As Justin Jones cements legacy, his successor shows flashes in Howell's win over Brighton

HOWELL — Barring a playoff rematch, the Brighton football team has seen the last of Howell running back Justin Jones.

But while that might produce a collective sigh of relief among the Bulldogs, knowing sophomore Bryce Kish has got next can’t be too comforting.

Jones cemented his legacy in the Little Brown Jug rivalry Friday night by scoring four touchdowns against Brighton for the second straight year in the unbeaten Highlanders’ 36-14 victory.

Jones ran for three touchdowns and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass this time after running for 227 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-7 victory last year.

Kish has been quietly menacing while laboring in Jones’ shadow, not only serving as a lead blocker for Livingston County’s leading rusher but showcasing high-level talent when given the ball.

Kish scored Howell’s final touchdown with a 30-yard burst up the middle. He also ran for a two-point conversion following Howell’s first touchdown and had some big gains that kept the chains moving.

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“Going into it, the nerves were real high, but I knew I had the brothers around me to stick with me,” said Kish, who has run for five touchdowns. “We all worked as a team and I knew we were going to come out with the victory. The trust, the bond with this team is just unbeatable.”

Kish has fit into a veteran backfield alongside seniors Jones and Aiden Horvath, learning from two of the best leaders on the team.

“Justin and Aiden, no matter what, they show up to practice,” Kish said. “No matter what, they work their butts off. I just learn from them that hard work pays off.”

While Kish plays running back, his mentality and approach to doing the dirty work in front of Jones makes him a favorite among the big boys up front.

“Kish is paying his dues,” Howell coach Brian Lewis said. “Kish is blocking and moving bodies and doing it over and over again. For a sophomore who is just physical and wants it, the line loves him, because he’s screaming and yelling out there, blocking for his guys and doing his deal.

“Obviously, when he gets it, he’s got a real chance every time he touches it to go. He’s got nothing but great things ahead of him. He’s gonna have a great career. Football is just the beginning for him. He’s going to have multiple years in college and let’s see where it goes from there.”

Another key Highlander who will be back next year is junior quarterback Preston Barb, who was 6-for-13 for 128 yards and a touchdown against a Brighton defense committed to stopping Jones. Barb was the backup quarterback for last year’s victory over the Bulldogs.

“You only have four times in high school against a rival,” Barb said. “It feels amazing.”

Howell has beaten Brighton two years in a row for the first time since a four-year run from 2007-10. With players like Kish and Barb returning and the depth being built in the program, Lewis believes this success is sustainable into the future.

“These guys are dialed in,” Lewis said. “These guys want it. These guys want more for themselves. It took us a little bit of time here to get that mentality, but man do we got it.”

The defining moment in the game came when Howell faced fourth-and-1 from its own 11-yard line midway through the third quarter while leading 22-7. Howell sent out its punt team, then called timeout and decided to go for it. Jones powered his way for two yards to extend a drive that didn’t produce points, but took 8 minutes and 36 seconds off the clock.

“My dad (Mike) and coach (Mitch) Zajac said, ‘You’ve got to go, coach. You’ve got to get it done,’” Lewis said. “We take pride in that, getting the yard. I didn’t realize it was just a yard. I thought it was a little bit more. We sent the punt team out already — no good. Too quick for that decision, so we called timeout. We needed to get a first down and we got it.”

The Highlanders eventually extended their lead to 36-7 on a 10-yard run by Jones and Kish’s run. Brighton completed the scoring on a 10-yard pass from Lawrence Wells to Freddie Londo with 4:08 left.

“Howell was doing what Howell does,” Brighton coach Brian Lemons said. “They do a good job of pounding that ball down the field. We had some opportunities to get them off the field and we didn’t. That just ended up in us having the ball less.”

The Highlanders are 8-0 for the first time since 1963, earning their first trip to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship game next Friday at home against top-ranked Belleville.

Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: As Justin Jones cements legacy, his successor shows flashes in Howell's win over Brighton