By MIKE MCLAIN

sports@vindy.com

HOWLAND

The undefeated Poland High School football team had just put the finishing touches on an impressive 30-7 win over Howland when head coach Ryan Williams was asked where this puts the team.

Let’s just say there will be no rest for the weary today.

“We’re going to be in the weight room tomorrow,” the Bulldogs coach said after the All-American Conference Red Tier win Friday at Lombardo Field. “We’re going to be watching film tomorrow. We’re worrying about our next opponent.

“But it’s better going into the weight room and the film room 4-0.”

The Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0) showed why they’re one of the elite Division IV teams in Ohio with a quick-strike attack that produced a 30-0 halftime lead. The second half was played with a running clock until Jackson Deemer scored on a 3-yard run for the Tigers with 1:44 remaining.

Senior running back Jonah Spencer led a bruising rushing attack for Poland with 172 yards on 14 carries, including an all-effort 88-yard touchdown run that pushed the lead to 27-0 at the 5:25 mark of the second quarter.

Poland’s defense limited Howland (1-3, 0-1) to two first downs in the first half.

Williams was pleased with the defensive effort on Tigers senior quarterback Samari Dean, who was held to 23 yards on 10 carries.

“He’s as good of a back as we’ll see all year long,” Williams said. “Our defense did a great job.”

The big first half was set up when Mike Diaz returned a punt 74 yards to the Howland 10 yard line following a three-and-out possession by the Tigers to start the game.

Diaz neatly timed a high bounce, catching the ball on the run at the Bulldogs’ 26. He split the initial wave of defenders and ran along the right sideline.

“Mike Diaz is a playmaker,” Spencer said. “I think we needed that for sure.”

Quarterback Cole Kosco followed an 8-yard run by Spencer with a 2-yard sneak to open the scoring. Mike Kushner added the point-after kick.

Poland increased the lead to 14-0 later in the first period on a 1-yard run by Dante Romano and a Kushner point-after kick.

Romano added another score on a 3-yard run on the first play of the second quarter, but Kushner’s kick was wide left as the Bulldogs had a 20-0 lead.

Spencer broke free on his 88-yard run on the third play of Poland’s next possession. He appeared stopped by a host of defenders but managed to slip free. He was nearly tackled from behind deep into Howland territory but was able to score.

“I just kept on pounding,” Spencer said. “I knew [lineman] Nick Sabrin would push me to the end zone. It was nice.”

The Bulldogs made sure a running clock would be used at the start of the third quarter when Kushner made a 26-yard field goal nine seconds before halftime.

The Tigers played better defensively in the second half and had a bit more success on offense. They nearly scored late in the third period, but a Dean pass was tipped and intercepted by linebacker Cole Lavorini at the Poland 7.

Deemer’s touchdown completed a 10-play, 68-yard drive.

“They’re a very good football team,” Tigers coach Dominic Menendez said. “They’re not undefeated for no reason, and they’re not the number five team in the state for no reason. If we had played the first half like we did the second half, we would have been in better shape.”