It’s often the forgotten phase of a football game, but in rivalry games, like Saturday afternoon’s homecoming showdown between No. 15 Long Reach and No. 7 Howard, special teams can be the difference in the outcome.

Neither team mustered much offensively — the host Lightning threw for 58 yards while the Lions managed just 47, almost all of which which came in the first half. Both teams held the other team’s All-Howard County running back largely in check and neither defense allowed the big gain. The longest play was a 21-yard run.

The difference, however, was a botched snap on a Long Reach punt that Howard recovered for a touchdown early in the first quarter and a blocked punt early in the fourth that the Lions turned into a score three plays later in a 20-6 road win.

Howard improved to 6-0 for the fourth straight year while Long Reach lost for the second straight week and fell to 3-2. The Lions have won 39 of their past 40 games in Howard County play.

“Our special teams coach Geoff Ciniero is a former college head coach and it doesn’t get any better than that,” Howard coach Ross Hannon said. “He planned it up and we knew we were bringing the pressure. Fortunately it worked out for us and got us a score early and good field position and it took away the emotions of their homecoming.”

Howard senior Anthony Reid delivered the gut punch and recovered the fumble in the end zone to put his team up 7-0 with 7:56 left in the opening quarter. After the Lightning went three-and-out on their next drive and had a 12-yard punt into the wind, the Lions took advantage of the short field and extended the lead to 14. Junior running back Devin Dawkins (22 carries, 107 yards, one touchdown) picked up 19 yards on five carries and senior quarterback Robby Porter (5-for-13 passing for 47 yards) capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.

It looked like Howard as going to run away with it, but the Lightning’s defense had other plans. They forced punts on three of the next four drives. The other ended with a fumble recovery.

“Our kids knew they could play with Howard ... we’ve just got to cut out the dumb things and the mistakes,” Long Reach coach Jamie Willis said. “That’s what’s beating us right now, the mistakes.”

Meanwhile, Howard’s defense remained consistent. It sacked Lightning quarterback Tyler Moore (15-for-23 passing for 58 yards, a touchdown and an interception) three times and DJ Howard stalled their most promising drive to start the second half with an interception.

It’s the fourth time in six games the Lions have allowed six points or fewer.

Atholton 14, Glenelg 0: Jordan Marsh rushed for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to put the host Raiders (5-1) up 14-0 over the Gladiators (4-2).

“I saw the hole, and I just cut up, and there was no one there,” Marsh said. “The offensive line, they were blocking hard all day.”

The win was Atholton’s first over Glenelg since 2012.

—Kyle Stackpole,

Baltimore Sun Media Group