The Bowie Jackrabbits took apart Howe on homecoming on Friday night with a third quarter explosion that broke the game open.
The Jackrabbits won easily 41-12 against the Bulldogs, earning their first homecoming win since 2020 to send the big crowd home happy and celebrating.
Bowie was coming into the game following its first loss against Bridgeport by one touchdown. Howe had just picked up its first win against Bonham the previous week.
Midway through the first quarter the Jackrabbits got a break when a holding call got a touchdown run called back against the Bulldogs. The Bowie defense held after that and forced a turnover on downs near midfield.
The Jackrabbit offense drove down the field with short to medium gains, always staying ahead of the sticks. They converted on a fourth down during the drive to keep it going before quarterback Rayder Mann found Zac Harris open for a three-yard touchdown pass.
Bowie led 7-0 heading into the second quarter.
The Jackrabbits offense had another scoring chance midway through the second quarter when it lined up for a 28-yard field goal. Unfortunately, it was blocked, but luckily Howe recovered at its own three-yard line.
The Bowie defense had stifled the Bulldogs since their opening drive scare and forced a punt deep from their own end zone. The Jackrabbit offense had great field position.
Then Bowie hit on a play that would produce several big plays in the game. On a wide receiver screen pass to Tyler Richey, he got good blocking down the sideline to take it in for a 35-yard touchdown catch and run.
The Jackrabbits led 14-0 with only four minutes left before halftime.
Howe showed some life, nearly returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. The Bulldog offense showed some gusto and marched down the rest of the field before punching the ball into the end zone on a short run to cut the lead to 14-6.
The special teams came through again for Howe as a pooched kickoff found a sweet spot in Bowie’s formation. The kickoff was recovered by the Bulldogs with 2:18 left before halftime.
It looked like Bowie’s defense might hold, with the Bulldogs having no timeouts left and on the Jackrabbit’s 12-yard line with 20 seconds left. Unfortunately, Howe’s quarterback scrambled and found a lane into the end zone on a run with just eight seconds left to play.
All of a sudden, Bowie’s comfortable lead was down to two points, going into the locker room up only 14-12.
The Jackrabbits recovered well from that blow and came out in the second half to prove they were the better team.
The Bowie defense forced a decisive three-and-out to force a punt. Bradly Horton then returned the punt 50-60 yards for nearly a touchdown, getting brought down at Howe’s six-yard line.
It set up running back Justin Clark’s four-yard touchdown run a few plays later to put the Jackrabbits up 21-12.
On Bowie’s next possession, Mann connected on a perfectly placed pass to Braden Rhyne down the sideline for a big play. That set up the next touchdown when Mann bought some time with his legs before finding Richey open for a nine-yard touchdown pass to extend the Jackrabbits lead to 28-12.
Bowie’s offense kept rolling and Mann kept finding Richey. On the next possession, another wide receiver screen broke open for Richey for a 21-yard touchdown catch.
The Jackrabbits led 35-12 heading into the fourth quarter.
On the first possession of the final period, Mann found Richey again, this time on a quick out pattern he broke open for a 30-yard catch and run touchdown. It was the fourth touchdown catch for Richey on the night, which put Bowie up 41-12.
The Bowie defense, which shut down Howe the entire second half, then earned a turnover in the fourth quarter when a dropped snap was recovered by Preacher Chambers.
The Jackrabbits were mostly trying to run out the clock afterwards and were finally stopped at Howe’s 35-yard line on fourth down, but it was too late in the game for the Bulldogs to change their fortunes.
Bowie won the game without trouble 41-12.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6868773&T=1