Howell’s massive defensive front four fuels victory over Canton
Canton quarterback Devvin Calhoun finds a seam in the Howell defense Friday night.
Possibly the largest human being to ever wear No. 14 on a high school football field — 6-foot-5, 295-pound Robert Kanka — helped set the tone for Howell during Friday night’s 49-14 triumph over host Canton.
Committed to play at the next level for the University of Michigan, Kanka intercepted — no, make that devoured — a second-quarter pass from Canton quarterback Devvin Calhoun and returned it 20 yards to set up the Highlanders’ third touchdown of the night.
The pick stalled what had been the Cobras’ first sustained drive of the game and severely extinguished their comeback aspirations.
Large, fast and running on all cylinders, the Highlanders appear as if they’re ready to do some damage in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association’s West Division this fall.
While running up a lead that reached 36-0 in the third quarter, Howell proved its season-opening 20-17 victory over perennial power Hudsonville wasn’t a fluke.
(To check out video highlights of Friday’s game, click here.)
Fearsome foursome
Joining Kanka on the Highlanders’ massive defensive front are Jackson Pahl (6-3, 240), Dylan Hawes (6-3, 305) and Brayden Smith, the little guy of the group (wink) who stands 6-1 and weighs 240.
Howell’s Justin Jones (6-3, 200) — yes, the Highlanders skill-position players are big, too — scored the game’s first touchdown on a 5-yard run. Bryce Kish also added a long TD run for the visitors.
The outsized Cobras played with heart throughout the contest, showing fourth-quarter spunk with multiple highlight-reel plays.
What may go down as one of the most creative, ad-lib TDs of the season, Calhoun rolled right before getting hemmed in near the Howell sideline by three Highlander defenders. As he was taken down to the turf, he alertly lateraled the ball to fellow senior Alex Guadagni, who sprinted across the field and outran Howell’s entire defense to the end zone to get the Cobras on the scoreboard.
Cobras’ offense had it moments
When Calhoun received time to throw, he was dangerous. He connected on a 40-yard pass to Guadagni early in the fourth quarter that put the ball on the Howell 3-yard line. Calhoun capped the drive with a TD pass to Lemuel Pettway before finding No. 16 (name not on roster) alone in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Among the standouts for Canton’s defense were Theisen Besco, Pettway and Braden Bahen.
Canton returns to action Friday at Novi while Howell returns to the P-CEP campus to take on 0-2 Salem.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
