels great,” said linebacker Tony Osborne who had five sacks. “It’s a big-time rivalry game.”

In the second half, the Tigers limited the Cards to 4 yards of offense.

“It’s a good win against a program that’s always in the running for the championship of our conference,” Howland coach Richard Angle said. “Any time you can get a shutout, you have to be pleased.

“I don’t like to settle for field goals, I’d rather have touchdowns,” Angle said. “But the O-line did a good job and I probably got too conservative in play-calling in the third quarter.

“That maybe hurt us ... but I think we’re starting to become a pretty good football team.”

Senior kicker Chris McClearn kicked field goals of 48, 42 and 29 yards. Last week, he kicked a career-best 49 yarder in a three-point win over Warren Harding.

“I’ve got the easy job,” McClearn said. “It’s all on my snapper, Brendan Cope, and my holder, Zac Wilson. They mean the world to me.

“I don’t look how far it is,” McClearn said of his approach to long kicks. “I don’t focus on that, I just go in and get myself ready to kick.”

The Tigers wasted no time grabbing an early lead, marching 60 yards on the first seven plays. Quarterback Tim Parana propelled the drive with three completions covering 37 yards. Tailback De’Veon Smith, who rushed for 146 yards on 31 carries, capped the march with a 6-yard touchdown run through the middle.

The Cardinals responded with a long drive that included a successful fake punt pass by upback Michael Hughes. But the drive stalled at the Howland 11 when Jordan Italiano’s fourth-down heave was intercepted by Kenny Pozega.

The Cards’ defense stuffed Smith for zero yardage on three carries but the Tigers stole momentum back when McClearn’s punt from near the goal line rolled to the Canfield 24.

After Kaymaun Alexander’s first punt pinned the Tigers inside their 10, Howland took charge, first with a 13-play drive to set up McClearn’s first field goal.

“Our guys fought,” Pavlansky said. “We didn’t give up any big plays and I think they earned every yard that they got.”

After Italiano. who also plays defensive back, was injured with a possible concussion, Hughes replaced him at quarterback.

With the half winding down, Pozega stole Hughes’ next pass at midfield to set up McClearn’s second field goal.

Osborne said a halftime adjustment shifting a defensive tackle helped spring him into the Canfield backfield.

“I knew they were going to roll out,” Osborne said of the Tigers’ six sacks in the second half. “I just had to get to the quarterback.”

Osborne also rushed four times for 16 yards. Asked his preference, Osborne said, “Sacks. I love defense.”

McClearn called the win “huge. Canfield is a great school and is always good in athletics. To be able to come in here and beat them in football, it’s just huge.”