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Timberlane's plans will have to wait. Guertin, not looking for any kind of company whatsoever, laid a defensive lesson on the Owls last night, accelerating away for a 27-6 decision before about 500 fans at sparkling Stellos Stadium.

"We felt good about coming into the game," said Owls coach Kevin Fitzgerald. "We talk to the kids about learning to play in these types of tight situations. We'll learn from it, and we'll get better. They've been there. They're at the level where they expect to win every night out. We're trying to get to that level."

Total yards (168) and yards per play (3.4). Both were ugly for Timberlane, which looked to be in a fistfight, down 13-6 at halftime, but never really took a second-half swing at the defending champs.

After probing Timberlane with multiple looks in the first half, Guertin went strictly power in the second, packing it in with a pair of tight ends and a power-eye that ran all the life out of the upset-minded Owls.

The Cardinals ground out a third-quarter consuming march of 70 yards on 14 plays (12 rushes), assuming a 20-6 advantage that Timberlane, at this point in the season, simply wasn't ready to answer.

Comfort level in a game of this magnitude certainly showed as BG appeared to be running through an intrasquad scrimmage, while the Owls, who chewed up Bedford for 42 points a week ago, saw its passing game dissolve in a wave of Guertin green.

BG allowed just 31 yards and just three first downs after the intermission, clamping down like it did for three quarters last week vs. defending Division 1 champion Pinkerton.

"They're a good defensive team, they fly to the football, and they tackle too," said Fitzgerald.

Quarterback Evan Bidgood, so good against Bedford, clicked on just 9 of 26 passes for 108 yards, a victim of four dropped balls in the first half and a relentless Guertin pass rush in the second.

The ground game was equally fruitless for the Owls, who were without Evan David (ankle sprain). Fullback Anthony Gillis scraped together 46 yards on 10 tries, while Josh David's 14 attempts netted 14 yards.

Bidgood did throw a second-quarter, nine-yard TD pass to Ryan McCarthy, but that score was immediately offset by Brodie Smith's 88-yard kick return for a touchdown.

"We expected a battle, and for the first half it was just that," said Fitzgerald. "I don't think we took advantage of some opportunies we had, and they took advantage of the opportunities presented to them. You have to make the plays when you get those chances."

Timberlane will have to step it up quickly with Manchester West coming to Plaistow Friday night in an early must-win type of game.

"They've got a new coach (22-year-old Jimmy Lauzon) and some pretty good athletes," said Fitzgerald. "But right now, we can't worry about them. I'm worried about us getting better."