By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

HUBBARD

Despite losing in weather better suited for popscicles than points, Hubbard didn’t take a licking in Friday’s 14-6 loss to Howland in an All-American Conference non-tier game.

But Hubbard has made a bad habit of falling behind first in the scoring in its last two games and the trend doesn’t bode well if the Eagles are to climb back from a 2-3 start.

The Eagles are moving the ball, just not finishing.

“We played well enough to win, but one crucial mistake led to points and, two weeks in a row, we’d have nice drives, but then not finish them off,” coach Brian Hoffman said.

Like last week when Lakeview scored first in a 7-6 win at Hubbard, Howland did likewise, albeit not until the third quarter when the Tigers (2-3) took advantage of a bad snap on a scrimmage play.

As Hubbard quarterback Davion Daniels scrambled to retrieve a low snap from center, Howland OLB/safety William Hines stumbled over Daniels in pursuit of the loose ball, which Hines, a sophomore, followed into the end zone for a 6-0 lead. Luke Brancaccio’s point-after gave the visitors a 7-0 lead with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter.

Howland took a 14-0 lead on Jackson Deemer’s 20-yard touchdown and Brancaccio’s PAT with 11:11 left in the game.

Hubbard scored on Daniels’ 10-yard TD run with 6:27 left, then attempted to capitalize on Ray Minniti’s blocked punt and sophomore Jake Pantone’s recovery at Howland’s 19-yard line with 4:01 remaining.

“Even after giving up the easy points, our kids shook it off and battled back by playing hard in the third and fourth quarters to give us a chance right to the end,” Hoffman said of the 7-0 deficit before the Eagles nearly scored in the closing seconds when Daniels passed to Shannon Slovesko, who lateraled to Minniti, who reached Howland’s 40 before Tigers quarterback/safety Samari Dean intercepted as time expired.

“That was a great play we got off, but we came up a little short tonight,” the Hubbard coach said of the desperation hook-and-ladder play. “We have to do better next week [against Niles],” Hoffman said.

“We’re very fortunate that it happened and we’ll take it, especially after an 0-3 skid,” Howland coach Dom Menendez said. “Sometimes you need the ball to bounce your way and it did on that play.”

Of the swarming pickup by Hines, Menendez said, “He’s aggressive and he gets to the ball.”

Hines also had key tackles, especially on Hubbard’s next-to-last possession after Minniti’s punt block.

Of Deemer and his 127 yards on 22 carries, Menendez said, “He’s a workhorse and he’s a tough kid and I’ve been saying it all year that he’s an old-school throwback guy and we love him to death.”

A beast of a player for Hubbard is ILB/TE/utility player Lukas Mosora, who makes his presence known via hard hitting to the end.

“It’s the toughest loss we’ve had all year, definitely, because we’re all trying so hard,” the 5-6 junior said. “Last week, same thing, but this one just makes it harder.”

Mosora said the Eagles vow to come back because “We’ve got a team full of big hearts and we’re not giving up. We’re going to give everything we can to finish this season with a win-out.”

Penalties and poor special teams play, especially in the ball-snapping department, doomed Hubbard.

“It’s just simple things that mess us up,” Mosora said. “I mean, if we don’t give up that ball [on Hubbard’s own 10-yard line], they don’t get a touchdown. We’re right in the game because that’s a touchdown they shouldn’t have. We can’t afford that in these close games.”