Six things about tonight’s broadcast — with link

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The basics

Who: Howell at Hartland

Where: Hartland High School

When: 7 p.m.

Broadcast: On The Livingston Post starting at 6:50 p.m. Click here for the broadcast!

Records: Howell 1-6 overall, 1-4 KLAA Black; Hartland 3-4, 2-3

What’s at stake

Hartland has an outside shot at a playoff spot, having beaten Salem and Stevenson. But Hartland coach Brian Savage, knowing his team has to get to 5-4 before talking about playoffs, is keeping that possibility under wraps. “We’ve talked to our kids,” he said, “and we talk one week at a time.” For the Highlanders, it’s a chance to play spoiler again, as they did at Brighton two weeks ago, and a win would put them into at least a three-way tie for fifth place going into next week’s KLAA crossover games.

The X factor

That’s the rivalry, much as it was two weeks ago. These teams have a long rivalry, and while it’s not as ballyhooed as the Brighton-Howell series, games between the teams are no less hard-fought. “Every game I’ve been involved in has been pretty close,” Savage said. “It should be a good one.”

A salvage operation

Howell lost to Canton last week 45-8, but Howell coach Aaron Metz found plenty to be positive about. “Our kids played tough, and Canton’s good,” he said. “We were one of the only teams this season that made them punt in the first half. Canton has put a hurting on a lot of teams this year. It was a physical game, and we learned a few things.”

No scoreboard watching

Hartland went to Canton and trailed 54-0 before getting a score in a 54-6 loss. Certainly, the Highlanders aren’t going to put much stock in that game. “They’re well-coached, and they’re on a roll,” Metz said. “They’ve beaten some solid programs in Stevenson and Salem, and we’ll have our hands full.”

The weather

After several days of drizzle and low clouds, the weather is expected to be balmy for mid-October, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-60s. “It will be nice to play on an even field where you don’t have to worry about all that (weather-related) stuff,” Savage said.

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