Rebels Slide Past Rival Mustangs

For the Howell Rebels football team, it has been the same gameplan all season.

Senior quarterback Ryan Davies taking the ball and spooling off passes left, right, and up the middle.

Friday night, Howell (4-4) finally got the result they were looking for behind Davies' strong arm, taking down Brick Memorial (4-5), 23-7 on the road.

Davies completed 23 of 34 passes for 232 yards and connected for two touchdowns in the Rebel's second consecutive win over the rival Mustangs.

"The last six years we've had some really good games with Brick Memorial," Howell head coach Cory Davies said, "Overtime in 2008, going to state semi-finals three times. Its been a great rivalry, I really enjoy it. The win puts us at 4-4 which helps out not making the playoffs."

Davies' favorite target, as he has been all season, was senior wide-out Brandon Yaegel, who caught ten passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Howell answered Brick Memorial's opening touchdown-scoring drive, with a five-play 68-yard drive that ended with Davies hitting Yaegel for a 29-yard touchdown strike.

Yaegel ran a corner route, and Davies hit the wide receiver perfectly at the front pilon, tying the game at seven.

Later, Howell ended the first half when Davies hit Yaegel for a two-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal from the two-yard line with seven seconds remaining.

Davies took a wide snap and hit Yaegel on an out-route. Yaegel made good use of his large frame, diving outside the endzone while dragging his feet to make the catch and give Howell the lead, capping off the 52-yard drive.

Howell converted five seperate third or fourth downs on the drive. On 3rd and 6 from the Brick Memorial 48-yard line, Davies scrambled for a nine-yard gain.

Later, on 3rd and 10 from the Mustangs' 41-yard line, Davies connected with Yaegel for an 11-yard gain.

Davies scrambled for another first down, this time on fourth-and-two from the Brick Memorial 22-yard line and later, ran for three yards on third-and-goal from the two, setting up the touchdown pass.

The Rebels added a touchdown in the fourth quarter when Davies ran from four yards out on third-and-goal, finishing the quick 46-yard drive

That touchdown drive was kept alive when Davies ran for 10 yards on third-and-two from the 'Stangs 38-yard line.

Howell also forced a safety when the Mustangs were forced to punt out of their own endzone. The snap to punter Anthony Miller was high and when he landed with the ball, his foot landed on the back-line of the endzone.

Miller put the Mustangs on top, early, with a 15-yard run. He finished with 74 yards and one touchdown on 9 carries, leading Brick Memorial offensivley.

Brick Memorial quarterback Cody Pinho was impressive on the ground in the first half, but Howell made adjustments to his quick feet and were able to stop him for loss six times in the second half.

"We didn't make a whole lot of changes, we just got our guys to make the plays they needed to make," Davies said, "We just had to get our guys in the right position."

Tory Robinson made six catches for 53 yards as another big target for Davies.

For Howell, they are eliminated from the playoff race, although Davies said it's still important to finish strong.

"I think it's huge for the players and for seniors to finish their careers on a high note. It's the first time since 2008 that we won't be in the playoffs, and some of the kids are down, so this is our way of having the kids finish up strong."

For the Mustangs, even with the loss they will still be in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs and will open on the road.