By Terry Foster
During half time of the Howell game against Plymouth little tykes dressed in white and dark football jerseys rushed onto the field at Howell High School to run a few plays before a nearly packed house.
Moments earlier young girls in cheer leader gear danced and jumped for joy and embraced the cheers from parents, friends and students.
The youth movement didn’t stop once the varsity game resumed. Head coach Brian Lewis trotted out his version of the baby Highlanders. Howell (2-2) starts as many as five sophomores and they all played a big role during a tense 9-0 victory over Plymouth.
Coaches and players apologized for the score but did not apologize for Howell’s much needed victory.
Everybody loves JJ. That’s what they call sophomore quarterback Justin Jones who scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:23 remaining in the second quarter. He became the work horse (145 yards on 28 carries) when running back Cole Quattlander was unable to play because of injury.
It was difficult to tell if teammates yelled louder for JJ when he broke a scoreless tie with his touchdown run or when he pinned Plymouth at the one-yard line with a surprising pooch punt. The bad field position and the stingy Highlander defense forced a safety two plays later.
Jones loved the support from teammates.
“This is like my second family,” Jones said. “I love these guys. These guys I look up to.”
JJ is not the only sophomore getting big time run. Tight end/ defensive end Bobby Kanka has Division I schools begging for his services after high school. That includes Ohio State and Penn State. He played his best game of the season both as a blocker and carving his way into the back field to make big defensive plays. Sophomore linebacker Brady Robinson was also a pain all night, making things difficult for Plymouth.
Robinson got promoted from junior varsity and immediately won a starting job on varsity. These guys are all getting an early baptism in the tough Kensington Lakes Activities Association West Division. A talented freshman class makes the future look even brighter. However, the Highlanders remain in the present because they have aspirations to improve on a 2-2 record and advance in the state playoffs.
In order to do that they must take better care of the football when scoring opportunities await.
Youth is a wonderful thing. But it is also scary. Jones threw a first quarter interception after guiding Howell inside the 10-yard line. He should have tucked the ball in and ran instead of forcing the pass.
A low snap botched a 37-yard field goal attempt and Jones fumbled deep inside Plymouth territory.
“They scare you to death right now,” said Lewis who at age 33 is more akin to Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay than Green Bay legend Vince Lombardi. “The future is the future so we will worry about that later. Just for the fact that they are going to make sophomore mistakes.”