Team

Howland

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/4	Div. III	All-American Conference Red Tier

Team

Youngstown East

Record	Div.	Conf.
1/9	Div. II	All-American Conference Red Tier

By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

After dominating Friday’s first half in building a 13-point lead, the Howland High football team began feeling some heat from East during the third quarter at Rayen Stadium.

But Tigers all-purpose back Victor Williams chilled the Panthers with a 59-yard touchdown run on a play that began with him under center.

The Tigers (4-2, 1-0 All-American Conference Red) withstood the Panthers’ late score, then a close call on an onside kick to prevail 20-12.

The third quarter began with the Panthers (2-4, 0-1) marching 71 yards on 15 plays, capping the drive with Mike Lawerance’s 2-yard touchdown run. The extra-point kick failed, keeping the Tigers ahead 13-6.

East head coach P.J. Mays said the biggest difference was “our young line stopped making mistakes. We hurt ourselves a lot in the first half — misalignments, not snapping the ball on time, getting the play in late.”

Late in the quarter, Howland head coach Dominic Menendez sensed that the Tigers’ stack package might create an advantage.

“They were moving around a little up front, so we thought we’d try to keep them balanced,” Menendez said. “Stack I allows us to do that.”

Early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers forced a punt and took over at their own 35. Three plays later, Williams zipped through a decent-sized hole and raced 59 yards for a 20-6 lead.

“We kept running plays to the left with the fullback in,” Williams said of setting up the play. “So we did a fake to the left and it opened a seam.

“I saw the hole immediately and I knew I had the speed to make it happen.”

The Panthers weren’t finished — with mistakes or the Tigers. On the next possession, Tigers linebacker Brandon Matlock recovered Lawerance’s fumble at the Howland 19.

The Panthers forced a punt, then drove 72 yards on four plays. Imoni Donadelle, one of several Panthers replacing injured quarterback James Boatwright, raced 30 yards, then hit Tyron Jefferson with a 29-yard pass. That set up Lawerance’s 4-yard touchdown to cut Howland’s lead to 12.

After the Tigers stuffed Lawerance on the conversion run, the Panthers came within inches of recovering an onside kick. Larry Reed came up with the ball, but officials ruled an East player touched the ball just before it went 10 yards.

“We knew we were going to have our hands full,” Menendez said. “They are especially good on defense and gave us fits at times.”

The first half featured two field goals by Jacob Lowe (37, 38 yards). Williams had the Tigers’ other touchdown, scoring from the 1 late in the first quarter for a 10-0 lead.

Defense dominated the second quarter. After the Panthers stopped the Tigers when Lowe missed a 32-yard field goal try, Matt VanDevender intercepted a Panther pass at the Howland 40 and returned it 44 yards. That set up Lowe’s 38-yard field goal with five seconds remaining before halftime.