Clarett powers Harding rout

The Raiders' ace had a special night -- five TDs and a personal-best 404 yards -- as Harding subdued Lakewood St. Edward, 42-26.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
KENT -- Lakewood St. Edward coach John Gibbons sat down in the media room after Saturday's game against Harding, took off his hat and rubbed his head.
The first question asked was whether he has seen a running back do what Maurice Clarett had just done.
"Any other questions?" Gibbons replied.
The Eagle head coach was understandably tired of Clarett.
The Harding senior standout had just carried 30 times for a personal-record 404 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Raiders to a 42-26 win in the Division I regional semifinal at Kent State's Dix Stadium.
"Probably not. I mean, 400 yards. I'll have to tax my memory," Gibbons said. "He's obviously a special talent."
Coming into Saturday's game against Warren Harding, the most points St. Edward had surrendered this season was 41.
It took Harding 14 minutes to score 42.
"It was a determination factor," Clarett said. "We wanted to prove that Warren Harding is here and we don't want to lose."
Next game: Harding advances to next Saturday's regional final against Cleveland St. Ignatius.
Harding coach Thom McDaniels last faced Ignatius while coaching McKinley in a 1997 playoff game.
Clarett's first 10 carries netted 300 yards and five scores as the Raiders broke out to a 42-6 second quarter lead.
The Buckeye-bound tailback had two 75-yard touchdown runs and an 80-yard score.
"I'd like to think he has more left to show me," said McDaniels of Clarett. "We have one more week to coach and play together, and I want him to show me something he hasn't shown me so far."
St. Edward shut out the Raiders in the second half and scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to draw within 16.
Key interception: Late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles drove 43 yards and seemed to be in position to score again until Harding defensive back Travis Stanford intercepted his second pass of the game to give Harding the ball at their own 30.
Clarett then took over, carrying eight straight times for 62 yards to take five minutes off the clock.
St. Edward got the ball back with two minutes left on its own 8-yard line and were shut down by the Harding defense.
Edward's first score came on a 23-yard touchdown pass by Shaun Carney to Cameron Rose to make it 8-6.
Two more TDs: After three Clarett touchdowns, Harding quarterback Mike Phillips ran for a 41-yard touchdown and Clarett added his fifth touchdown minutes later.
"It's plus and minus," Clarett said of getting 400 yards. "I let the ball go two times [on fumbles]. But on the other side, 400 yards is a lot of yards."
St. Ed's Jason Giachetti recovered Harding quarterback Mike Kokal's fumble and raced 60 yards to the end zone to make it 42-12 at the half. The Eagles struck back quickly in the second half as running back Raishaun Stover scored two touchdowns to cut the lead to 42-26.
Two scores: On the Eagles' second possession of the third quarter, Carney found Stover for a 24-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone.
After a Harding punt, St. Edward went 50 yards in eight plays, capped by Stover's 5-yard touchdown run.
"He runs real hard and he's real hard to tackle," Harding linebacker Stefon Alexander said. "He's just like Reese [Clarett], just like they said he was gonna be."
Numbers: Stover finished with 23 carries for 137 yards and Carney added 16 carries for 57 yards.
Carney completed 12-of-20 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions, one fewer than he had all season. Stover had seven catches for 62 yards.
"We had our opportunity," said Gibbons. "We always try to put aside what happened in the first half on the scoreboard. We played too hard all season to come out and get embarrassed."
Harding had six injuries in the game: Clayton Davis (knee), Coree Tucker (groin), Prescott Burgess (ankle), Danny Stella (leg), Phillips (ankle) and Dave Herron (leg).
scalzo@vindy.com