Something special is taking place in Howe. People that follow the Howe Bulldogs year after year are understanding that this year’s version of the ‘Dogs are on a different level than most of the ones that have worn the black and white. Howe stuffed, stomped and stripped Lindsay to a yawning 40-14 romp.
While the defense dominated Lindsay, the offense averaged 12.03 yards per carry, which is the most since they moved to the slot-T offense last season. They also rushed for 421 yards, which ranks fifth since in the two year period.
The school has had at times great offenses and great defenses, but rarely do they come together at the same time. When they do, it means that the end of the season is usually played in the cold November chill. Generally regarded as the best Howe Bulldog team ever, the 1940, the District Champion Howe Bulldogs outscored their opponents by 27.2 points per game. This year’s ‘Dogs after three games are at 26.67, which is second of the 72 teams that have ever suited up in the black and white. There is a long way to go and stat stompers such as Pottsboro loom on the horizon, but for a moment in time, Howe looks to be on pace for something everyone can be proud of.
The game actually started out a bit slow with both teams trading punts before Cooper Akins scored his third touchdown on the young season with a 21-yard scamper. With a new holder on PAT’s, the kicking game looked a bit shaky all night long and Brice Honaker’s first PAT was blocked. That left Howe with the 6-0 lead with 4:28 left in the first quarter.
The Knights of Lindsay answered back with a 53-yard drive that took 7:13 off the clock and Knight quarterback Brandon Cragie plunged over from the 2-yard line. The PAT by Tanner Debord was successful and Howe trailed 7-6 with 9:14 left in the second quarter.
Things got a bit scary when Howe quarterback Brandon Wall was pressured and threw a pass off of his back foot that was intercepted by Knight freshman Skyler Neu, but the defense held and Lindsay punted it right back and pinned Howe deep at their own 5 yard line. Moments later junior running back Tyler Grisham broke several tackles and stiff-armed a man down as he raced for a 74-yard touchdown. After Stratton Carroll scored the 2-point conversion, Howe led 14-7 with 4:41 left in the second quarter.
After another Lindsay punt, Jaden Matthews capped off a 70-yard drive with a 46-yard touchdown and with 2:46 left before half, Howe led 20-7.
The defense dominated from the second quarter on and in most impressive fashion, sophomore Andrew Griffin took the ball away from Logan Wann and ran 34 yards for a defensive touchdown. Howe’s lead was extended to 26-7 with 2:13 left before half.
Yet another Lindsay fumble would give Howe one more shot to score before the half and fancy clock management and broken tackles nearly allowed Jaden Matthews to score, but he was tackled inside the 5 yard line as time expired. Howe took the 26-7 lead into the half.
Howe wasted no time jump starting the second half. On the very first play, Carroll, coming off an ACL surgery flashed his renewed quickness on a 63-yard touchdown. A successful PAT by Honaker gave Howe a 33-7 lead with 11:38 left in the third.
Lindsay was forced to punt again and Howe took the ball at their own 46 yard line. Just over two minutes later, Grisham added his second touchdown of the night, this one from 28 yards. The PAT gave Howe a 40-7 lead with 6:29 left in the third.
Howe forced yet another Knight fumble at the Howe 14 yard line, but the drive resulted in a 57-yard Nick Wilson punt.
Lindsay would control the clock and the damage in the fourth quarter by sustaining a 77-yard, 6:16 drive that was finished off with a 3-yard Aaron Flightman touchdown.
Howe got the ball back with 2:23 left to go in the game and would work the clock to punt on the last play of the game to finish off the 40-14 Bulldogs win.
Howe moves to 3-0 on the season and are only the twelfth Bulldog team to accomplish that. The 1940 Howe Bulldogs went 9-0 before they finally lost to Lewisville in the bi-district championship. The last Howe team to reach the 3-0 mark to start the season was back in 2010 when they started 4-0 under Head Coach Cory Crane.
Current Head Coach Zack Hudson improves his record to 13-13 which is quite an accomplishment after going 3-7 in his first year rebuilding the program in 2013. With the win, Hudson passes Stony Coffman (12-28) and Curtis Christian (12-8) on the all-time wins list. He’s now currently tied with L.B. Morris who went 13-4-2 in 1936-37.
Howe had three different rushers go over the 100-yard mark. Grisham led the charge with 114 yards on 7 carries. Jaden Matthews added 109 yards on 9 carries and Carroll hit the 100-yard mark for the first time since he had 151 yards vs. Whitewright a year ago when he suffered the torn ACL. He had 108 yards on 8 carries on Friday night. Other ball carriers were Akins, who carried 5-39, Dylan Moreau 2-26, Wall 2-13 and Brent Masters 2-11. Brandon Wall was 0-2 passing.
Jaden Matthews leads all rushers on the season with 315 yards on 40 carries. Grisham has 285 yards on 23 carries. Akins has 162 yards on 22 carries Carroll’s big night gives him 127 yards on 12 carries. Brent Masters also is at the 100-yard mark with 108 on 13 carries. Dylan Moreau has 91 yards on 12 carries.
The ‘Dogs will face Ponder on Friday night for homecoming. Last season, Ponder beat Howe 27-20.
Photos by Michelle Carney
