By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

CORTLAND

Victor Williams is a left-handed passer and left-footed punter, but he did everything right on Friday night as the Howland quarterback led the Tigers (2-1) past Lakeview, 31-24, in an All-American Conference crossover game between American and National division teams.

Williams was 9 of 10 for 112 yards in the air, including a 36-yard touchdown pass to Austin Baker, and Williams, a sophomore, also returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD.

After trailing, 14-7, Howland scored 24 straight points in a game in which 92 rushing attempts occurred.

“Our offense got in a rhythm and did some good things because we were able to throw the ball late in the [first] half,” said Howland coach Dom Menendez. “Hats off to our kids for battling back this week.”

Bouncing back after a loss to Warren Harding last week was a concern for the coach, so the Lakeview win was welcomed.

“Our kids took a step in the right direction,” said Menendez, whose team was knotted with the Bulldogs, 14-14, late in the first half, when the Tigers held Lakeview on a fourth-and-5 play.

Tyriq Ellis scored twice on runs and was Howland’s top rusher with 103 yards on 14 carries, while Williams had 54 on nine rushes. Along with a strong defensive effort, Jaquore Marrs got tough yards when needed, offensively.

“He gets those dependable, reliable yards that you need,” Menendez said of Marrs. “Between Jaquore, Victor and Tyriq [Ellis], we got a great combination of skilled guys.”

Lakeview coach Tom Pavlansky addressed his team’s stalled drive late in the first half.

”We came up an inch short on that fourth-down conversion, but give Howland credit on that one,” he said.

Lakeview quarterback Nick Boldt scored the game’s first touchdown on a 4-yard run, but then Andrew Grove stepped in at the position in the second half before Tom Bell finished the game under center for the Bulldogs (1-2).

Grove and Michael Mannella also scored running TDs for the home team.

“Our kids faced some obstacles, but they kept playing hard,” Pavlansky said. “We’ll just have to get better from here. We play a pretty competitive schedule and we know that when we start league play next week on the road, that’s always a challenge. If you don’t have it strapped on, you’re going to get your lunch handed to you.”

Lakeview’s season started with a loss to Hubbard, followed by a win over Struthers last week.