Bandys quarterback Lake Hojnacki carries on a second quarter play on Friday night that helped set up a Trojans touchdown in a home win over Lincolnton./MICHELLE THOMPSON PHOTO
Senior RB clears 3,000 career yards, chasing
Chris Douglas, Chris Spade on all-time list
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
CATAWBA – Ethan Howard got the yards he needed to clear 3,000 rushing for his career on Bandys High’s first offensive play on Friday night and finished with 220 in a 27-7 victory over Lincolnton on homecoming night.
HOWARD’S PATH
With a 220-yard game on Friday night in a 27-7 home victory over Lincolnton, senior running back Ethan Howard helped his chances of having a shot at becoming Bandys High’s all-time leading rusher – he needs 830 yards to pass Chris Spade’s career mark.
Here’s a breakdown of performances, based on games played, that Howard would need to close as the top rusher in school history:
Games to play Avg to set record
4 207.5 yards per game
5 (Round 1 playoffs) 166 yards per game
6 (Round 2) 138.3 yards per game
7 (Round 3) 118.5 yards per game
8 (Round 4) 103.7 yards per game
Howard, a senior running back, ran for five yards on his first carry and scored his only TD – on a 5-yard run – on the Trojans’ second possession as they improved to 6-1 overall and won to share first place in the South Fork 2A with North Lincoln.
He came into the game (unofficially) needing three yards to have 3,000 for his career.
BANDYS 27
LINCOLNTON 7
Howard gained 92 yards on seven carries in the first quarter against Lincolnton, had five carries for 37 yards in the second quarter and added 68 yards on 10 carries in the third quarter and 23 yards on four carries in the fourth quarter.
He will go into next Friday night’s 7:30 p.m. home game with East Lincoln at 3,217 yards in a four-year varsity career. He’ll need 60 yards to pass former Trojans and Duke star Chris Douglas in career rushing (3,276 in 1997 and 1998, 29 games).
Playing in his 41st varsity game, Howard improved his chance at becoming the Trojans’ all-time leading rusher. He’s 830 yards shy of the 4,047 yards gained by Chris Spade, who played two seasons at Bandys (30 games).
On Friday night, the Trojans ran for 383 yards on 58 carries and had 447 yards offensively while the Wolves (1-6, 0-3) had three rushing yards and 125 passing yards.
Lincolnton had only 99 yards of offense heading into its last possession of the game.
The Trojans survived 13 penalties for 117 yards that included seven holding calls and two produce flags in the second half (and Lincolnton declined another holding penalty in the second half).
Lincolnton’s only score came with four minutes, 22 seconds left in the opening quarter when James Woods hauled in an 8-yard pass from quarterback E.J. Manjarres and Diego Romero’s PAT tied it at 7.
Howard broke a run 61 yards down the right sideline, to the Lincolnton 4, and Josh Williams scored on the next play with 4:07 left in the half to give Bandys the lead for good.
An interception by Hunter Jones – one of four by the Trojans – set up a 2-yard scoring run by Isaiah Talbert that was the only scoring of the second quarter. That left Bandys in front 20-7 at halftime.
Jacob Ellis 2-yard TD run and a PAT by Ben Joseph, who has missed only one this season, came with 8:26 to play and closed a 11-play drive.
Jones had two interceptions and Ellis and Talbert each added one for Bandys.
Lincolnton 7 0 0 0—7
Bandys 14 6 0 7—27
Scoring summary
First quarter
B—Ethan Howard 5 run (Ben Joseph kick), 6:10
L—James Woods 8 pass from E.J. Manjarres (Diego Romero kick), 4:22
Second quarter
B—Josh Williams 4 run (Joseph kick), 4:07
Third quarter
B—Isaiah Talbert 2 run (pass failed), 5:26
Fourth quarter
B—Jacob Ellis 2 run (Joseph kick), 8:26
L B
First downs 7 17
Rushes-yards 16-3 58-383
Passing 13-28-4 3-9-1
Passing yards 125 64
Total yards 128 447
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 5-34 13-117
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Lincolnton: Majarres 3-minus 27, Zack Smith 3-10, Malcom Derr 1-minus 3, Caden Wyatt 7-26, Zach Lucas 1-1, Dejarris Gash 1-minus 4.
Bandys: Lake Hojnacki 7-2, Talbert 2-7, Elijah Clark 6-91, Ellis 8-30, Howard 26-220, Jackson Spicer 2-11, Hunter Jones 1-3, Joshua Williams 5-11, Terrell Williams 10-8.
PASSING
Lincolnton: Manjarress 13-27-4 125, Derr 0-1-0 0.
Bandys: Hojnacki 3-8-1 64, Team 0-1-0 0.
RECEIVING
Lincolnton: Matthew Byrd 2-11, Derr 3-17, Woods 7-92, Gash 1-5.
Bandys: Jones 1-12, Clark 1-12, Isaiah Gilchrist 1-50.