Howard’s late touchdown beats intense Newark 8-3

 

Howard came into this game riding a three game winning streak in which they were averaging 49 points per game.

However the Newark Yellow Jackets defense was able to keep a potent Howard Wildcats offense scoreless for forty five minutes of the possible forty eight minutes before allowing the game winning touchdown.

After a scoreless first quarter, Newark was able to break the tie when Mia Carew, the kicker for the Yellow Jackets nailed a 17 yard field goal to give them a 3-0 lead late in the second quarter. It was confirmed by her mom at half time that her field goal was the first of her career, so congratulations Mia. 

After another scoreless third quarter and nine minutes in the fourth quarter Howard finally found the endzone. It was third down with fifteen yards to go for the first down on the Newark twenty seven yard line. Howards quarterback Rashaan (RJ) Matthews took the snap, pump faked, then released a deep ball to the corner of the endzone. Howard wideout Isaiah Ferrell was able to get behind three Yellow Jacket defenders to make the catch for the go ahead touchdown. 

Now with the 6-3 lead Howard decided to go for the 2 point conversion. RJ Matthews was in shotgun; he took the snap rolled out to his right and connected with Robert Kelly in the corner of the endzone for a successful try which made the lead 8-3 forcing Newark to have to score a touchdown to win. 

The Yellow Jackets took the kickoff after the score with three minutes left in the game. They were able to drive the ball across midfield to the Wildcats 48 yard line. The drive stalled and they found themselves facing a fourth and two from the 48. Newark quarterback MarKeevis Rogers took the snap on a designed quarterback run, but was swarmed by the Howard defense. 

The turnover on downs sealed the victory for Howard because Newark was out of timeouts. So with no timeouts Howard lined up in victory formation and just kneeled a couple times to run out the last minute of the game.