RallyNorth.net

Furey, Post put Owls over .500

Friday, September, 18 By Jeff Hamrick

PLAISTOW — Past history says the Timberlane football program is in unfamiliar territory. But the current batch of Owls appear much more focused on the future.

Looking to surpass the .500 mark for the first time since winning the 2013 opener, Timberlane once again made things look easy last night with a 38-18 victory over Portsmouth. The season might still be young, but at 2-1 it's the deepest into a season the Owls have gone over .500 since standing 5-4 in 2011.

"The attitude change is definitely that — it's changed," said senior back Tyler Furey, who led a punishing ground attack with 181 yards and two scores on 17 carries. "We have a lot of motivation going forward, and we just want to try and keep that going.

"We have a strong defense and a lot of skill guys on offense. We just have to keep playing fast and physical."

The skill players showed up early against the winless Clippers.

Jacob Post's 22-yard burst with 7:50 left came on the heels of a slick 27-yard pickup by Kyle Faucher and capped an eight-play, game-opening drive.

It was more of the same on the Owls' ensuing two possessions.

First a 25-yard punt return by Post set up an 11-yard drive that quarterback Jason Hughes finished with a 5-yard keeper.

And one play after a 24-yard run by Hughes on a fake punt kept the next drive going, Post squirted 21 yards for his second touchdown 18 seconds into the second quarter.

"Our intention was to come out here firing," Post said about getting ahead early. "We wanted to come off the ball hard and fast and punch them in the mouth right away. That just motivates us. I think it just puts a chip on all our shoulders. It motivates us to go out and play the best ball we can."

At that point, Timberlane had run 14 of it's first 16 plays from the Portsmouth side of the field, and one of the two plays from its own end was a result of a penalty.

"If you play solid defense and can control the ball, you're going to have success," Timberlane coach Kevin Fitzgerald said after his squad allowed 57 yards on 27 rushes a week after surrendering 25 yards on 27 carries to Londonderry.

Portsmouth closed to within 21-6 with 3:29 left in the half, but the Owls quickly responded with a solid eight play, 68-yard drive that was aided by Hughes' 30-yard run on a third-and-one rush and ended on Furey's 10-yarder with 36.8 ticks remaining.

Hughes, who kicked a 37-yard field last week, put the Owls ahead 31-6 early in the third with a 40-yard field goal. The senior, who was successful on each of his five point-after kicks,  also sent four of his kickoffs into the endzone helping his defensive mates with field position.

Furey added a 40-yard touchdown run with 5:22 left in the third for Timberlane's final score.

The only negative on the night was the 11 penalties the Owls racked up which set them back 90 yards.

"The undisciplined play drives me crazy," Fitzgerald said. "I have to do a better job of making sure we clear that stuff up."

But if penalties still are Fitzgerald's biggest complaint six weeks from now, you can be sure it won't be erasing the smile on his face.

"Our senior class is outstanding," the coach said. "We have good players but outside of that we have a lot of guys who are character kids ... They've had a lot of reps since they were sophomores when they took a bit of a beating. But now it's starting to pay dividends."