CALCUTTA - The Howland Tigers were able to extend their first quarter surge and blank the Beaver Local Beavers, 28-0, on a soggy field at Fighting Beaver Stadium on Oct. 3.
In just 13 plays - 12 of those coming from runs - Howland lit up the scoreboard for 14 points in about 8 minutes. The scoring efforts were capitalized by fulback Brandon Neilan who plunged across the goal line from 6 and 4 yards out to give the Tigers an early first-quarter cushion.
The touchdowns were set up by running back Mike Mangiarelli, who drove Howland (6-0) into the red zone in each drive.
Friday's pivitol Poland-Howland game was after press time.
For Howland coach Dick Angle, the quick points were instrumental to establishing the momentum especially in their first away game of the season.
"It's always important when you are away and you are on a soggy field and you don't know what the conditions are going to be," Angle said. "So it was our first road trip and I think we handled it very well."
The Beavers received the opening kickoff, but on the second play of the drive QB Evan Schneider coughed up the ball during a sack and put Howland just 28 yards from their end zone.
The second Beaver drive went three-and-out after Schneider was sacked twice. The pesky Tiger defense held Schneider to minus 26 yards for the game.
In their first seven drives, the Beavers punted four times, fumbled twice and had a turnover-on-downs before the reserves hit the field late in the fourth quarter.
The struggling Beaver offense never crossed midfield until their final, 15-play drive by the first team that stalled just outside of the red zone. Matt Chambers of the Tigers defense also stripped the ball from Schneider as he was going down for a sack.
"We got things done defensively and anytime you have a shutout you got to be happy," Angle said.
Howland held the Beaver offense to just 104 yards total.
Howland scored for the third time with just over four minutes left in the half by a Matt Preston sneak from the one-yard line after the Beaver turnover and the Tigers found themselves up, 21-0.
Preston finished the game with 23 yards rushing, adding 112 passing yards for the evening.
Howland almost scored again to end the half, but the Beaver defense stood strong, finally stopping Neilan twice from three and two-yards out.
With just 20 seconds ticks left, Preston spiked the ball to stop the clock to give his offense a breather before attempting to take in for six points.
With Neilan rumbling through the Beaver offense earlier his number was called again but he was unable to penetrate the Beaver goal line. Then from two yards out and with nine seconds on the clock, Neilan ran into a wall of Beaver Local defenders that held him up about a yard away from the goal line as time expired to end the half.