CARDINALS STAND TALL AGAINST HUBBARD

CANFIELD, Ohio –

Coming into the night as big underdogs, the Hubbard Eagles (10-2) needed to play a near perfect game if they wanted to upset the Canfield Cardinals (11-1). To say the least, they didn’t, but if you would have said the Eagles would turn the ball over twice in Canfield territory, have a touchdown called back on a holding call, and a chance to tie the game with less then five minutes to go, you would have been called crazy.

But the reality is that’s exactly how the night turned out, and yet another reason why you still play the game. After Canfield marched down the field on their opening drive to swiftly get out to a 7-0 lead, there were flashbacks to another Canfield opponent in South Range, and those groans grew even louder after the Cards scored again to go out in front 14-0.

The senior led Eagles never gave up however, and their defensive effort tonight will go down as one of the best Hubbard performances in recent memory despite the loss. A true definition of a second half team, the Eagles dominated the time of possession, and out snapped Canfield by a large margin.

Yet still, the Canfield Cardinals were able to hold on, forcing turnovers right when the needed to, and punching in a late score to put the final nail in the Hubbard coffin. In a renewed matchup between two of the valley’s premier tough nosed, grit it out, dominate your opponent programs, tonight, it feels as if a yearly matchup could have been born.

CANFIELD:

Broc Lowry: 8-18, 93 passing yards, 1 TD, 14 carries, 87 rushing yards

Mike Crawford: 17 carries, 76 yards, 2 TD

HUBBARD:

Landan Bates: 18 carries, 101 yards

TC Caffey: 20 carries, 71 yards, 1 lost fumble

Ben Wilcox: 3 catches, 26 yards, 1 TD, 1 lost fumble

UP NEXT

Canfield: The Cards are set for a rematch with the team who ended their season last year, the Chardon Hilltoppers (12-0). The Hilltoppers buried Canfield in the regional final 38-6 andwould go on to win the state championship in double overtime. The Hilltoppers currently hold a 24 game winnings streak.

Hubbard: Once again the Eagles bow out in a heart-breaking postseason loss. The past three seasons, Hubbard’s losses have come by fourteen, three, and six. Coach Hoffman will loss key impact players in TC Caffey, Landan Bates, and Alex Goodrich to graduation, but will look to turn a new life with major skill in Ben Wilcox and Yianni Hazimihalisz 

*Contributed By YSN’s Jamie Thomson