HoweEnterprise.com
January 9, 2023
Bulldogs fight to stay in playoff race with wins over Blue Ridge and Leonard
Howe senior Austin Haley fights for the ball at Leonard on Friday night. Photo by Michelle Carney. Just when you thought the Howe Bulldogs (10-8, 2-3) might be ducking out of the playoff scene, they come roaring back with big wins over competitors for post season play. On Tuesday, Howe’s defense suffocated the Leonard Tigers in a 32-23 win and on Friday, continued their defensive dominance with a 44-30 win. Howe currently sits half of a game behind Blue Ridge for the fourth and final playoff seed. Pottsboro is 4-0 with Bells trailing 3-1. Gunter sits with a 3-2 record for third place. Blue Ridge has a 2-2 record and Howe is 2-3. On Tuesday at home against Leonard, Howe began with a 13-7 advantage after the first with field goals from Noah Riley, Cooper Jones, Jacob Campbell, and a 3-pointer from Austin Haley. The Dogs only allowed five total points in the second quarter while Howe only scored six thanks to a clock stall just before the half. The scoreboard looked more like a seventh grade game heading into the fourth quarter with the Dogs holding a 26-20 advantage and one was wondering at one point if anyone would reach 30. Howe didn’t make a field goal in the fourth quarter but did connect on 3 -of-7 foul shots and eventually won 32 -23. Howe was led in points by Campbell’s 13 and rebounds by Jones’ 11. Other scorers were Riley (8), Haley (6), Jones (2), Anthony Lowder (2), and
Kaleb Taylor (1). On Friday, Howe never trailed at Leonard as they jumped out to a 13-6 lead after the first and took a 26-14 lead into intermission. Leonard’s only threat came in the third as they outpaced Howe 11-8, but the Dogs came back to finish out the game with an 85 fourth period for the 44-30 win. Riley led Howe with 12 points and also added eight rebounds to tie for the team lead with Jones. Campbell and Haley each netted 10 points while Jones added eight and Taylor had two. The Bulldogs have a bye on Tuesday and will travel to Bonham on Friday to round out the first half of the district schedule.
Howe vs. Blue Ridge Howe at Leonard 11-3A Standings Pottsboro 4-0 Bells 3-1 Gunter 3-2 Blue Ridge 2-2 Howe 2-3 Leonard 1-3 Bonham 0-4
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