Howard bottled up its momentum from Friday night and unleashed a dominating performance against rival Brainerd on Saturday afternoon in an 18-0 season-opening football shutout at Reggie White Field.
Howard controlled the defensive front comfortably over the two-day affair, holding the Panthers to 3 yards of total offense after numerous sacks and other tackles for losses. The big guys on the offensive line did their jobs, too - creating space for 109 rushing yards for the eight Hustlin' Tigers who recorded a carry. Leading the pack of running backs was junior Javian Robinson, who notched two touchdowns and 75 yards on 13 carries.
"I'm incredibly happy for our guys and how they played, but I'm just glad this one is over with," Howard coach John Starr said. "Playing Brainerd on opening day is already crazy enough, but factoring in the weather and getting everybody back and ready to play on a Saturday didn't make it any easier. It feels a lot better after a win, though."
Before severe thunderstorms postponed the game's finish to Saturday afternoon, the Tigers already had turned in a couple of big plays to start their season on the right note. First, senior defensive back Darren Kinnemore picked off a Panthers pass on Brainerd's second possession of the game. Two plays after that, Robinson gave Howard a 6-0 lead when he trucked a defender and zoomed 70 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.
Play was stopped during Howard's next possession.
When the game resumed Saturday, the Hustlin' Tigers possessed the ball on Brainerd's 39-yard line and used just two plays before Robinson scored his second rushing touchdown - this time from 19 yards out.
"Our guys on offense did their job and I'm pleased with that, but our defense impressed me the most today," Starr said. "We didn't give up a first down until close to the fourth quarter, and they kept putting the offense in good positions to do their thing."
After Brainerd went three-and-out in its first two possessions after the restart, the snap flew over Panthers punter Ciante Chaney's head. He recovered it in the end zone for a safety.
With his team down 16-0 late in the third quarter, Brainerd coach Tyrus Ward switched to an exclusive passing game to try to make up ground quickly, but Howard's stingy secondary didn't budge. Kinnemore intercepted Xiyeer Lattimore for the second time late in the third quarter, and then in the final frame the Hustlin Tigers' picked off two more balls - by Terran Bell and Ellis Robinson.
"We've just got to find better blocking up front. It's that simple," Ward said. "The game is won up front, and we just need to get tougher and stronger so we can sustain that area of the field. We have who we have right now. We just have to find ways to put our guys in better spots.
"We've worked hard all summer on doing that, and I guarantee next week we'll be better."
Howard earned its final two points when a sack in the closing minutes caused a Brainerd fumble that was recovered by the Panthers in the end zone for another safety.
Contact John Mitchell at sports@timesfreepress.com.