Harding blows out Davis’ Scott squad
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WARREN -- Coming off two straight losses, including a lopsided defeat at the hands of Ursuline a week prior, Warren G. Harding entered its game Friday against Toledo Scott with something to prove.
The Raiders rolled through Scott, getting back to .500 with a 52-0 victory over the Bulldogs.
The victory was a reunion of sorts, as Scott's coach, Richard Davis, is a Harding graduate who played under Raider coach Matt Richardson in the early 2000s.
"The kids played a great game today," Richardson said. "Richard Davis is one of the best players I ever coached. I'm just proud of him bringing this team down here to play a football game. He's the head football coach, he's the head track coach. I'm proud of him. Really, we just did what we're supposed to do."
Harding scored early and often on Friday. Its opening drive started on the 16-yard line after a deep kickoff return by Asa Coleman. Just a few plays later, the Raiders had their first points of the night after a pass from senior James Jones to receiver Matt Richardson.
Later on in the quarter, Jones connected with senior Elijah Phillips on a 9-yard score.
Just six seconds into the second quarter, the Raiders added to their lead.
Star junior Asa Burch brought down Scott quarterback Rodney Buchanan in the end zone, forcing a safety.
Harding's ground game kept both the clock and chains moving, pushing the team down the field. Phillips earned his second trip to the end zone following the safety, rushing in from 12 yards out.
The Raiders went into the locker room up 38-0, closing the first half with goal-line rushing touchdowns by Richardson and senior Antonio Dukes.
With a running clock to start the second half, Harding stuck to its success on the ground. Junior Elias Johnson, now under center, shoved his way into the end zone from 2 yards out in the third quarter.
Ikell Binford followed suit to open up the fourth, running in from the 3-yard line.
As the halfway point of the season has passed, the Raiders (3-3), who came into Week 6 as the 12th seed in the region, have a challenging slate to close out the year. Cardinal Mooney, Massillon Washington and Austintown Fitch await as well as next week's road showdown with rival Boardman and former Harding coach D.J. Dota.
With some extra confidence after a big win, now it's on them to keep the momentum going.
"I just told them, we did what we were supposed to do tonight," coach Richardson said. "Now we just have to decide whether we're hunters or not."
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Boardman.