By Ryan Buck

sports@vindy.com

Howland vs Canfield

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Howland VS Canfield

CANFIELD

Euphoria. Shock. Exhaustion. Relief. Triumph.

The Howland football team managed to pack perhaps every human emotion into a harrowing final moment Friday night.

Howland scored 14 unanswered fourth-quarter points and stood tall at their own goal line in the game’s final minute to emerge from Bob Dove Field with a 27-20 All-American Conference win over Canfield.

Poor snaps on critical downs from both teams — on consecutive possessions — turned what looked to be an impressive road win for the Tigers into near disaster.

Ahead 27-20, the Tigers (3-1) benefitted from a botched snap on fourth-and-1 at their own 15 yard-line that ruined a potential game-tying touchdown drive for Canfield with 1:57 left in the game.

When the Cardinals forced Howland to punt four plays later, this snap from the Howland 38 caught the Bob Dove turf before punter Victor Williams could gather it and he desperately fell on the ball at the 13.

“I probably can’t say [what I was thinking at the time] in any interview,” said Howland coach Dominic Menendez. “We were definitely worried. They were moving the ball at the time and we couldn’t muster up enough to get the first down. That’s the first bad snap that [long snapper] Zach Nites has had in two years.”

With 58 seconds left and no timeouts, the Cardinals’ hurry-up offense faltered after quarterback Drew Rogers was knocked out of bounds with first-and-goal at the 3. Rogers was swallowed in the backfield on two straight designed roll-outs and time expired before a final fourth-down try could be attempted.

“With no timeouts, we’re just trying to make plays and the kids were working hard,” said Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky. “We needed one more timeout and we just didn’t have it.”

Howland linebacker Elijah Thompkins, defensive end Tommy Carnifax and Williams at safety each were credited with tackles-for-loss on the fateful series.

“It’s unpredictable and a little bit shocking, but you’ve got to be ready for the next play and our defensive guys were,” Menendez said. “The guys are young on defense and they made a stop when we needed it.”

The Cardinals controlled the first half, outrushing the Tigers 169 yards to 79 and doubled Howland’s time of possession.

Two Brian Kristan field goals complemented a Luke Whittenberger touchdown run and Rogers filled in nicely for starting quarterback Aaron Jenkins, who left with an injury on the game’s opening drive.

“We felt pretty good at halftime about where we were at,” Pavlansky said. “We certainly would have liked a few more points, but I don’t think we punted until the last play of the half, so that’s a positive half for us.”

In the second half, Howland backs Tyriq Ellis, Jaquore Marrs and Williams all ran at will behind a powerful offensive line.

“We picked up the intensity behind those guys and they led the way,” said Ellis, who led a balanced rushing attack with 98 yards. “As running backs, Jaquore and I complement each other well and Victor spreads them out with the outside game and we ran hard.”

Marrs scored on an 18-yard run on the Tigers’ opening possession of the second half and another on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Williams capped off the go-ahead touchdown drive — thanks primarily to Ellis — on a 1-yard dive over the top with 5:45 left.

Jordan Radich scored Howland’s first-half touchdown on a 2 yard run. Rogers led all rushers with 135 yards. The converted running back gave Canfield a 20-13 third quarter lead on a 1 yard sneak.